Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-06

the Northern press.
Sixthly. That headed squad of rebeli
-all citizens--who went to Strawberry
4 Plains to shoot the defenders Of the Union
/ Seventhly. That / have said hard things
against the President
And lastly, by way Of an addendum "a
1 his speech, he alleges that in violation o.
my obligations to him as his counsel, had
alluded In my speech at Greeneville, in
strong terms Of censure, to a personal diff
I Guilty which he had in 1861.
Now, fellow-citizens, some Of these ale
/ cations are true; others are false. 1t is
true that was a candidate for the rebel
/ Congress; that | went to Strawberry Plains,
in company with other citizens, to prevent
the destruction, by irregular and unauthor-
lied parties, Of the railroad bridge at that
| place. have, in times past, Judged Presi-
dent JOHNSON harshly, and have said many
hard things against him; and il is also true
that wrote, not only one, but several let
ters to my late Law partner, the Hon. L. G..
HAYNES; but even these facts, here admit
ted to be true, are so distorted in their de-
tails and so interviewer with falsehood as to
become falsehoods in effect, because they
are calculated and were intended to make
false Impressions against me. The residue
Of his charges and insinuations are the dis
tortions of his Imagination, or were sug-
gested by others, and are false.
Here might rest this personal cOntro-
yersy by calling on my accuser for proof
But do not propose to do this. At the
risk of being charged with bad taste, will
beg your indulgence for a short time while
talk of some things concerning myself. Pur-
posely pretermitting any statement in regard
to my having participated in duel, / here
in direct and explicit terms deny that l ever
fought duel in North Carolina. Even if
had done so, it would not have rendered me
ineligible to Office in that State. Nor am /
ineligible in Tennessee, because the Consti-
tuition and laws of the State have no appli-
cation to Ohenses committed beyond her ter
ritorial jurisdiction. Hence there never
was any necessity for my seeking an altera-
ton of the laws of the State, as | was in no
sense obnoxious to any such laws, but ifit
had been otherwise, his suggestion that an
amendment was effected through my inau-
ence, and for my benefit was purely gratu-
itous. In fact, had forgotten that such an
amendment had ever been made until re-
minded Of the fact by his speech; and upon
investigation it will be seen that the amend
ed act, instead of favoring me, was changed
TO my disadvantage.
The oath prescribed for public officers by
the 752d sec Of the Code of Tennessee is in
these words: Every public officer shall
swear that he has not directly nor indirectly
given, accepted, or knowingly carried chal-
lengein writing or otherwise, to any person
being a citizen Of tbs State, either in or out of
the State, or aided or abetted therein, since
he has been a citizen of the State" Why
any amendent of this oath was deemed ne
cessary | do net know, but for some reason
the Legislative of 1S59-60 thought proper
to modify it.
The amended act will be found on the
44th page Of the acts of the session, and is
as follows: Every public officer shall
swear that he has not directly or indirectly
given, accepted, or knowingly carried
challenge in writing or otherwise 10 any per-
son being a citizen Of the Slate or aided or
abetted therein, since the adoption of the
Constitution in 1885,"
How my traducer could possibly predicate
a charge against me upon these two enact
ments, as they stand upon our statute books,
/ am unable to conceive. By no forced
could either Of them be made
applicable to my case, as stated by him.
But the law, as it originally stood in the
code, is, if possible, more favorable to me in
the position which he assigned me, than the
amended act. In Its very terms it was linn |
tied to parties resident in the State where |
as the amended law applies to aoH-residents |
Of Tennessee provided the challenge was to |
a citizen of the State, and sent, carried, or |
since the adoption of the Constitu- |
ton of 1885. Men do not usually act with
put motive, and as it is manifest from the
face of this act, the residue of this silly |
charge that this legislation was secured |
through my influence must fall to the ground |
But there is one thing, fellow-citizens, es-
.ablished by this effort to traduce my char
icter.
This puny assault upon my reputation
has been contemplated for some time past
MIR. FLETCHER speaks for others as well as
Tor himself; il is the result of careful prepa-
ration, and if the combined malice Of the
Radical leaders only eliminates in such /
Duny assaults as this-in charges which are
-efuted by the statutes of the State--I may
we'll defy the petty assaults which 1 am APP
1rised are to follow. Unfortunately, per-
laps, for me- it is known that l am opposed
o the present administration of the State
Government; that / have, in unmeasured
erms, denounced the lawlessness which has
iisgraced the annals and disturbed the peace
II East Tennessee; given free expression 10
he contempt which | have felt for the des- J
licable minority which claims to be in pos
ession Of the legislative department of the
State Government, and that, with other citi-
ems, | stand ready to cooperate in any law
ul movement, which, by fair and general
lection, shall rescue the Government from
heir hands, and restore it to the people of
be State.
With such opinions publicly expressed,
nd purposes frequently avowed, it would be
polish in me to attempt or expect to escape
he calumnies ofthis vile crew. Before you
o-day | defy their MISUNDERSTANDING
successfully all former traducers
having nothing in my private life or pub
ic acts TO conceal. l ask no quarter from
my one, and am prepared to receive and /
espond to any calumny which their corrupt
learts may invent. And in order that there
nay be no misapprehension as to my for
ner political status, in connection with the
ate rebellion, I beg 10 say that / have
lever made any claims TO uniform and I'M
onditiOnal support OF the Federal Govern
nent. Many measures have been proposed |
nd adopted which did not commend them
elves to my approval But aver in the
most solemn manner that l have at all times
nd under all circumstances. been ardently
ttached to the union of the States and the
Constitution under which the Union existed;
yer regarding the same as the palladium of
ur liberties and national prosperity.
Yet in September, 1861, under the convic-
ion that the Government would fail to sub
ue the rebellion that division was newt
bile, ceased all opposition to the rebel
ause, and concluded to acquiese in state
4 things which i deplOred but could not
'revent and looked forward to time when
thought it was probably that would be
breed by Circumstances into the active sup
'ort Of the rebel cause Such were the con-
itions that dictated my action from Septem-
er, 1861, TO March, 1862. But my actions
and letters during this period
all confirm this statement, as will be better
hown by their publication. But unlike
ONE other Union men who acquiesced TO
ebel rule about this time, / positively re-
lsed to return with bitterness upon my for
ler political associates. My first and high
st aim was 10 shield them, if possible, from
ersecution for opinion sake. To this end
ERECTED all my energies. But as ! then
bought and still think, an unwise and OPP
tessive policy was inangnrated by the rebel
in East Tennessee. Arrests were
made, prosecutions were institut-
d, pgnlshments inflicted and unparalleled