Walker, John G. (1835-1907) to Thomas Gibbons
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02763.03 Author/Creator: Walker, John G. (1835-1907) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Typed letter signed Date: 23 March 1903 Pagination: 2 p. : envelope ; 26.8 x 20.9 cm. Order a Copy
Thanks Gibbons for the beautiful walking stick he mailed from Manila; declares, "It reached me just before my birthday and I consider it one of my birthday presents." Happy to hear that Gibbons moved to the U.S.S. Helena and will be with Captain Staunton, his old friend. Declares, "The treaty with Colombia for the construction of a canal was finally, after a long delay caused by Senator Morgan, ratified by a vote of 73 to 5. It still has to be ratified by the Congress of Colombia which, I understand, will meet some time in April. I presume the treaty ought to be ratified there by the middle of May." Mentions that the President will select a commission after the treaty is ratified, and that no one knows who will be on the commission and everyone is scrambling for a position. Comments, "A work of such enormous magnitude and to cost at least two hundred millions before finally completed should be conducted by the ablest men in the country and should be kept absolutely free of all complications and scandals." Praises the recent increases in spending for the navy.
John Grimes Walker (1835-1907) was a distinguished Union naval veteran of the Civil War. He was appointed President of the Isthmian Canal Commission in 1899. Prior research suggests that Gibbons served in the Department of State.
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