Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-05
Knoxville, Tenn, February 5, 1868.
An Unfortunate Man.


among his friends Of beng & very honest man. But
be this as It may, be is certainly among the most
unfortunate Of Governors in his selection Of men rs
outtodisns Of the money Of the people Every one,
we suppose, knows that during bis administration
we have lost from three 70 -four hundred thousand
dollars Of the school fund We near Il now talked
Of that one Of the Governors Receivers Of one OF
our railroads has absconded with some two hundred
thousand dollars of bonds and money Il Is also
said that now the Governors Paymaster Of the
Militia ia absent without leave from the State with
his pockets we'll filled with public money and does
not contemplate returning. We would advise the
Governor 70 be little more careful hereafter. OF
course our advice is dsinterested. HIS best and
most prominent friends don't seem 20 be very rei-
able, else the Governor is exceedingly unfortu-
nate ia his selections It may be that many Of the
people may say that the Governor has been the vic
tim Of q misplaced confidence but the loss Of 30
much money Of the State 10 these days Of high taxes
10 by no means palatable TO very large majority
Of the people
The above we clip from the Press and Herald,
the Conservative organ Of this city. Nothing more
unfair could be written. The most material por-
ton Of it IL absolutely false. Speaking Of the Gov
ernor the writer says He is certainly among the
most unfortunate of Governors in hts selection Of
men as eisstOdians Of the money Of the people Every
one we suppose knows that during his administra-
ten we have lost from three 70 four hundred thou
usted that It "a the Governors fault that the school
fund or half Of it WAS lost, and the phraseoogy
such 10 amount to direct charge that the custo-
disH Of that fund was selected by the Governors
No honest man would attribute the loss Of the
school fund 70 the Governor and the nsinuation
that the Governor selected or had any agency in
selecting the custodian Of that fund is utterly false
DR.. Stanford the late Treasurer Of the State, was
elected 10 his Office by the Legislature which assem-
bled in April 1865. Ho was an old johnson Dem
oerat and never liked the Governor personally and
never agreed with him politically save during the
war Between him and the Governor there was
never any association for the Governor never bad
any respect for him. When Mr.. Johnson's policy
was developed be espoused his cause, and openly
denounced Brownlow and the Radicals. BY a res
olation Of the General Assembly Stanford was made
the custodian Of this fund For bonus, in consid-
Grafton Of = BRIDE Is has been since fully proven,
without the knowledge OF the Governor, Stanford
put this money in bank, which failed. Had the
Governor known when be made the deposit, had he
Known the bank was unreliable, and had he desired
another bank selected depository, be had no
power or authority 70 have taken it from the Treas
ursr But none Of these things did be or could any
one In bic position have known. Stanford kept
profound secret Of bis movements. When the Gov
ernor learned where the school fund was, and heard
a bare suspicion that the bank was not solvent, he
Immediately called the attention Of the Legislature
then In SESSION. TO the matter and forthwith il
powered him 20 take IL from the bank thereby
ing 10 the State some three hundred and sixty or
seventy thousand dollars, which would have been
lost but for the promptness with which TIE Cover
nor acted. These the facts known to every man
who knows anything Of the transaction. Stanford,
the bribed Treasurer, Acknowledged to various par
ties that he was wholly responsible for making the
deposit that the Governor knew nothing Of Il, and
So Of Of insanity, caused by bis exposure, and the
Anaibemas hesped upon him by outraged pub |
lie, be committed suicide.
During the late canvass several o. the active /
leading msn Of the Conservative party made insin-
nations 10 the effect that Brownlow was responsible
for tho loss Of the school money, and in every in
stance they were men whose whole lives, was
clearly proven had been devoted to swindling and !
stealing. Edmund Cooper and the decent men Of
the Conservative party never made any such insin-
nations for the very reason as they did not hesitate
10 say, that there was no ground for so doing.
The Official acts Of public men are legitimate OBJ
jecs Of investigation, criticism and censare; but no
man has better right 10 lie on public man than
private citizen.
Gov Brownow don't wish TO be screened from a
thorough investigation Of bic every act he don't
seek 70 be excused fer anything ho has done but be
and his friends will not tamey submit 10 his being
trAduced or assaled for that which he has not done
As 10 the second item 10 this bill Of the Press and
Herald we have no information save the rumor we
in the papers AS to the third we will say that
the Governors Psymaster is all right so far as bis
relations with the State are concerned. Not one
cent Of the peoples money will be lest through
him.
The Governor has not only not been unfortunate
IN his selection of men, but he has been very forin-
nate We don't suppose that every man he has
oonhded in is worthy Of confidence, but as class
he has cOnhded in good men, men Of moral Prin-
ciple.