The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1867-06-14
To LYIUg John Baxter,

jim aIo DSSlHllhS W WhlHS
like a whipped spaniel MS you are,
making your appeals to the people
for sympathy, on the ground that |
resort to personal abuse of you and
your thieving, counterfeiting rela-
tons, instead Of meeting your argu-
meRtS. At the same time, a concen-
trated howl of the same chracter goes
up from certain lick-spittles, who cir.
culate your slanderous publications.
| propose to call your attention to
certain points which you and your
rebel sympathizers seem to have
overlooked but which the real people
have not overlooked.
For two long years, upon the stump,
through the press, on tho streets, IN
the cars, in the hotels, and in the
private circle, wherever you have cir
culated, you have been Gbusing, Sian
dering and villifying me and the State
Government, and all the State officials,
as a pack of thieves. In one Of your
first publications of last month, you
boast that yon have been at this
dirty work for two years and rsgret
that you had not been successful.
All this, and more, | submitted to in
silence, when it was in my power,
from the records, to prove you a liar,
in u ten fold point Of view and when
my friends though | was to blame for
my silence, | now propose to tell you
and through you, the public gener-
ally, why you have carried on this
bitter and slanderous warfare, and
why you commenced it.
l. | had turncd over the editorial
management of this Journal to my
son, and given full assurance with
my hands full of business at Nash
vile that | had no time to carry on a
newspal er controversy.
=. | had been inaugurated as Cover
nor of the State, and you presumed
that | would, in sustaining the digni-
ty of the office submit to all that you
might say.
8. You was n of my lawyers in
some important damage suits enter
ed by my IONS after the Federal occup.
ton of Knoxville, and before my re.
turn to the country, and you sup
posed | was so perfectly in your
power that | would not dare to split
with you.
4 You knew that | was not physi-
cally able to speak, and that from
Il loss of voice, | could not be heard
ten steps. For bad the strength and
voice Of six years, ago you would
stick your lying tongue in a bucket of
hot ashes before you would assail
me where | could be heard with you
face to face. Hence tits, that under all
the circumstances, l pronounce your
attacks cowardly, mean and vii
lainous-just such as the offspring
of an old bigamist and couhterfeiter,
and the brother of a gang of horse
thieves and barn.burners and pehi-
Tertiary convicts is capable Of max.
ing. You not only travelled out of
your way to abuse me personally,
as a man for whom all penitentiary
convicks and Jail birds would cheer for
but you hold up the whole Radi-
Union party of the State as
the filth and ~off-scourings of society.
This opened the way for me to show
up your own personal record, political
L%reachery, and huge schemes Of plum
as well as the moro humil-
fact that your family, as far
back rs they can be traced, were
counterfeiers, horsethieves. barn.
and stock prisoners. This l
nave done, until all decent men now
ook upon you with contempt, and
,xclaim, every where, that you are
!. sweet blossom to talk about the
,ff.scourings of society.
Asa LIAR, you are at the head of
he list, and if a Liars Fair were to
70 held in Tennessee, you would take :
the premiums. The speeches Of !
and Maynard, which have /
published by thousands, and am now r
circulating, convict you Of twenty a
deliberate and malicious falsehoods. :
The respective cards Of Messrs, :
Thomas, Arnell, Houk, Galloway and
brand you as an unmitigated
lar and slanderer. And the testimo
y Of Jay Cooke& Co, Of Philadelphia, .
the lie upon your Infamous
rehead. In q word, your infamy II
, complete, and your low, degraded e
fully established, should seal ,
our blackguard lips the rest Of your :
avs. Nay, you should not thrust >
ourself into decent society. Public i
will sxpell you from decent Q
and l advise you to emigrate =
n Salt Iaka. and aka n commigaion ~