Dear Sir,
In the Army & Navy Museum
at Washington there is a specimen
to the first successful ligature of the
[innominate?] artery for [sub-clarian?]
aneurism. This operation in its
success after repeated failures from
the most eminent surgeons of the world
has placed the name of Andrew
Smyth in the foremost rank of surgeons
& through him in this instance the name of
the United States will lead in the van of
the world's surgery record.
In the American Medical Times
of August 20th 1867 the great Valentine
[Mort?] wrote of the man who had succeeded
where he failed. "On the brow of Andrew
W. Smyth of New Orleans will always
rest the laurel of the first successful
operation of ligature of this great artery.
Time can never rob him of this great
surgical achievement.
Time, sir, cannot rob him of this: but
it has robbed him of almost all else.
In an unfortunate [----?] Dr Andrew
W. Smyth accepted the Superintendency [of?]
the N.O. [New Orleans?] Mint The cashier of
that Mint Dowling set fire to his vault to
conceal the abstraction of notes to the value
of 25,000. A lady expert sent from
Washington identified the remnants of
some charred notes as substituted lesser
notes for those of greater value. The United
States Treasury indicted Dowling, but Judge
[Boarman?] admonished the jury that they could
not render a verdict of guilty when only
expert evidence was against
the prisoner. In accordance with this
views Dowling was set free, & his bond,
good & valuable security, remained
untouched. Another suit was brought against
Dr. Andrew W. Smyth as Superintendent
of the Mint to recover the amount lost.
Had the Treasury of the United States not
brought a criminal suit against Dowling
Dr Smyth might have recovered from
Dowling's bond; but Dowling though guilty
having been set free in this suit, Dr
Smyth & his bond were held accountable
for the loss by the United States for in
your Senators and Representatives &
President of the United States & who
must [jealously?] guard the interest &
the fame of the country at whose helm you
may yet stand. I, Andrew W. Smyth's
wife make an appeal for help.
Congress by a special appropriation
might restore the money which a guiltless
man had to pay for a guilty one, in so doing
the United States would only be acting
justly to itself & not have the
onus of granting such a reward to the
man who gave to his adopted country
a fame which would have been recognised
in another manner by England had
he remained a subject. When
you were in London I tried to see you
but did not succeed now I am writing
to state what I would have told you.
God grant that you may see your
way to bring justice & happiness to
the closing days of Andrew W. Smyth
& with it get the blessing of the wife
& daughter who have suffered in exile
& in poverty for the guilt of Dowling.
Senator Samuel Mc[Evoy?] from
Louisiana is a personal friend of Dr
Andrew W. Smyth. He knows all about
the case & if you were to refer to him
would I know do all in his power to help.
I know it is unusual for a private party
to address with a grievance & an appeal
for help the head of the nation. But
Sir I am helpless & a woman , therefore
I do not reason but by instinct. I
turn to you convinced that however [crucial?]
your life & time may be that you will
do something towards helping the [furtherance?]
of the relief I ask for my husband.
If I have broken through etiquette & through
the [thousand?] [forces?] that [hedge?] around
the President of the United States I feel
that the great head of the [nation?] would himself
forgive the wife & mother who thus
makes an appeal to him.
With a prayer to God that you may see
your way to help me
Sincerely Yours
N.B.S. [Nathalie?] [Bouligny?] [Smyth?]
