Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-24
To the Public.

/ delayed reply to the late card Of the
committee at the instance of a gentleman of
this city, who thought an arrangement might
be made which would close any further con-
troversy. / have no desire to continue con-
troversy with the committee We diff r. and
for the present there is no tribunal to which
reference can be made, to show which is in
the wrong. In their last card they specify
what they term errors or omissions. First
that 1 omitted to report to the Legislature
bonds held by Mr. Lindsey, although paid
the interest on them for years. When
made out my report to the Legislature of
1851, l saw from the report of my predecessor
that in recapitulatng the total liabilities of
the State, he put down the st per cent bonds
ut S2l3,4l6 &c. / reported the same amount.
But when made out my report to the Legis-
lature in October, 1853, was led to make an
examination of the books of the Comptroller
to see If this description of bonds was cor
rectly reported. The Lindsey bonds had been
renewed more than six months prior TO this
examination. When he collected the interest
he did so by presenting n coupon, and as there
were other coupons precisely similar, bearing
the same rate of interest, falling due at the
same time and having the same number, there
was nothing To show to what company the
bond belonged on which | was paying inter
est. From this examination, reported Sl4-
900 more of this description of bonds than
was in the report of my predecessor, in ls49
or in my report Of 1851, when recapihlating
''total liabilities of the State" In making out
my report. October, 1858 was governed en-
tirely by the book found in the Comptroller's
office, showing the. amount of bonds issued
and the.amount which has been cancelled or
unsold These bonds found in that column
headed Bonds cancelled or unsold." None
of this description of bonds had been issued
while was in Office, nor We're any cancelled
hence none of the entries relating To them
were by me. | found them in the list of
.bonds cancelled or unsold," and so regarded
them.
The committee say "thcy find. as stated in
the report, that there has been no registration
ut all of the notes OF the River Bank the
Bank of the Union, or of Bucks Bank: and
they find that the registration OF the notes of
the Bank of Trenton has been so imperfect
that nothing ut all can be told from the hooks
AS to the amount registered. AS thrre is no reg
istration OF the letters and the size OF the bills
And they find likewise that the notes .,f the.
Bank of Knoxville have not been registered
in full. Mr.. Crozier resigned his Office to take
effect January 24fh. 1856. and the last entry
of date in the circulation book OF the Bank OF
Knoxville IN January Let, lisa chasm of
two years. Are not these sufficient evidences
that the books of the Comptrollers Office have
not been properly kept"
Now the book Of registration does not pur-
port 10 give the date when notes are handed
out. but gives the date of the nots the numb..r
and letter. Hence, January LIST, 1854, was
the date OF the note and there is no .'chasfn OF
two years." never have heard Of any bank
keeping register Ut notes in any other way
than the one adopted. On application at
T. the Planters Bank, the other dag. the Cash
I Ter of the Bank showed me their book for reg
istering notes and il shows date July 1. 1855.
Of notes which are yet in posss ssiea OF the
Bank, and which never have been paid out.
The register book is intended ouly to show
how many notes have been issued Of date.
letter and number. The particular other ca
ses of failure 10 register na-ned by the com
niittee in the above paragraph all belong 10
my successor, as signed none of the notes Of
the banks named, and therefore had none TO
register, except those Of Knoxville, as ex-
plairel above.
In reference to my interview with Mr. Mos
by the committees say, l advised him at WOULD
'bE BEST PoR HIN TO LEAVE" | was before the