Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-01-08


5Ittor Knorrii5le Wig:
DEAR sIR / zee IN your issue Of the 9Th instant
letter from the pen Of Judge Houk, dated Nash
ille Tennessee November 25th, 1867 in which
whether BY design or otherwse) be makes a Gov
Il attack upon me, calculated 10 do me great in
Iastioe Now. regret to be called upon TO defend
svson by publications through the newspapers of
"a country, and especially from the attack Of a
lriend and a constituent. Ard while may not be
.ble 10 measure arms with an intellectual gladiator
a the ability Of Judge Houk, yet I may be able
u make y plain statement Of facts which may dis
.bnse the public mind Of ahy false impression which
nav have found lodgment there from perusing
IA communication. BE evidently leaves the i'm
ression upon the mind OF the reader that am in
vor and an advocate Of the odious Bank Bill to
Shch he refers and am opposed to the Loyal In
emnity Bill while the Of both propositions
true. and be knew it when he wrote that article.
He sets out by complaining Of the Legislature
r. not passing the Loyal Indemnity Bill, and evil
fsntIy makes the impression on the public mind
bat am one Of those who opposed the passage Of
bat just measure he says But our Legislators
ave such an adherence Of the word taxes, and so
.tle faith in the justice Of the Nation that they
lhrink from doing justice themselves and appeal
- fAonefttt 70 10 Wuhk bubt uLbtGiy Itiubs
again at really amusing 70 witness the sympa-
by expressed for the taxpayers, when the claims
loyal citizens for losses during the rebellion
inder confederation; and when il is proposed 10
odeem the issues Of the Bank Of Tennessee tc hear
he same gentlemen talk Of the wckedness and dis
grace Of repudistion."
Certainly every gentleman should have & horror
of the repudiation Of any just claim against our
State; but am one Of those who do not regard
,be State in any sense bound for the issues Of the
Bank. True the State took stock in the Bank and
pledged herself to receive for taxes any par value
notes Of the Bank wher The Bank, therefore,
forfeited It's lcharter and destroyed its credit the
State was in no wise bound for the issues Of the
Bank or even to receive them for debts due the
State
Again, he says When loyal men are TO be paid,
tho State is about 20 be bankrupt--taxes are op-'
pressive and our credit on the decline; but when
gigantic fraud is attempted 10 be perpetrsted for
the benefit Of rebels and monied aristocrats, the
words moral obligation, 'plighted faith, legally
! bound etc. fall from the Same same lips like oil
from the coal butts Of the Pennsylvania noun
tains." The Bank of Tennessee, as already more
than intimated, has become an important theme
among the guardians Of the taxpayers of the
State" The House Of Representatives was star
tied on Friday last by the introduction of bill by
Mr. Doughty providing for the redemption Of the
issues Of the State Bank Of Tennessee" "A more
infamous fraud was never attempted than the pro-
visions Of this bill contemplate"
Now Mr.. Editor | am done quoting his Ian
gusge for the present. and agree perfectly with
his arguments both Of these bills and only woB-
der that he should connect me with all the odium
he attempts 10 heap upon those same gentlemen
who talk aippantly be calls it, Of the disgrace
Of population, Sc. / have boen thus specific in
stating his arguments that every one may see that
intend to deal fairly and justly by him. and at the
same time show how unfair TO me his statements
are, and how sdroitly he connects me with the
odum in question, when he knew the reverse Of his
proposition was true. He knows 1 voted for the
Loyal Indemnity Bill last session, snd have been
an advocate Of it from It's inception. advocated
iton The stump during the last canvass contending
Cor the justice and right Of H. IS an indirect mode
of conhscating rebel property that the rebels would
pay swo-thirds Of all the tax and the Union men
would get All the advantage, ard their proportion
Of the tax could very we'll be borne, inasmuoh as
they would get the money from rebels 10 pay It
with, &c As to the Bank Bill be so forcibly con-
dcmns, aud which he says 30 startled the House Of
Representatives on that occasion, offered by my
self il may need a little explanation. That bill
was prepared, as I was told by very distinguished
Chancellor Of The city Of Nashville, and very de-
cded Union man at that, and sent TO me as chair
man Of the Committee on Banks with & request
that should oae- It in the House Of Represents
tyes. Before / Gid So however consulted Judge
Houk, in presence Of several members Of the Leg
islature After / read over The bill, he condemned
t In the most scathing manner al present agreeing
with him most perfectly During our converse
tion, said: 'Houk, / will offer this bill in the
morning, get il referred 70 my committee, and
viii get you to assist in making report against
H. Said he, "rll do it." Accordingly, ] did in
t'oduce the bin next morning, declaring that in
uoaaced It through courtesy, as chairman Of The
Bank Committee, bat could not defend the provis-
IONS Of the BILL and was thoroughly understood by
The House as being against IT, desired il should
take the usual course, and 20 10 It's appropriate
e'mmii'ee that II might undergo sthorough sin
ing
Now, Judge vhy aid you not except me cut Of
sho category IN which you had got those who op-
posed the one and advocated the other? You umight
hayo said after anathematising the bin which I
offered that you could do me the credit 70 say /
was not In favor Of the bill and no. leave tho inn
preston on the oommuniiy-my constituents iuclu.
dea--that was guilty Of all the oaiuu expressed
against those who had opposed Tie one and sdvo.
Gated the other Of those measures, when you knew
was against the one condemned and for the on,
you advocated Now, Why Judge Houk should de-
sire TO bring Ne into disrepute with ny oonstitu
ents, or anybody else, Is more than I can divine
We have known each other from his boyhood NJ
70 the present hour. Always Of the same politica
hath he vas sn old line whig and 20 was he wal
Union man at The outbreak Of the rebellion, ant
50 was We both ieii home about The same tim,
p JOIN The National army, served together in n.
same great and glorious cause, tho cause Of ou
country VIC have been long and tried friends an,
near neghborsi he profNs's 10 be a Republican
@aa 50 aa j be donbt disros the success Of tina
ssi lhe overthrow Al The bsllot-box, as in th
- q that old Dsmocrttie-Rebei.Cjonser
5 yalenyf and 90 do !. Thon vvhx .hopla Ne omar
80. II should not i must moi b
fore t.e 49, .'s mach 70 Get myself right be
again essok.s "o Nsa take my leave, unles
JANIS A. DouonTI.