Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-20
GUBERNATORIAL PROPERTY.


ton for year or more, to the effect that
the executive duties Of Gov. Brownlow
were chiefly discharged by the Secretary
Of State, has been gaining strength by
recent developments. In deposition oi
the Governors, taken a few days ago to
be read in suit pending in the Chancery
Court at Athens, the Governor, in answer
to an interrogatory calling for an expla-
nation in regard to a certain executive
transaction, says: ~ do not know if he
did or not, as the business was trans.
acted in the Office of the Secretary of
State, and, believe, in my absence.
The Secretary of State was authorized
by power of attorney to sign my name,
etc. We furthermore understand that
millions of bonds issued under recent leg
islation, and which by law required the
Governor s signature, have been put upon
the market with the Governors name ap-
pearing upon them, but these signatures
are known not to be genuine. His name
has been placed there by some one else,
perhaps under pOscer of attorney. But
the irregularity of such proceeding
must strike every one with astonishment.
Should gross frauds creep into this de-
partment-and fraud pervades the whole
State government-who is to be held re-
sponsible 2 May the Governor not say
again that he knew nothing about the
matter; that the business was transacted
by some one else, to whom he had given
a potoer Of attorney to act for him, as
Governor, IN his absence? And then,
when the resources of the State are ex.
hausted and Governor Brownlow and his
friends reach the point of rspudiation,
not now very far ahead of us, what fine
pretext will be found in this irregularity
and the frauds connected Herewith, to
sustain their policy of reputation.
The whole machinery of the Execu-
tive Department Of this State seems to
be in the hands of few of Brownlow's S
confidential subordinates 1t has now
been some four weeks since he left the
capitol to take up his abode in this pro-
vincial town, and devote his time, as was
his wont of old, to editing Brownlow's 8
Knoxville Whig. Who i is that is now
acting as Deputy Gorernor has not been
authentically announced; rumor, as
heretofore, has assigned this dignity to
the Honorable Secretary of State, and
the suppositon is that he is acting under
that same old potoer Of attorney, while
the Governor is at home to superintend
a newspaper quarrel with private cih-
zen-and such quarrel 1t is con-
Quoted in the Governor most felicitous
style, and in his usual chaste and elegant
language, such as has animated his
former controversies.
And then again his productions are so
replete with facts and argument, pre-
sentinE sample of gubernatorial dig
nifty that cannot fail to elicit,the applause
of his enemies as well as of his friends.
1t strengthens ones State pride to re-
feet upon the notoriety which our Gov
erner Is obtaining fer himself, to be re.
hected through his illustrious parsonage
upon the history Of Tennessee. His
conceptions Of the public wants are above
the reach of ordinary Governors His
powers are too great to be circumscribed
by the ordinary routine Of Executive
labors. They are important, it is true,
but not to be compared to the response
bilities of publishing Brownlow's Knox.
vile Whig
And then he does the thing up in such
an able and elegant way. Other Gov
ernors, attacked as he has been, and
confronted with facts and figures, upon
which specific charges are based, would
most likely be guilty Of the stupidity OF
viHdicating themselves by endeayoring
to reach the sense and Judgment Of the
country But not so with our Governor
He understands political and personal
warfare too well to be guilty Of such folly
as this. Ifke is attacked on ground that
he cannot successfully defend, he seeks
TO change the battlefield, and to draw
his adversary on to more advantageous
ground. BE knows that the record Is
against him that the least said about
his maladministration Of public affairs
the better he can make no defense upon
this ground; the corruptions Of has ad-
ministration are too numerous and too
susceptible Of proof to afford protection
against the thrusts that have been hurled
at him, aud he therefore seeks to divert
the public attention aud provoke his ad-
versary 10 follow HIM into the slOugh of
scurrillitV and mn within which he has
been fortified for loi these forty years
And to this end be bslches forth from his
peakly smut rdehine" the eomphmen.
tarv epithets Of coward, villain,
"seoundrel." "har," "sEindler." rebel,
"rebel sympathizer," 'eopperhead," etc.
But his present moa ACTIVE adversary 10
this end Of the State has none OF tails
kind Of ammunition on habd, and there
fore declines the eucouutsr 70 which the
Governor has invited him While the
Governor belches forth his hlth, Col.
Baxter deals IN fact while the Governor
.bonnds in denunciaiions without proof,
his antagonist il specific iu bic charges