Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-28

But il is said that the 18th section Of the Act OF
tors for with the Prison. In the progress Of the
work and near it, completion gave to a business
partner of mine part Of the work TO do--amount
ng 10 less than Eve hundred dollars, the profits to
not more than one hundred. This done at the sug
gestion of Gov. johnson. This the Governor denies,
it is quite true, but the treachery of his memory
does not alter the fact Indeed, in other instances
the Governor memory doss not appear 20 serve
him we'll. Upon being asked before the committee
of the Senate whether he W, present the meet.
ing Of tho ard Of Inspectors when was appointed
to superin,rnd the work, he answer, in the mega
tive; but the rccori Of tie meeting, taken by the
crrk at the time, depnSrd afirmatiV,y to the ills
terrUgatOry, aud the Governor reluctantly admitted
that that sppOintm' 1t met With his concurrence.
But this is neither here nor thrre. t. the TACT
that Mr. Hill did art OF the work, a small part.
indeed, but part, and tina, was interested in bu,
siness with him. The suggestion OF Gov johnson
above mentioned, did act upon me at the time
reason fer subsequently allowing Mr. H. part of
the work other reasons. perhaps, were combined
with tins. such the difficulty of procuring iabo"
at moments warning. aud the tiIne--for which
then much prrssed-and the trouble nvolv,
ir procuring IL. But this aside, putting the most
unlimited admission upon my acts have violated
the Ilrh sctions With whom did contract?
Who eugag, i 10 pay me for the work or INV part
ner then ing! Did the Agent Of the PHO
sgree? DID the other Inspsctorsi Did the
State ~ any statute or intendmeut Of statute, so
agree! II 40, ! may have been violating law.
l.. truth MAS u-inI money which did not belong
to the State, TO any branch Of it's service. So
far the application OF the law Of 1929 extends in
this matter, | might, | imagine, have taken the
whole work, with without partner. II ha 3
Gone co. sho but the State shuu d have complain
ed and OF what could the state have compl in, d ?
OF '1travaSance, Of fraud, peIhsps-she could
have refused me remuner alton, hut she could not
have implanted # any of her laws voIatrd But
| pursued different course. ! refused To cuntricr
with NV partner as did with others | puiut,d
the work 10 be doue-Others were called in to
settle the conditions Of the work. Of the contract
No man has yet said that he had with a contract
for stated work at stated price. did not refusr
10 permit my partner to share the work in the fast
Instance because | believed would violate any IaH
thereby; and il, when he was afterwards permitted
violated ary law, was then ig IOrant of Tire law
and am It'll That have not violated the llh
section OF the act OF 1929, am eutir,l y satisfied
The fact that NV sOn engaged in the work, be
ing alluded to as proof Of guilt, is the climax Of
the Who'll. absurdty, aud deserves none but the re
buke of silence.
In October, the Legislature met in regular session
The usual reports Of the manageuent and condi-
ton OF the Penitentiary were sent up TO the two
Houses. mt committee Of the Senate aud
House Of Representatives was appointed to invest
igate the affairs Of the State Prison. The commit
visited the PententAry repeatedly, were placed
in possession Of all the facts: performed th ir duty
IA am informed, with more than ordinary care
scrutiny and circumspectlon. They rendered then
report expressing entire appreciation Of the cours.
pursued by the Inspector; their satisfaction with
the manner in which the rebuilding had been exc
cuted, and recommends an appropriation to dcfray
the extraordinary expenses-to saw nothing of the
vote Of thanks to the Inspectors for their conduct
il the premises. The two Houses con CURED in the
ON uen .latoh of the committee. aud the appro
priat1n voted without dissenting voice Thus
far not the shadow of a suspicion had been cast
upon the Inspectors or either oi them. The repre-
sentativrs of the people had asctrtlined that an
unproyidrd Tor r.ency had ri.en in the Affairs
the Pri,On: that the Prison and its unfortunate H..
mates were in deploTdGlr condition that the IT,.
spectors had met the emergency promptly and with
Alaeri'y; that thereby the Inspectors had incurre
heavy responsibility; that they ought TO lie indrn
ui6rd ther, Tor, aud had voted the indemnify viii
The greatest unaniuity. might here witt, prop
ETY., rest the facts. But there is one other step H.
this history"
IL became Of some interest to the Governor ol
Oh" State to rtsin w1ethr the pre-ent Board
If Inspectors woaId act in accorj,ncs WITH hi.
wishes, in the selection of officers for the Priso'
tor the ensuing two years lie obtlined 1T =.
views with two manI.rs of the BOaId Tines.
20, of whom was one. were not prepared to
make pledges satisfactory 10 his EIcellrncy. Il
ia unnecessary. at presrit, to repeat the language
used to d.tai tn positions assum. d nv thu
Governor AMI the two refractory Inspectors. Il
vas cl ar the Governor aud thew could not har-
nOnis'. Teen ssu-d frm the Executive Cham
her Az ind-tinct murnur of some laws having been
violated. This miserable calumny had b. Ell beior,
ret,iIrd At hort hand upon the -tree il WIS The
same that have refHteI above, q fact which va,
never concealed never attempted to he conceslad
the cOhtrar,, voluntarily ma lie it known 10 tie
joint committee OF the houses. in order that il
D"en iufriuged Il frau had pe.n practieed If 4
law had been wansOnly violated they might sight,
To the 'giSlarure, aud stop the apprupri =, lou
For. if had placed m, srlt in either OF shesy
rategori-s the detrinent OF the State the stat,
would have been sbsolvei from any obligation
even honorary, to ind, mniiy ne, at lras, to th,
Ktcnt Of such letrimrni. Bat il Is not pretended
it never has been pretended througLout Ill Ihi.
camor. that the State has been xiouged or injured
pennys worth.
All this INDUSTRIOUS violation of law slunbered
profoundly ill the l4th OF February. Ia tbs mean
time the Governor Of the State, impelIed doabtles-
/ b. high sense Of daty-to his political friends
on the I'd Of February nominates TO the Senate a
new Boar.l Of Inspectors. This proposed Board
was rejected Another nomna lou succeeded; q
/ il the same tate succeeded. Still another nomina
ton; but With this the shifted il was buried
among the archives Of the table. Tine CRY nov
became obstreperous. The violation OF Law, which
had slept with its fathers snd the Governor from
! April or MAY. 1855. till the 81 February, 1886
! suddenly aroused by the eves- occurring BE-
tween the . add l4rh Pebrsary. A Senator ~hC
hal, wthOat objection voted the appropriation foi
/ a . :. -. -. - = .n.-e