Office State Superintendent Public Instruction, HON. A. B. F. HILDRETH: Esteemed Friend: I scarcely needed the stimulus of your welcome letter of the 17th inst. to induce me to write you. That has but quickened the desire I before felt. In the outset, allow me to thank you for the complimentary terms you use in speaking of my late service as Secretary of the State Board of Education. I am happy to receive an assurance in words that I have your favorable opinion, in deeds. I had an assurance long ago equally satisfactory. I felt during the pendency of the election of permanent Secretary that in you I had a friend; and I felt, too, that in the election of Col. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., to the post I sought, the Party was acting wisely, and I not only acquiesced in the policy that brought his name forward, but heartily approved it. Happy as I should have been to have been placed in a position of so much dignity and responsibility, I could say amen cheerfully when the good of the Republican cause dictated the choice of a man so widely and favorably known as Col. Benton is. Within the twenty days required by the act he appeared and qualified. Before his arrival he had, in a letter to one of my friends here, intimated his intention to give me the refusal of the position of deputy. This he accordingly did. The terms being satisfactory I accepted, and I shall therefore for the ensuing year be in and about the capitol. During the time I shall be glad to drop you an occasional line touching the "doings" hereabouts, if so be that you wish the services of a gratuitous correspondent for your paper. The acts, resolutions, &c., of the Board are printed and the binders will in a day or two commence delivering them. Your friend, JOSIAH T. TUBBY. Deputy Sec'y Supt. Public Instruction. MITCHELL, IOWA, Feb. 26, 1859. My Dear Hildreth: When I left you on New Year's morning I expected to see you again before now; in fact my better half and I at one time had the day set when we would ride down, and make you and yours a visit, compare notes, new dresses, &c., &c., and have a good time generally. But alas for human hopes! The snow left us before the appointed time, and we found ourselves and air-castles in the mud! We are in a very good degree consoled, however, by the weekly arrival of your excellent paper, and wish we had something as good to send you in return. Speaking of papers reminds me of the N. Y. Independent, of the 3d inst., containing an extract from correspondence of the "American Presbyterian," holding up to public censure those members of the Board of Education who were so unfortunate as to be obliged to start for their homes on Sunday; mentioning in particular the Governor, Lieut. Governor and a Congregational minister. If this extract is copied into the Democratic papers of Iowa, as no doubt it will be, the facts in the case ought to be remembered. It is well known that Gov. Lowe received intelligence that one of his children was dangerously sick, and that he and Mrs. Lowe were requested to hasten home. They started the first opportunity-as what parent would not do so?--which was on Sunday. In regard to ourselves, it is known to some of our friends in Des Moines that we designed starting on Monday. I had told several of this, and hence there were three or four invitations to dinner on Sunday. You know the sequel; how that, in consequence of the melting of the snow the streams were rapidly rising, and we started Sunday P. M., just in time to cross Four Mile Creek," and then put up for the night. According to Dr. Wayland's "Moral Science," the quality of our action lies in the intention. Our intention was to start on Monday, but circum stances obliged us to start on Sunday; ergo, we ought to be credited with an early start on Monday. The statement in regard to Rev. Mr. Canfield is simply untrue." He started Saturday morning. and stopped over to preach. Now for the writer of this precious scandal. I believe him to be no other than Rev. (?) S. Storrs Howe! You know he was candidate for Secretary of the Board, and afterward he wished to be employed as Assistant Secretary. He failed in these projects, and also in having certain acts passed by which he would be indirectly pecuniarily benefited; and to cap the climax of his disappointment, Thomas H. Benton was elected Secretary of the Board. Another reason why I think this Rev.(?) Howe is the author is that he is a New School Presbyterian, and he especially designated Gov. Lowe as an Old School Presbyterian; the Lieut. Governor (myself) as a Methodist, and the minister (Canfield) as a Congregationalist. Howe is equally hostile to each church, and has taken this occasion to ventilate his Pharisaic wrath against the men and the churches. Please excuse this foreign matter. For I designed to write upon politics and railroads, but must defer that till a more convenient season. Yours faithfully, O. FAVILLE. MITCHELL, IOWA, March 12, 1859. Friend Hildreth: Your favor of the 3d inst. has just come to hand-only nine days on the road! I hope the letter I wrote you about the same time has fared no worse. I am obliged to you for the news from Des Moines. I have received letters from there recently, but not a word on political matters. I suspected there was some wire-working at head-quarters which it was deemed important to keep from the dear people as long as possi ble. Now, as far as I am concerned, the managers can relieve themselves of all responsibility by not taking me into the account at all. They need not take the trouble to "throw me overboard." I wish it distinctly understood that I am not a candidate for renomination. Thankful for favors already received, I desire to make my best bow and retire. I have not yet publicly announced my determination, for I have seen no necessity for it, as it might be a work of supererogation to decline what has not been offered me. Jesse Clement (your old friend) has recently visited our county. He lectured twice in Osage, and then came here. I hope he will speak as well of us as he did of Floyd county people. Can you not come up and bring your better half and make us a visit? We intended to visit you before the snow melted, and you must give us credit for our good intentions and consider yourselves in our debt. Moreover, I think it would be well for us to talk over matters and things in general, and especially political matters in connection with our railroad projects. These are too prolific themes for epistolary effusions, to say nothing of the impropriety of committing to paper plans and projects that contingent circumstances might compel us to abandon. As ever, yours truly, O. FAVILLE. MITCHELL, IOWA, June 26, 1859. Friend Hildreth: Your note of the 11th inst., inviting me to attend the State Convention with you, came to hand yesterday, only two weeks from the date of writing it! This is a great "kedentry." but not very fast. I did think of going to Des Moines, but finally gave it up on account of being almost down sick with a bad cold. I am glad that your county was represented. I hope you had a pleasant time and have brought out a good ticket. By this time you are almost home. especially if you travel on Sunday, and I shall learn the result soon. I shall go to Osage in a day or two, if I am able to, and shall learn the general outline of affairs from Smith and Hutchins; but I should like to hear from you more in detail of any matters of interest that may have come under your observation. What route did you take? Where did you put up? How are the roads? How are the crops? How did you find the people in Des Moines? I hope you will not be wearied with my many questions. The weather is decidedly warm. The mercury now is at 85° above zero in the shade. When are you and yours coming up to see us? Priest (?) Howe has written, requesting a statement of my former connection with the schools. &c., for publication in a paper that he is issuing. I declined the honor of being brought out under such auspices! I wonder that he should wish to give favorable notoriety to men so corrupting to public morals as he so recently represented six members of the Board of Education to be. What think you? As ever your friend, O. FAVILLE. Office of Secretary of the Board of Education, ) DES MOINES, IOWA, Oct. 9, 1860. A HON. A. B. F. HILDRETH, Charles City, Iowa. Dear Sir: I send you to-day. in a separate package, the Journal of the Senate and the Special Laws of the last session of the General Assembly. The Journal of the House is not yet ready. volume of 400 pages of Township Laws is also incomplete, but will soon be ready. The Code of 1150 pages is ready for distribution in part, and the Secretary of State is now making arrangement for its distribution. I have been under the impression that I am indebted to you for my re-election; and I wish to assure you that if opportunity should ever offer for |