Chapman (I presume it is) of Cavendish has come out with a mean lied in regard to his friend Richard's labors at Montpelier. My friends here, urge me to contradict it, but some one who knows the truth must do it for me. It is too bad, that after my labors to get that building along thus far, having , that I should be compeled to defend myself. I hope you will do me the favor, as chairman of a board of commissioners to whom I have done my best to be faithfull, to say to the public, that I thus far to say the least am author of the building. Richards has not drawn a line that has been executed. The article to which Chapman refers was a letter from M. by a man who is stopping at Mr. Ballou's for a few weeks. It was written sometime within a week I am yours as ever

Thomas W. Silloway

121 Court St.

Over

I do not acknowledge Richards as architect of that building. I am continualy protesting against his work. I named to you some few of the abominations Powers is at present perpetrating

If you have no better opinion of him than you entertained last year you can what he is doing. Imagine as much as you will, you will all far short. He is a and entirely unfit for his position.

121 Court St.

References in this letter:

C. (Clark) H. Chapman (1822-1888) was Secretary of State 1855-1859.

Joseph R. Richards was the architect who replaced Thomas W. Silloway in early 1858, when Silloway resigned from the position.

Thomas W. Silloway, (1828-1910), was only thirty years old in 1857 when he was chosen architect for the new State House in Montpelier. Silloway was from Massachusetts, and had worked in the office of Ammi B. Young, the architect who designed the previous building. Silloway and Dr. Powers, the superintendent of construction for the 1857 job, had worked together to design and build a new courthouse in Woodstock, Vermont, that burned in 1854.

Dr. Thomas E. Powers, (1808-1876), of Woodstock, Vermont, was appointed by Governor Fletcher to be the Superintendent of Construction of the 1858-1860 project, to build a new State House in Montpelier to rebuild the structure burned in 1857. He and the architect, Thomas W. Silloway, were soon at loggerheads over their roles in the project. Powers became State Senator in 1861.