Sketches New and Old


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John Wilson Mackenzie of Rotterdam, Chemung County, New Jersey, deceased,  
contracted with the General Government to furnish to General Sherman the  
sum total of thirty barrels of beef--"  
"That will do, sir--that will do; this office has nothing to do with  
contracts for beef."  
I was bowed out. I thought the matter all over and finally, the  
following day, I visited the Secretary of the Navy, who said, "Speak  
quickly, sir; do not keep me waiting."  
I said, "Your Royal Highness, on or about the 10th day of October, 1861,  
John Wilson Mackenzie of Rotterdam, Chemung County, New Jersey, deceased,  
contracted with the General Government to General Sherman the sum total  
of thirty barrels of beef--"  
Well, it was as far as I could get. He had nothing to do with beef  
contracts for General Sherman, either. I began to think it was a curious  
kind of government. It looked somewhat as if they wanted to get out of  
paying for that beef. The following day I went to the Secretary of the  
Interior.  
I said, "Your Imperial Highness, on or about the 10th day of October--"  
"
That is sufficient, sir. I have heard of you before. Go, take your  
infamous beef contract out of this establishment. The Interior  
19  
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