The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-08-31
Reply Of Hon. A. J. Fletcher to the
Ungentlemanly Attack of Rebel
John Baxter---He is Dissected,


er on the nth inst. from the Nashville Pres'
and Times. 1t will be seen he takes the
starch out Of BaGter's linen" in appropriate
style. Baxter Is the individual who run a.
gainst VIM, G. Swami for the Rebel Congress
and stumped the I'd Congressional District Of
Tennessee with Swami, making rebel speeches.
Having addressed the large crowd Mt
length on the political questions Of the day
Mr.. Fletcher said;
Having discussed at length the principal
issues Of the day, regret being called upon
to ask your attention 10 a matter entirely
personal. | allude TO an unprovoked and
brutal attack upon me in a public speech re-
Gently delivered at Greenevi.le, by John Bax-
ter, Esq, Of Knoxville. This attack was most
unexpected and and unaccountablc. You
have seen that my course as n speaker is free
from personalities. Besides, Baxter and my
self have occupied, as | thought and as be
protested, the altitude of personal friends
from the time of his coming TO Tennessee,
down to the day Of his extraordinary speech
at Greeneyille. As lawyers, practicing in ad-
joining circuits, we have interchanged many
professional courtesies and reciprocal favors.
! freely admit that he had placed me under
personal obligations to him. He has always
heretofore spoken of me in the very highest
terms, both as a man and rs \ lawyer, In re-
turn | have always been his defender, where
could honorably do 80, and his apologist
when | could do no more. | have studiously
sought to cover his numerous errors with the
mantle Of charity, and hoped for better things
from him 10 the future.
am told that the pretext for his assault
anon me was a speech delivered by me nj
Knoxville on the 4th inst. This was only a
preteXt. If there was the remotest ~allusion
u him, or his record, or his position, in that
speech, was not aware Of it at the time
Certainly nothing Of the kind Was INTENDED.
have not been able to procure a paper
containing a report Of the speech, but baye
just spent several days at Greeneville, and
had full and accurate reports from those
present. Baxter charges me with attempting
to raise 4 regiment for the rebel service, and
knowing that this charge had been made and
fully met before, he puts himself upon the
witness stand, and makes a statement in which
there is not = syllable Of truth from beginning
to end. He details a conversation with me
that never occurred. He makes me to say
that ! was going to Richmond to obtain au-
thorlty TO raise n regiment, and that ! was
terribly 10 earnest. There were persons in
his audience who knew and understood all
the facts in regard TO this matter, AMI they
instinctively turned TO each other and pro-
nounced the charge untrue. II ia not neces-
Sary here, 90 near TO Greeneville, to vindicate
myself against this charge. Inquire Of any
Of the loyal citizens Of GreenevIlle and you
will learn the facts. l did, in the summer of
1862, under the advice of the leading Union
men Of Greeneville, speak Of getting permis-
sion TO recruit the Union cOnscripts Of the
county then hiding and being hunted down,
with a view Of marching them into the Fed
eral lines. But it was merely matter Of con-
yersation among the Union men, and by most
Of them thought impracticable, and 70 step
was taken except to make the proposition,
which was at once defeated by rebel citizens,
who wrote to Richmond charging that | was
a Liucolnite, and that the whole matter WAS
a trick Of Union men to ge. tue Union con-
scripts out Of the country. Baxter next
charges me with fleeing from Knoxville when
LOngstreet approached the city, and Of lying
out during the siege. Such conduct be seems
to have denounced rs displaying = great want
.! courage and patriotism. 1t IL true that on
the approach Of Longstreet | did leave Knox
vile, in company with some twenty leading
citizens Of the place, and went to Barbours-
vile, Ky, where we remained till the siege
was over, and then returned but Baxter
seems careful TO conceal the fact that ! .eit
Rockville in his eonipany-traveled with him
remained with him nj Barboursville, and
returned and rode into Knoxville in bis com
panyl The only difference between Baxter
and myself in this affair WAS, that | left I'M
der the advice Of Federal Generals, who
knew that If captured | would Lot be treated
rs n prisoner OF war, but be sent TO Castle
Thunder or Andersonvills, when ii was WELL
known and remarked that Baxter left for e.
feet, and 10 have the appearance Of fleeing
from the rebels, it being well known that the
rebels would not modest him, but would re-
cURnize him as q friend.
Baxter, in thu next place, With the instincts
Of a %rufian, invndes my domestic circle and
charges me with leaving my family In Padu-
cab on the approach Of Forrest, and fleeing
10 Indiana. Like the first statement, this is
a simple falsehoUd, unalloyed with the least
mixture OF truth. | remained in Paducah
two days after the battle, and, having buried
my beother-in-law, a citizen, who was killed
near his home, | took my family with me to
Indiana, where was able to provide for
them during the balance Of the war. Not 80
with Baxter. He ran OF and left bis family
In Knoxville during the seige, and when be
returned one Of them had died from terror
and fright, which his presence might have
prevented. | regret to make these illusions,
but Baxter has cast the first stone, without
remembering that be lives 10 a glass house.
BAIrER'B ASrEcEDEsrs.
have now a few words to say Of Mr. BaI-
ter. The brutal aud unproVoked attack he
has made upon me releases me from all per-
sonal obligation to him. Il Is no longer my
duty to palliate or excuse bis %offenses. Let
US look for 4 moment at bis history.
John Barter came from North Carolina 10
Tennessee over ten years since. On account
Of crimes committed before he came here, be
was disabled from. holding any Office Of hoa-
or or trust in the State Of Tennessee. By
his procurement the law OF Tennessee was
Quietly, and almost by stealth, modified so as
not u exclude the duelist from holding Of
lice, unless for dneling in tht STATE. Having
obtaired this statuAtory pardon, be At once
became an active ofice-seeker. When the
rebellion presented itself, he considered but
two questions. First, how 10 make money
out OF II. Second, which was TO be the win
ming side. In the first he was sminently sue