"No," I said. "Nothing was discussed in my presence except the possibility of compliance with his conditions to the letter."
"Then, I think, we must continue to keep his secret whatever the consequences may be, until he releases us from the obligation," was the final conclusion of the Secretary.
I am, I believe, the only survivor of those to whom this gentleman's name was known. I have hitherto declined to discuss the question of his name or its disclosure. I depart from my practice far enough to say that I do not believe he was interested in the price of cotton, or that he was moved in the slightest degree by pecuniary motives in making his offer. More than this, at present, I do not think I have the moral right to say. If I should at any time hereafter see my way clear to a different conclusion, I shall leave his name to be communicated to the Secretary of Treasury, who will determine for himself the propriety of its disclosure.
JEWISH SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR.
The consciousness of the imperfect nature of the several rosters included under our present head has been the only influence that has detracted from the satisfaction which the preparation of this work in general has afforded the author. This feeling has already been adverted to in the introduction to this work and will not further be dwelt upon beyond the hope that the present volume may become the forerunner of a more complete and perfected result in the future.[25]
The unquestionably large proportion of Jewish soldiers in both the Union and Confederate armies is vouched for by such statistics as have been thoroughly verified and by the statement of many individual observers. In this connection the following communications to the author may well be quoted as having a definite bearing on this subject, and as coming from sources whose authority is beyond question:
120 Broadway, New York,
December 30th, '91.
My Dear Judge: