The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-08-30
10 the Public.


The reasnt arrest Of various parties
sading Ia cotton, in the Department Of
the Cumberland, and the complaints
against others, together with the dsyel-
opments made, all and singular, seem,
in my judgment, to make il necessary
for me TO submit brief statement 10 the
public. | have been shown . receipt by
firm, given to widow lady of Ruther-
ford county, for S47 "a, for "In,ernAl
Revenue Tax on Cotton" and am in-
formed upon good authority, that various
other receipts of the same character are
out, given by different parties, and can
be seen. Now, l have this to say, that
no parties trading for cotton, in the De-
partment of the Cumberland, have any
authority TO give such receipts, nor have
they had since the adoption of the Treas
ury Regulations, Of the 31st OF March
last, and yet, the receipt shown to me,
sets forth that the cotton was stipulated
for April 4th, and the payment made
July 18th, of the present year. All such
transactions are frauds upon the Treas
ury Department, and q swindle prac
ticed upon the producers of the article
am thus explicit, because some par
ties who have suffered, suppose that l
have CONTROL Of these cotton operations,
have directed them, and became partner
in some instances. Some of the swim
dlers have represented themselves as mn
agents, buying cotton for The benefit Of
the Government. l have no agent act
ing under my directions, and never have
had, except in the solitary case of a Mr..
Smith, at Carthage, employed for special
purpose. There are four "Aids to the
Revenue" who act with me, and in part
under my directions, and are commits
aiOned by the Surveyor of Customs in
this city. When the military seize the
abandoned property of rebels, il is made
their duty TO turn it over 70 me, and
cause it to be AJelled in the Federal
Court, after which it is sold by the Uni
ted States Marshal, and the money is
placed in the hands of the Clerk Of said
court, and made subject to the order of
the Treasury Department. am neither
troubled with counting nor taking care of
the money.
Ny further duties are to organize
Boards of Trade in such counties, or
Trade Districts, as the Commanding
General of the Department may inform
me are within his military lines, and it
is his purpose to hold and protect.
am also to look after all smugglers,
and to seize their goods, and these
"Aids" are to cooperate with me in this
work We have no secret organization
all our acts are legitimate, and as public
as the records of the Federal Court and
all interested can have access to our
books and papers am not directly or
indirectly concerned in any trade, specu-
lation, or scheme Of money making
either by wholesale or retail on land or
At sea, not even the sale of goods, wares
or merchandise, lirst or SECOND handed,
and never have been since crossed over
into the loyal States from the land of
Dixie. The salary. receive, pays The
board Of NY wife and children. and MOTH
ing more. came into the office with
clean hands, and shall 60 out with clean
hands, sitter the trade regulations are
fully organized in Tennessee, the State
is redeemed, and East Tennessee herself
again In other words, have present.
ed q clean record in money matters all
my life long, and | will not so act as to
spoil that record in my declining years,
either by defrAudiRg my Government, or
swindling individualsl
Finally, those who are practicing these
frauds upon the Government, and especi-
ally the Treasury Department, shall
feel it obligatory upon me to bring be-
fore the next Grand Jury of the FEEDER
al Court in this city; and should the
proof be clear and unquestionAble, and
the parties caught, they will be allowed
to 60 into "winter quarters" in public
building one mile from the city
w. G. BRowNLow,
Ast. Sp. Az. Treasury Department
Nashville, Aug. 20, 1868.