Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-25
MORE CONTEMPTIBLE PARTISAN
RHIp NV GEN rEINMAa


The Knoxville Press and Herald of the
23dinst, exposes another actof contempt
ible partisanship on the part Of Gen.
Thomas in the following article; 81
A few days ago we called attention Ia
the mean partisanship Of Gen. Thomas, as
manifested in his treatment of Lieut.. J. 8.
Payne, of the Fifth United States cavalry,
who, for sometime, had been stationed at
Knoxville. Our readers will no doubt re-
member the circumstances as related by us
at the time. Lieut.. Payne was friend to
President johnson. When the impeach-
ment trial was in progress, he freely, but
not unbecomilgly expressed his conviction
of the Presidents innocence. For this and
for the further reasons that he did not
make boon compana ans ofleaguers, negroes,
ETC., and did not report regularly TO Brown
low for information or orders, charges we're
sent from Knoxville to Thomas, and the
result, as we stated at the time, was
the removal of Lieut.. Payne with
his men from Knoxville. Afterwards
Lieut.. Payne obtained leave of absence,
and for few days past has been in the
city. II seems the Press and Herald con-
tanning the letter informing Lieut. Payne
Of the cause of his removal, found it's
speedy way to the headquarters of Gen
Thomas, with what false and outrageous
representations accompanying it, of course
only the prolific author of such things
could approximately surmise. According,
ly, on yesterday, Lieut.. Payne received
the following sweet epistle ordering him
to report at headquarters at Nashville:
LOUISVILLE, Ky, June 18th, 1863
Lieut.. j. s. P0yne, 5h u S. Oduolry,
KRoDUilie, Tennessee SIR I'll am directed
By the Major General Commanding, to in
form you that he is in receipt Of a copy Of
r Press and Herald Of Knoxville, Of The
10th inst, containing a copy of the letter
to you from these headquarters dated Sth
inst. He is also informed that you pro-
ceeded to Knoxville, after accepting the
leave Of absence granted upon your appli-
cation for a leave to proceed to Missouri
You are directed to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of this letter without delay, stating
whether -ou are or have been in Knoxville
since the leave Of absence was granted 10
you, yon will also report whether or
not yc SIrnished the letter referred to or
a copy it for publication in the Press
and Herald, and if so your reasons for 50
doing.
Upon youz complying with the above in
struetions the Major General command
ing directs that you proceed to your station
at Nashville, Tenn, in arrest and report
by letter TO these headquarters
Very respectfully your obedient ser
want. ALFRED s. HoUGH.
Bryt. Col. u. s. A., A. A. A. G..
Like true soldier Lieut.. Payne will, of
course, obey the order. We presume the
head and front of his offending now will
be that by the publication referred to he
exposed the miserable pretext by which
Thomas sought to cover up his miserable
partisan conduct. While, throughout the
entire South the oficiousness Of Radical
government officers, in matters purely
political, is esteemed worthy of special
commendation, the fidelity Of Lieut.. Payne
to the President of the Uuited States, his
Commander.in-Chief, is held to be sufi-
cient cause for his arrest. No doubt it
will be pretended that this arrest is or
dered because the publication of Col.
Hough's letter. but il will be impossible to
conceal the true motive-illy masked par
tisanship. The whole proceeding origins
ted at Kno1villein the Radical camp. 1t
is one of Brownlow's secret proclamations
"A covert special ordsr-Which Thomas
is endeavoring to carry out TO the letter.
Ii had its origin in the fact that Lieut.
Payne Was a true soldier, an educated gem
tleman, an admirer and friend of Andrew
johnson, and scorned TO prostitute his po-
sitioB TO the behests of BrownloW