Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-25
THE CHANCELLORsHIP IN THIS
DISTRTCT.-MAJ. NOATI'S CAED.

We called attention a few days since to
the remarkable and unprecedented attempt
on the part Of Governor BRowNLow to get
rid Of one Of our first judicial officers by
oosreire policy, that could not be based upon
even pretext Of legal authority-we allude
to the appointment of Major J. J. NOAH,
as Chancellor, over the present incumbent,
Hon. DAVID CAMPBELL. Our purpose was
to show the utterly reckless and revolutionary
character of the present State Government.
The Radical organ Of this city, of yester-
days date, contains card from Major
Moan, purporting to explain his situation
in this connection" which we copy else
where.
Mai. n. docs not undertake to controvert
any fact stated BY US, but seeks TO build up
pretext for the Governors action as well
as to explain his own eagerness in the
matter. The facts as stated by him We. pre-
sumo to be correct, while his deductions are
uuwarranted and unjust.
It is matter Of general notoriety that
Judge CAMPBELL accepted his commission
as Chancellor with great reluctance and
simply to accommodate the public, with the
declared purpose Of resigning so soon as he
! couId do so consistent with the interests of
the people he had undertaken TO serve. 1t
! is also true that at a more recent date he
had notified members Of the bar that
he expected soon to place his resigna-
toin before the Governor. 1t is equally
true that, if permitted to have done 80
in a manner consistent with self-respect,
his purpose, thus declared, would have been
carried out. 1t would have been done,
however, of his own accord, and not because
there was anything making it obligatory
upon him. But our remarkable Governor
-insensible to the ordinary courtesies Of
life. and impatient Of the seeming delay on
the part of the Chaucellor-has undertaken
to act for him, declaring the Office vacant
by the appointment Of a successor. The at
tempt of Major NOAH to pervert Judge
CAMPBELL's private expression to members
Of The bar of his intention to resign, into al
act of formal resignation, is just such an ar
gument as might be expected from a
LAWYER who would covet an appoint
ment under such circumstances. Major
Ms attempt to construe a privately ex
pressed intention into a public and official
act is not, however, from any obtuseness OF
his part. A far more common understand
ing can comprehend the difference.
IfGov. BRowNLow was warranted in his
action, then Maj. NOAH is now Chancellor
and, if such rightfully, it is his duty
to make good his claim. Whatever tn,
Governor has a right to order he has tn,
power to enforce If he fails to do so, it
will be an unwilling confession that he ha
attempted that, which being unauthorized
was an insult to the Judiciary, an outrag
upon the people, and scandal upon tn,
office of Chief Executive of the State.
P. S.-Since writing the above we hav
received letter from our Lewisburg cor
RESPONDENT, to be found elsewhere, from
which IT will be seen that the new appointe'
did present himself in due form upon tn
meeting of the Court at that place, asserting
his claim as the rightful Chancellor of tn
District. Judge CAMPBELL sustained thu
right and dignity of his position, by courte
ousIy stating to the gentleman that tw
Chancellors could not occupy the same sea
and held the same Court at one and tn
same time. Major Moan cannot stop hin
To do so would be to acknowledge himself
base pretender, seeking to impose himsel
upon the public in a most Important rela
ton. What next is the question? vii
the gallant Major go forward or recede
We shall ape