Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes to Colonel Russell Hastings, February 1, 1866

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 1, 1866.

DEAR COLONEL:— Mr. Sherman called with me on Secretary Harlan of the Department of the Interior this morning. Senator Sherman will use his influence heartily, and I have no doubt successfully, in your affair. There is a possibility of three things which I submit to you:— An Indian agency in the Indian Territory, Fort Smith, being, I think, headquarters; (2) Superintendency of Indian affairs in New Mexico; and (3) Surveyor-generalship of Dakota Territory. All of these places I regard as preferable to any clerkship or the like here. Can you muster physical strength enough for such a place as either of the three? Keep all this to yourself strictly. Neither of the places are vacant and it would be embarrassing to have them publicly spoken of.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

[COLONEL RUSSELL HASTINGS (?)] Private.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 15