Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-17
THE CHEAT DECENCY OF TENNESSEE
RADICALS n.
what Manner of Candidates Tennessee
JRcObinism Prefers.

ruptible.n Msrat lived and died poer
and was never suspected OF peculatiOn
Legendre, the butcher, did not desPoi
the Commonwealth. After sll, Ameri
can Jacobinism is but pinchbeck imita
ton OF the original, making OF Trad
Stevens a Saint, and Of Ben Butler
Chevalier Bsyard.
On the 18Th inst. JacObin ConYen-
tion assembled at Nash vile with Horace
Maynard for Its President, man who
pre.ends 10 an extraordinary degree Of
Christian piety, and except When he
condsseends 10 slander politicaf oppc-
nent, to ali the self possession OF q mind
conscious Of its rectitude.
In that Convention it was proposed to
nominate candidates for the place Of
member OF Congress for the State 81
large, and upon this q negro pat in NOM
inatiou the name OF Thomas A. Hamil-
ton, OF the county of Shelby.
Upon that, J. n. TOmeny, Of Shelby
county, rose to speak as TO certain facta
relative to this candidate, and was called
TO order by one Williams, of Smith
county, because he proposed to make 3
personal attack on one of the candidates.
But the President decided, as he had de-
cided before, that "any remarks res
peeting the candidates" were in order;
aud Mr.. TOmeny proceeded, pledgirg
his "honor and reputation to sustain
by proof the facts stated by him. if they
should be denied. He said this:
1t is doubtless known to every member
Of this Convention who reads the Cis-
patches published yesterday morning,
Inst Mir. Thomas A. Hamilton, Of my
county, who has been placed in nomins-
ton Tor member Of Congress for the
State st large, has been indicted by the
Grand Jury OF the Criminal Court of
Memphis FOR the crime OF perjury. And,
sir, l believe that 8 jury OF his country
men and his peers, upon heSTing the evl-
deuce and ascerlaiDing the facts, will
pronounce him guilty of the charge
1Ientlemen OF the Convention, l want
YOU 10 understand the facts before pro-
ceedipg to give your votes for such 3
nomination.
Sjrs. it is s notorious fact TO those who
have lived in Memphis throughout the
rebellion, that IN 1882 Mr.. Hamilton
did accept and exercise the functions OF
the Office OF Sub-PrOvOst Marshal, under
Colonel Nick issick; that lie seized sugar
in the hands of loyal and dislCyal men
alike, and caused the same to be moved
out 20 the buff and piied up ready to be
destroyed on the approach OF the Union
army. l, sirs, lived in Memphis all
through the war have known Mr. Ham
sF--., -. a7uEaF pr tan EgQra and Ennuv
what l state to be true. As COnfede-
rate Sub-Provost Marshal, wi5RJhe rank
of Lieuteuant-CCloEei, he seized sugar IN
stores, warehouses snd cellars; had il
moved out 10 the blQtf and piled up to be
burned, TO prevent its falling into the
hands OF the Federal army. This ne con-
tinued tOdO without regard 70 The Loyalty
or disloyalty OF the owners up TO the
time OF the occupation Of Mem phis 10y
our troops. For his official acts, gentle
men OF this Convention, would not cen
sure him; tu5, SITS, after Inc capture OF
Memphis by our troops, he deserted from
the COufedsTscy, skulked behind Fed
eral Notifications aud bayonets, sold ths
same sGgEr se!zsd tJr the Confederate
States as ais property, and put the pro-
cseds into his pocket.
1 know, gentIemeD, You will be skep-
and my reputation Concerning al 1 say.
l know the facts. Every mGH who has
lived at Memphis during the rebellion
knows them. = suit was brought il the
United States Court At Memphis sgainst
MIR. Hamilton, by Dr.. A. J. PARK, Of
Chicago, fer the value of sugar taken
from MN, and the proof o. the trial
showed cOnclusively That Mr.. Hamilton,
alter the fall OF Memphis, had sold the
sugar se.Zsd frOm PaTk, and bad apprO-
prizted the proceeds to mis- own use.
The proof, / say, was clear and cOnclu-
sive. A judgmsnL WIS rendered against
Mr.. Hamilton, and he compounded with
DIR. Park BY paying two thou
sand dollars, and, sIrs, the genuem%p
who arranged that compromise between
the parties IS On the door Of this COAvei.-
ton. The record OF that proceeding ca.l-
not De erased, and Is open 10 the inspee-
ton OF all who are skeptIcAl. THIS is
but one OF many cases.
DIR. Tomeny said, also, " l don't ex-
pect in few minutes 10 overcome the
wire-working and schemlng Of months"
These facts, he said, had been time and
again charged against MIR. Hamilton,
and never denied; and he added, "IAM
PERSONALLY AND FAMILIARITY AC-
QUAINTED WITH THEM"
John Brownlow endeaYored to show
that the matter deserved 40 considera-
ton, because the Grand Jury that had
Indicted Hamilton was composed OF
rebels.
We do not indorse any chsrge against
~ JTn,fTt,v W. only rarre4us. hare
the allegations Of prominent member
OF his own party, Of one Of whom We once
had some hope that he would see the
error of his ways; but Of whom We have
hope no longer.
1t is certain that Hamilton has been
indicted by the Grand Jury, for taking
what be ordinarily called the candidates
oath, which no man can take without
committing perjury, II be ever held any
office under the Confederate Govern
ment, or sympsthized with the Confed-
crate cause, or gave it aid and comfort
In any way whatever. It is certain that
Hamilton has twice taken that oath
once in Massachusetts,, aand once here,
preparatory, each time, TO being can
didate here.
When be was sued in the United
States Circuit Court for the value of
sugars seized by him, he pleaded las we
have it direct from the plaintiffs coun-
sell, that be was an officer Of, or acting
in theservice Of the Confederate Govern
meut, and as such seizsd the sugars.
The plaintiff assured him that be would
st once dismiss the suit if be would show
that he accounted to the Confederate
Government for the proceeds Of the /
sugar. He did not do so. A single in. |
ror saved him from a verdict and iudg-
ment for some sixty thousand dollars;
and he afterwards effected q compro-
mise. OF the influences that swayed |
that single person, we should, II we are
rightly informed, be sorry to speak.
1t is entirely just to measure the excel 4
lence or baseness, the honesty or seoun-
drelism Of 3 party by the merit or worth
lesness of It's candidates. Not because
we have q right to argue that a party
will almost always select men TO be its