As a result of a copy of your letter reaching the Governor, containing a statement that the Governor of North Carolina was playing politics in draft matters, the Governor has advised the Attorney General that it is impossible for him to have any further business relations with you.

It was no fault of yours or of this Department that a copy of your letter reached the Governor, and your only mistake was to make a statement of conclusions instead of confining yourself to the reporting of facts. It is your duty to report facts showing any improper activity of any one, whether he be the Governor or the most unimportant personage in the state, but you should confine yourself to facts and not state conclusions which you do not support with facts.

Under the circumstances, it is therefore necessary to transfer you from Wilmington to some point outside of the state of North Carolina, as it is essential that there should be the closest cooperation between state officials and the federal authorities.

You are, therefore, instructed to close up the affairs of the Wilmington office as expeditiously as practicable, turning them over to the agent who will be assigned to relieve you by Division Superintendent Baley, and that you proceed to Jacksonville, Florida, and take charge of our office at that point.

This transfer will not involve any change in your status or compensation and is not to be considered as reflecting any discredit upon you. It is simply an unfortunate condition which has arisen and which must be corrected.

I desire to take this occasion to express to you my appreciation of the highly successful work which you have accomplished since you have been in North Carolina, and my regret that your transfer may be distorted by the whisky crowd, against whom you have made such decided progress, into a victory for them. I also want you to know that this crowd had nothing whatever to do with your transfer, but it is made solely because of the inability of the highest official in the state to cooperate with you.

I also want you to feel that you have and will have our entire support and that of the Attorney General in any investigation following a violation of federal laws, never mind at whom directed, so long as your conduct and work are proper.

Except to advise the United States Attorney and such other officers as your official relations may require, you should have nothing to say concerning your transfer. We do not desire any publicity nor any discussion of your transfer among persons not officially involved therein.