H. Ashley daCosta to Cary T. Grayson
Title
H. Ashley daCosta to Cary T. Grayson
Creator
daCosta, H. Ashley
Identifier
WWP16143
Date
1920 January 4
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Sir,
You will find enclosed herewith a copy of a letter sent by me to the NY “World” for publication (which for some reason was not published), on the subject of impeaching the US Senators who have opposed the League of Nations—
Some years ago, just before the inauguration of President Wilson I wrote to him with regard to certain individuals in Wall St plotting against his coming Administration and received a very courteous reply to the same. Now that the “World” has not seen fit to publish my letter I would like the President to see it, and perhaps if he views with approval what I have written, it may be in his power to obtain its publication, if not in the “World” in some other Paper. I trust his health is not such, as to prevent his consideration of my letter, but you would be the best judge of that, and therefore, I would ask you to be kind enough to submit my letter to the President, if in your estimation his health is sufficiently improved to allow you to do so, which I sincerely hope is the case—or in the event of your deciding not to submit the letter to the President, will you kindly return it to me c/o the above herin—
You will see in my letter, I hold the opinion that the Senators in question deserve impeachment for their action and I would willingly do anything in my power to bring about such impeachment, but if even I cannot succeed in that respect, I would wish to raise a “hue and cry” on the subject, with the hope that others might join in swelling the outcry and that this may have a beneficial effect—
Perhaps the reason why the “World” did not publish my letter, is because it was no not typewritten, but I am sorry to say that as I do not own a typewriter nor can I afford to pay to have it typewritten, I had no rescourse but to write it, and I tried to write as legibly as possible—It is true the letter is a long one, but on such a subject I could easily have written to twice the length, if I had touched on all points, and I have often seen letters published on other subjects from time to time that were twice as long—
I did not sign my name to the letter, owing to the fact that it would not be pleasing to those in authority over me, and although I think that in this “home of the brave & land of the free” each man should be brave enough and free enough to express his individual opinion infavoroftheGovernment yet “where one is bound he must obey” & a wage-slave is as much “bound” as were the bond-slaves of former days—If one is dependent on his earnings for the means of existence, and is fifty years of age (as I am) to do anything that might cause displeasure or dismissal (even if it were merely exercising his right to express his opinion) would in these days of fewer positions than clerks to fill them, lead to death from starvation or even worse, as there are no old age pensions in this country—
Thanking you in advance, I am,
Respectfully yours,
H. Ashley daCosta
You will find enclosed herewith a copy of a letter sent by me to the NY “World” for publication (which for some reason was not published), on the subject of impeaching the US Senators who have opposed the League of Nations—
Some years ago, just before the inauguration of President Wilson I wrote to him with regard to certain individuals in Wall St plotting against his coming Administration and received a very courteous reply to the same. Now that the “World” has not seen fit to publish my letter I would like the President to see it, and perhaps if he views with approval what I have written, it may be in his power to obtain its publication, if not in the “World” in some other Paper. I trust his health is not such, as to prevent his consideration of my letter, but you would be the best judge of that, and therefore, I would ask you to be kind enough to submit my letter to the President, if in your estimation his health is sufficiently improved to allow you to do so, which I sincerely hope is the case—or in the event of your deciding not to submit the letter to the President, will you kindly return it to me c/o the above herin—
You will see in my letter, I hold the opinion that the Senators in question deserve impeachment for their action and I would willingly do anything in my power to bring about such impeachment, but if even I cannot succeed in that respect, I would wish to raise a “hue and cry” on the subject, with the hope that others might join in swelling the outcry and that this may have a beneficial effect—
Perhaps the reason why the “World” did not publish my letter, is because it was no not typewritten, but I am sorry to say that as I do not own a typewriter nor can I afford to pay to have it typewritten, I had no rescourse but to write it, and I tried to write as legibly as possible—It is true the letter is a long one, but on such a subject I could easily have written to twice the length, if I had touched on all points, and I have often seen letters published on other subjects from time to time that were twice as long—
I did not sign my name to the letter, owing to the fact that it would not be pleasing to those in authority over me, and although I think that in this “home of the brave & land of the free” each man should be brave enough and free enough to express his individual opinion infavoroftheGovernment yet “where one is bound he must obey” & a wage-slave is as much “bound” as were the bond-slaves of former days—If one is dependent on his earnings for the means of existence, and is fifty years of age (as I am) to do anything that might cause displeasure or dismissal (even if it were merely exercising his right to express his opinion) would in these days of fewer positions than clerks to fill them, lead to death from starvation or even worse, as there are no old age pensions in this country—
Thanking you in advance, I am,
Respectfully yours,
H. Ashley daCosta
Original Format
Letter
To
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Files
Collection
Citation
daCosta, H. Ashley, “H. Ashley daCosta to Cary T. Grayson,” 1920 January 4, WWP16143, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.