James Y. Cory to Richard Yates

Office of the Waukegan Weekly Gazette

James Y Cory

Editor and Prop'r Waukegan, Ill Jany 17th 1865

My dear Sir:

I have waited until I supposed

you had got once more quietly settled at

your home in Jacksonville, after the

arduous official duties, to which you have

given your time and energies during the

past four years, before writing to Congrat-

ulate you upon your triumphant election,

to the honorable position of United States

Senator, from the noble state over which

you have presided as Chief Executive during

the most trying period through which

our country and State has ever passed. And

believe me, though late, my congratulations

are none the less heartfelt and sincere. And

may the great Law Giver, who has been so

scrupulously watchful over your public

life in the past, ever, in the future, remain

your steadfast friend, protecter and adviser.

You were quite correct in your supposition,

contained in your letter to me, some weeks since,

that you had many friends in Lake County

indeed I am quite certain that you was

the first choice of a large majority of the

people of our County, and the opposition which

manifested itself, just previous to the meeting

of the Legislature, was manufactured by a

few designing men.

To give you an instance, which will suf-

fice for all: E. M. Haines stated publicly

in this city that you were entitled to no credit

for the act of proroguing the "Rump" Legislature

and thus heading off the machinations of

the Copperheads in that body. He stated that

you sent for him, at that time, to help you

out of the scrape", to know what course you

should adopt in the premises; that you

was laboring under so great mental excitement

as to be entirely incapacitated to act, that

he (Haines) told you what to do and how

to do it, and it was so done, and that

this was but a fair sample of your other

acts. &c &c

These statements being made in public,

by one who was supposed to be your friend

before that, taken in connection with his

recent circular, and general course of his hostility

towards you about that time, was the sole and

only cause of whatever opposition there

appeared against you in this County.

The individual who had the vote of Lake

County in custody, is looked upon here as

the mere tool of M. Haines, and it is also con-

sidered here, that he was not against you until

he was made to by the workings of the man

Haines

I have been thus explicit that the people

of our county may stand aquit of any

opposition at heart towards you.

In all friendship therefore, my dear Gov.

I would advise you to entirely rid yourself

of E. M Haines in the future. Your apparent

friendship, or even endurance of him, would

give him position and character with

which to rise up and injure you, as he

has already attempted to do. His past course

should entirely satisfy you of this.

The half has not been told you. But

Enough. Allow me one word, personal to

myself, you are probably aware that

I hold the high and honorable position

of postmaster at this place. The position

however, I am not in partial to; but, I

assure you, the perquisites arriving there-

from in these perilous times are almost

indispensable to the running of the Waukegan

Gazette. And only think, if that political

literary luminary should be extinguished

what would become of the Country?!!

I don't want to be considered mean

or even a bore, but if you can see

any way or devise any plan by which

I could longer dignify that honorable po-

sition, will you be kind enough to inform

me? Our member, Genl Farnsworth, and

myself are warm personal friends. May

I not also hope for your kindly wishes and

endeavors in that direction, in case that

Mr. Haines, or the gentleman who he attempted

is boost into the position to which you have

been elevated, should attempt to muddle with

me, officially? Meantime, should it be con-

sidered desirable to obtain petitions from our

citizens, as expressions of their wishes, sufficient

of that sort can be furnished on call.

Believe me my dear friend,

Yours Sincerely,

James Y. Cory

Please allow this

to be confidential

P. S. If you have one of Haines circulars, such as I sent you to spare I would thank you

to send me one.

Cory James Y

Waukegan Jany 17th 65

Congraulatory friendly

and wants your influ-

ence to retain the

Post Office