Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-04-22
To the People of she sixth Juaieiai

A card which appeared in the UNIoy Of the stll
/ perhaps deserves s passing notice at my hand
From my announcement and circular you will see
my reasons for resignng. You will not only sane
ton, but say I was right in so doing. My compel
ior says my reasons for reelection are futile and
childish" OF course he thinks SO. But the voters
IN my humble opinion viii not agree with him by
thousands. He says that / have made twelve OF
fifteen Thousand dollars In this he Is widely mlsIk
en-. But what If It were the truth What Of it 2
Ny honest creditors and good friends have shared
the most of it.
In searching the records of De Kalb county, in
order to find something against me- he says p cases
IN nearly six years have fallen on the county, Ey-
erybody says that's noble Think Of It. Not
5 cases a yearl! Comment Is unnecessary. 1873,
he SAYS were dismissed nole entered and the
defendants assumed the cost Let me give some OF
the reasons influencing my conduct, as well as a
few instances Is good, honest, well meaning meE,
at the last term Of the court were indicted Tor shoot
/ ing match where free man Of color happened
to be concerned. The grand jury was bound to
indict them. had no agency IN IT. these men as
it was lawful to shoot did not know that IN TINS IN
stance they were committing any violation; AAe
penalty, however, was very severe. fuy uoll4is
the least fine, and one months Imprisonment III
the jail the least time that the judge could nave
imposed, had / proceeded to f" a conVicuon- I'm
mon humanity-coImOn Justice lhe Dtd PIOSS'
cutOr himself revolted at the idea nau lAese
men rscklessly and knowingly rode over tne law II
would have beeu different As it was, agreed that
thew might paw the cOst-saye themselves OF us
grace-go to their wives and friends, thanking
their fortune that there was an " Old prosecutor
who not on3v believed it right-but that was Will
inc to see the law tempered with mercy" Num-
hers of cases Of this sort have occurred. A in
dcts for an assault and battery for instance. Bad
blood is up when it is done. by the time court
rolls round for the trial, the feud is ended-the
tomahawk IS buried-peace and friendship reign
between them. A says to me, (the Attorney Gen
eral) am now willing to harm my old friend
no more. If you are willing, let him pay the
costs-save the county harmless" will always
agree. And the only apology have to offer isl
dll0qys lgaR if you honor me again with your con-
hdence.
A number of presentments were recently made
for swearing and intOxcatiOn as well elsewhere as
in DeKalb. His Honor, Judge Fife himself, under
the belief that the swearing law had been largely
modified, if not repealed by the last legislature,
suggested to me the prOpriety of letting them OF
with the cost. / did so. My competitor himself was
guilty of the same SIM if indeed it be one, for he got
me To let few of his clients off in the same way!
Although he says have displeaSed tire Bar by this
course, I venture the assertion that there is not
lawyer in the circuit who has had dozen INSIDE
meanors to defend but lgbat has d0Ree same thing.
This, then, fellOwctizens, IS the sum total OF my
offending Have not then a right to appeal toyou
for justification in doing that which WAS RIGHT
IN THE LAW-RIGHT IN MERCY-AND RIGHT
IN THE SIGHT OF HEAVEN? Yes sirs. | will
ask you, not only Individually to turn out to the
polls, but that you rally your neghbors and friends
to do the same thing
If you want man to bleed your fellOw-man at
every pore, and "cut him to the red as my com
petitor sometimes says, elect some other mani
will not suit you. ! have endeavOred to make yOua
good prosecutor. But God forbid that ever should
live TO be DerSectOr. The old charge of contest
ing Mr.. 7. i. Murrys election Is brought up again
HeUer did IT, Harsh languarge Is not often used by
me. So Just mean what have said. l have been
forced to write this circular. You, of course will
pardon me. ] hope no further necessity will de-
mand another circular If you will elect me, fellow
citizens, on the 24th Of May, l will make the best
officer can. If you do not will cheerfuly abide
your decree. Your humble servant
TIM. II. WILLIAMS.