RUTHERFORD B. HAYES TO FREDERICK DOUGLASS

[n.p. March 1877.]

I regarded the Marshalship of the District of Columbia as the office that
would speak loudest in protest agst race prejudice of any place at my disposal. As to the social service official duties which had been <temporarily> attached to it, only recently, my <wishes> [illegible] were first to have
a man of intelligence good judgment and [illegible] charact[er.] These I
know believed you have.

But in the next place I wanted a person well informed and accomplished in the Social usages and etiquette of Washington. Neither <I nor>
any <of my> family possessed these advantages. I did not suppose that
you [illegible] possessed them. I th[ere]fore preferred a gentlman who[se]
<was officially> [duties were] intimately connected with the Presidents
House and family and who had both the character and the special accomplishments of which were required. But no arrangement was definitely
made until I had believed that the it <this> was altogether agreeable to
you and was in fact your preference.

“An incongruity and innovation.”

It took the Marshal from his duties—The custodian of the White
House was the proper person—

ALf: OFH.