Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-12
Eprroas PAralor There appeared a COM
nupIcasion in your paper Of the Sd inst. over

EDITORS PATRIOT :-Inere appeared coin-
mnnIcssion in your paper Of the Sd inst. over
the signature of "A Citizen" which is calcu-
lated, and. must say, evidently intended, to
damage me at this time. by insinuating, or
endcavoring to create the impression upon
the minds of the people of Dickson county,
that their County Court Clerk has .'embez-
zled'' the taxes upon Shavers in said county
in 1859. As have occupied that position
since 4th July, SO. deem it my duty to ask
permission 10 say few words through your
paper in answer to '.Ciiizen's" letter.
Tho McNeilly. the former CLERK, was, I'M
der the law, cbargable with The revenue ac-
eruing to The State from that source, from
lat Sept. 1859. TO 4th July, 1859, most Of
which he has collected, and all of which he
will collect before be makes his state ment TO
the Comptroller for the period Aforesaid
v hicb statement has been delayed until now.
awaiting one or two Shavers 10 come forward
and make their reports to the Clerk. No
abatement Of any kiud has been made by tb,
former Clerk, or by me, to the Comptroller
or any one else, Of the revenue received b,
the formsf Clerk from Shavers. Between LIST
Sept 1858, and 4ih July, 1859, therefore, the
report Of The Comptroller, accompanying
Mr.. Payne's report on the Usury Laws, a,
published, il incorrect, when il says "Dick
son reported nothing received from Shavers in
1859" There was no report of any kind
sent him in regard thereto, for the reasons
above given. This err'r of the Comptroller
he will willingly correct when be sees it.
AS TO the taxes on Shavers. and all other
revenue that came Into my hands from 4ih
July, 1859, to LIST Sept. 1859, / have made
my statement on cath to the Comptroller
paid the money over TO the Treasur,r, and
have his receipt therefor. Since LIST. Sept.
1859, | have receiy ed some $40 from Shaw
ers. charged my self lherewith on my Revenue
Docket. and shall pay the same over when
ih proper time comes,-there being 10 bank
to deposit it in at this plsce-all of which
Citizen" can see if he will poke his nose"
into my officr. He manifsts much interest
in ''hdrlrg Clerk placed rightly 6efore tie eifi-
zeas Of Dickson" If this was Ills obj, CT, and
he was seeking it for worthy purpose, he
could have derived it all from me by calling
ut my ofice for five minutes, Instead of
'-skunking" it round to find receipts given
out by The Clerk, TO contradict that which
never was reported from this Office. Yet, he
preferred to give publicity to his heIlish IL
situations through your paper, over an as
sumrd name, thereby, suppose. seeking to
cart reproach upon men whose characters it
would greatly elevate "a Citizen" to pos
sess; hoping to screen himself behind a small
eIrQJ in the CcmpuOllcr's report.
If his intention was to make the impression
upon the minds of the people of Dickson That
/ was On .'emb, zzeler," / must say that be il
a cowardly calumniator but if be did not
any gentleman would have called upon M
for the information before publishing thai
letter. Still, skunk-like, he preferred dark
ness to light because his deeds Intentions
were evil.'' If lie hopes by such communi-
cations as this, to strike me down before tb
people of this county, he is vastly mistaken
because i know that no such insinuaions a
these can ever fiEd Judgment in the minds
of the people flhis county, and will be driver
back to the corrupt mind of the anthor o
them. No Clerk, or other officer III Dickson
county, has ever appropriated any public
money to his own use, but if any one should
hereafter do 70, l respectfully suggest "a
Citizen" as ihe proper person TO ferret on
the rogue" going upon the principle of th
old adage that is known to ne all.
hope Citizen" is informed .:what goes
with the tax on Shavers in Dickson" If be
is not, and will ask more Light" / will sure
ly give it to him. II he had asked me, re-
spectfulry, in regard to the tax on Shavers
/ would have given him any information with
pleasure, but as he has pursued the course be
has, care not whether he is pleased or not;
THoS. C.. NORRIS.