The Writings of Carl Schurz/To Charles Sumner, June 27th, 1865
TO CHARLES SUMNER
Bethlehem, June 27, 1865.
Your note of the 25th inst. reached me to-day. I shall certainly accept the President's proposal.
As to the gentleman who accompanied the Freedmen's commission, I should be glad to have him, but I am sorry not to have heard of him before. The Government will pay about $30 a month for “a clerk” to accompany me, and I have already engaged a young man of my acquaintance and cannot well back out, but I intended to use him more as a copyist and “major-domo” than any thing else. The gentleman you speak of would in many respects be of vastly more use to me, and if, as you say, friends of the cause will be glad to send him with me, I shall of course be happy to take him, but all I can offer him would be to share the travelling accommodations which the Government furnishes me. For the rest of the expenses he would have to look to our friends who send him. If this is the understanding I will see what arrangements I can make at Washington and then telegraph you from there.
I shall probably leave this place for Washington on the 29th and then go to Charleston by the first steamer.
I shall endeavor to do my duty to the best of my ability, although the trip is indeed no pleasure excursion. But, I repeat, you and every friend of the cause that can afford it ought to go to Washington as soon as possible and remain there. The governors are appointed, but there ought to be no convention held before the meeting of Congress.
I wrote you a few lines day before yesterday; I hope you have received them. Please let me hear from you—and go to Washington.