Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-25
THE CHANCELLORsHIP-- CARD
FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL NOAH.


| tlcle anlmadyerting upon the Chancellor
ship Of the Fourth District, in which mr
name is mentioned in connection with tina
| Judicial position. It is due to the public
| without reference to party to explain my
situation in this connection.
Sometime in April last it was intimateG
! to me, in view Of the fact that his Honor
! Chancellor CAMPBELL, had positively anC
! peremptorily refused to hold the post O
! Chancellor one day longer than it might bC
necessary to select another gentleman, thai
| 1t was the desire Of Governor BROwNLow Il
-tsader me that position. At my owl sug
| gestiOn, the matter was deferred, with the
view of consulting the bar as to whether
! Judge WARD would be more acceptable
than myself, in order that, if his consent
| could be obtained TO such an arrangement
he might receive the commission of Chan
eelloF, leaving it optional with me to retain
the post of Attorney General, or to accept
the Circuit Judgeship.
His Honor, Judge WARD, was approached
on the subject, but declined then to indicate
his pleasure. About this time l was in-
formed by gentleman Of the Nashville bar,
that 1t was contemplated to let the term OF
~the Circuit Court Of Davidson county go by,
in order that Chancellor CAMPBELL might
defer to the wishes of the bar in holding the
May term Of the Chancery Court in Nash
vile. Finding this information to be cor
rect l intimated to those in authority at the
Capitol, that 1t would not be courteous or
proper to signify an acceptance or refusal Of
this high station while His Honor, the
Chancellor, was holding a stated term of his
court.
After the May term had closed, running
through the months of May, June and part
bf July last suppOsing that the same had
been fully concluded, and in absence of any
thing further from Judge WARD, | inti-
mated an acceptance of the position, pro-
vidcd it did not interfere with Chancellor
CA9PBELL's wishes. To set this last matter
right in my mind the following letter of
Chancellor CAMPBELL was forwarded for my
Information
y FRANKLIN, Tenn, March 18th, 1866
HoN. A. j. FLETCHER Il had the honor
on the 18th Of this month, to receive COM
mission sent. to me, as Chancellor of the
Fourth Chancery Division, accompanied by
your letter Of the same date and in view of
the fact that the minutes of the present term
of the Chancery Court, at Pulaski, stand
open and unsigned, and if they shall be left
IN that condition a large number of the citi-
zens will be subjected to serious inconveni-
ence, have consented to accept the appoint
ment for the present, but the state of my
private affairs, and my consequent duty to
those dependent upon my labor for their
support, render Il impossible for me to retain
tte position. The Chancery Court at COlum-
bia comes on next Monday, and in order to
prevent a failure of that term, and the con-
sequent inconvenience to the suffers there,
| have arranged by interchange with His
Honor, Judge WARD, to have that term
held, which it is out of my own power to
hold, by reason Of my engagement in the
Circuit Court here.
The Chancery Court at this place comes
on the first Monday in April, and as 1 am
counsel on the one side or the other of
almost all the cases on the docket, no busi-
ness would be done in the court by me if
attempt to hold it. With great inconve-
nience to myself shall go to Pulaski on
Friday next, to close up the business of the
term there, but I submit to this inconveni-
ence, to aid as far as my humble efforts will
go, IN keeping up the organization and busi-
ness Of our judiciary. But / cannot, tU5thout
4 derelietiOn Of duty to those dependent upon me,
retain the position dag longer than the period
sufficient to make the necessary arrangements to
hare other7cise FILED, and SO soon as His Ex-
eellency, the Governor, can make such ar
engagements, l shall send forward my resig-
nation. | trust you will communicate to
him the determination of mine with my
for his too partial appre-
eiation of my humble abilities, so that he
IAN make the necessary arrangements to fill
he Office as early as the same can be conye-
liently done.
Be assured that fully appreciate the
very kind terms in which you have been
pleased to express yourself in regard to this
and that I deeply regret the |
necessity srhieh conStrdins me to foregO The honor
d retaining the Office beyond the limited period
indicated.
Most respectfully, your humble servant,
ID. CAMPBELL.
Satisfied that I was not encroaching upon |
he rights of Chancellor CAMPBELL, with |
lrew all objection and consented to accept |
he commission. l was informed that Gov. |
3RowNLow, prior to leaving for Knoxville, |
bout the last days of July, had directed |
to issue to me, and on the third |
# this month was summoned to Nashville to |
eceive the same. This is as far as / am |
about the whole affair. |
AVE never made application for this or any |
,ther position, and therefore can say that |
he position was not of my own seeking.
| desire also to state that about the first of |
his month l was informed by gentleman
Who saw the letter. that Chancellor CAMP
lELL had written to M. s. FRIERsoN, Esq,
# this place, notifying through him the Bar
# Columbia, that he declined retaining the |
'ost of Chancellor any longer, and to confirm
his fact Mr.. Atkinson, a junior member of
he Bar, called upon me at my Office the
ame day, presenting petition for my sig
iture, asking Gov. BROwNLOw to appoint
he Hon. w. f. COOPER, Chancellor, in
udge CANfPBELL's place.
This petition was headed with words to
he effect Of WHEREAS The Hon. DAVID
'ANIPBEIL has notified THIS Bar that he declines
oldiBg the position Of Chancellor any longer,
tjs IS 10 recommend TO your EDcelleaey the
ION. w. +. COOPER, etc., etc." The petition
as signed By nearly all The gentlemen oftlis
}ar, and l understood Mr.. Atkinson to
ly that he was specially sent by either
udge MARTIN, Mr.. MYERS or Mr.. FRIER-
on, to ask my signature to the application
n behalf of Judge COOPER, and in order to
IL the vacancy created by Judge CAMP
Ellis withdrawal.
declined to sign the petition, and as a
eason therefor, frankly stated that had
nderstood Secretary FLETCHER to say that
iov. BRowNLOw had fully made up his
lind not to appoint Judge COOPER. Mr.
lYERs, on the same day, called upon me at
" office, and after asking me to be candid
18th him, requested my opinion IS to the
of Gov. BROWNLOw being Uillinq
qDpoint tie Hon. A. o. p. NICHOLSON IN
udge CAAPBELL's place Being thus ap-
ealed to by Mr.. MYERS, (who had always
eeA very courteous to me, l frankly stated
, him that, although no one was more COM
etebt than Judge NICHOLSON, any applica-
on made on his behalf would, in my opin-
N, he unsuccessful. Mr.. MYERS thanked
ie for my candor and withdrew.
The sequal Of this imbroglio appears to
e, that unless Judge COOPER or the Hon.
. %. p. NICHOLSON could receive the vacant
hahcellorship, Judge CAMPBELL had not
signed If Judge COOPER or Judge MICH
LsoN could be appointed, thea Chancellor
had resiyaodi
Very respectfully,
J. j. Moan.
Ex Gov. LETCHER, OF NRGINIA-The
blowing allusion to Ex Governor LETCHER,
Virginia, is made by the Lexington, vir-
mia, correspondent of the Richmond Times,
an ,cco,,vf of the VIRGINIA Military In