The next day I called on the Secretary of State.
He said, "Well, sir ?" 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 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.