Rare Autograph and Manuscript Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/19/2015
Charles O’Conor served as senior counsel for Jefferson Davis, the former President of the Confederate States of America, who had been indicted for treason. O’Conor is also noted for prosecuting William M. “Boss” Tweed, the infamous politician and head of the New York City Democratic political machine.
ALS by O'Conor likely in reference to the Tweed ring scandal and his involvement with "thief-hunting"to a Alfred Wilkinson in Syracuse, N.Y. It is interesting to note that Alfred's father John Wilkinson, was the person who named the village of "Syracuse" from a poem he read about an ancient city.
Letter in full" New York, Nov 6th, 1873. My Dear Sir, I concur with you in felicitating the country on the result. Please to present my congratulations with your own to the Attorney General-elect: But I beg both you and him to understand that I never had the slightest desire or even willingness to be occupied in thief-hunting. I was always a conscript, forced into the service against my will and had throughout a determination to seek relief from its toils the moment it could be done without discredit.- I am Dear Sir Yours Truly, Cl. O'Conor. Alfred Wilkinson Esq. Syracuse, NY."
Charles O’Conor was also a presidential candidate in 1872, the first Irish Catholic to try to attain the office. He died in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
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