Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-06-20
STATE OF TENNESSEE,
UFFIUE DEChEIAK1 OF OTATE,
Nashville, June 5, 1866


Nashville, June 5, 1866.
L,dlo,0 Thomas, Esq, Secretary of the Ne,o York
Stock Exchange, 50 Wall Street. " y:
DEAR SIR have delayed answering your letter
of the 9th May, partly account of press of bust
ness, and partly 10 obtain such information as
would enable me to answer the heterogeneous sub
mitted by you, intelligibly.
The books of all the Departments of the State
Government were carried away by Gov. Harris and
his associates in February, 1852 and were carried
around through the South until May 1866, when
they were captured by the military authorities and
restored to the State capitol After dilgent exam
ination we have not discovered any fraudulent en-
tries alteration of the books relating to the nan-
ces of the State and they have been treated as re-
cords or archives for the guidance of the present
officers of the State Government, and have been so
recognized by the Legislature.
From these books it appears that all the bonds of
the State now outstanding issued before the
passage of the secession ordinance except from No.
l707 to 1878, both numbers inclusive of the new
series due in 1898, (June 1st which issued or
delivered the llth Of June, l86l-the State hav-
ing attempted to secede the 9Th of May previous,
and eight printed bonds issued to Turnpike Com
pany numbered from one to eight, which were issu-
ed on the l4th of June, 1861.
But these $50 bonds (ef $1,000 each) issued after
the 9Th of May, 1861, were issued in pursuance of
laws passed in 1852 or 1854 in consequence of
grading done, or terms prescribed and complied
with before the passage of the secession ordinance
and the best legal authority in the State is that the
State is bound for them. All of them except the
eight printed bonds were issued on the 18th of June
1861, for the benefit of the Mobile and Ohio Rail
road-one of the best roads in the State whose Off
do not ask to be relieved from their payment.
The coupons these bonds nell the eight pr1e-
ted bonds haze been tgt be funded up 10 January
last and the July interest agW be paid IN currency
The result is that the State is bound for all the
how dc 80 Rotn Md kofao
those issued in aid of the rebellion denominated
military bonds" and which show upon their face
that they issued ''to raise provisional force
for reasonable purposes. There are five millions
of those of equal value with Confederate notes.
l deem no further notice of them necessary.
If it is deemed necessary that l should answer
more in detail, l will say that Nos 19, 9 and 163
renewed Capitol Bonds were issued on the Sd of
January, 1861.
Nos 1919 to 1,7O6, both inclusive, we're issued
between January lst, 1861, and April 23d of the
same year. all dated January lst 1861 due Janua-
ry lst, 1898, and signed by Isham G. Harris Gov
ernor and j. T. r. Ray Secretary of State lettered
with the letter c. No. 7O7 to 1873 of the same Sc
res, date letter and signatures, were issued 18th
June 1861.
Nos to printed with type) issued under the
act of March I'd, 1854, to the Carthage and Rome
Turnpike Company, were issued on the l4th of Jnne,
1861.
There were also two renewed Capitol Bonds is
sued under the acts of December I'd, 1859, and
March 10th, 1860, Nos. 80 and "A, on the 18th of
February, 1861, and duplicate of Nos, 1865, due
1898, issued under the act of February 1st, 1861.
There is nothing in my Office or any other to
show how the date of any of the bonds came to be
altered from 1856 to 1857. The officer who did it
proved to be both incompetent and dishonest but
have been shown several of these bonds thus altered
and find them genuine. l can only say, if the sig
natures of the Governor, Secretary of State and
Comptroller prove to be genuine, the State is bound
for them provided the books of my Office show the
issuance of such a number
In regard to the poorly written numbers on the
coupons to the new bonds for the funded interest
can only say that it was done by a very poor clerk
in the Comptrolers Office during the illness of that
officer, who was discharged after he had numbered
1000 bonds from No to 1000. l much regret
that the bonds not destroyed before being ssu-
ed. If it is thought the sale Of the bonds will be
seriously effected by it, will ask the Legislature
to authorize the issuance of duplicates.
If there are any bonds numbered differently from
the coupons it is apSus pen,ar and may be correc-
ted by the holder.
l wish to say, in conclusion, that am of opinion
from all the facts that have come to my knowledge
and the books and papers have had access to- that
there fraudulent bonds ofthe State now extant
that the State is not bound for except the rebel
military bonds before mentioned. And further
that we are sanguine of our ability to meet the in
terest on our bonds hereafter. The July coupons
we expect to pay if not always promptly when pre-
sented, at least during the year.
am most respectfully, your obedient servant.
A. J. FLETCHER,
Secretary of State.