ALS. Refers to a discussion that Bate had recently had with the Second Assistant Postmaster General in regard to Brownlow's reduction. States that he thinks that the 2nd Asst. Post. Gen. has him confused with another clerk who had been forced to resign due to bad handwriting. Says that at the same time he had been reduced the 2nd Asst. Post. Gen. had other clerks promoted whose handwriting was worse than his. States that when Mr. Knott replaced Brownlow's former boss as 2nd Asst. Post. Gen., he called in an old clerk by the name of Findlay to help him. Thinks that his new boss derived his opinions about the various clerks under him on the basis of Mr. Findlay's advice. Findlay disliked Brownlow; ...I had not tamely submitted to his impertinent dictation years ago, and in view of his malignancy it would necessarily follow that no representations he would make of me would or could be other than misrepresentations. Says that in view of his father's and his own politics this administration has treated me with as much consideration as I had cause to expect... Goes on to discuss on the back of these pages whether or not Hannabil Hamlin was black, his father's attitude to Abraham Lincoln, and Mrs. Lincoln's pension. (This last part may be the text of another letter. The above date is derived from this portion of this letter.)