Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-26

sity of the case, that the
Governor should appoint Judicial and
county officers pro tempOre, and asked
the Legislature to pass law making their
acts valid. Such was the origin OF that
power, which it is now claimed gives the
Governor full power to make vacant
and to ill all the offices of the State. A
large number of applications for offices
having accumulated on my table wrote
to the Governor for instructions. His
reply is still in my Office, and is in these
words: "Act from all the lights before
you and | will approve whatever you do"
Under this carte blanche l cOmmiss
stoned over thousand officers, from
chancellors down to constables. Except
/ in the matter of pardons, very seldom
disturb him with the executive business.
also relieved him of the trouble of issu
ing prOclamations and addresses, as
afterwards did of preparing his
messages. When the address Of
July, 1868, defending the legitimacy
of the State government, and
declaring its purpose to enforce the fran>
chise law, was sent to Gov. BrownlOw,
then in Knoxville, in the fullness of his
/ heart he wrote to me, "Your address Is.
just the thing" This state of things
continued for two years, during which
the Governor had a staff under full pay.
A large part of the time l employed and
paid my own clerk, but for part of the
time the Governor kindly detailed one OF
his aids to assist me. In the spring OF
1867 dispute occurred between II. II.
| Thomas, Oflhe staff, and Capt. Heydt, as
to whether the latter should deliver the
executive mail 10 me or Thomas. In
reference to this dispute the Governor
wrote to me that Thomas was at
tending to the executive duties, and, as
such, was entitled to his letters. l now
discovered that he was not aware that l
had been discharging his duties. In other
words, he supposed that the issuing Of
grants, bonds, acquisitions, warrants,
writs of election, commissions, ETC., was
his duty as Secretary. Having spent
two years in mental and bodily serVitude
for the Governor, without his knowing
it, / did turn over to Thomas the duties
of the executive office. For this the
Governor subsequently assailed me in a
special message TO the Legislature.
wrote him very kind letter on taking
leave of his office, but have ever since de-
clined to perform executive duties.
Nothing unkind grew out of this trans
action Long after this the State canvass
opened. Baxter, Etheridge, Nelson,
Brien and other powerful speakers took
the stump, and their attacks upon the
Governor and the State government were
so effective that a strong reaction COM
menced.
They were stabbing the Governor in
his private and public character. The
most damning charges were preferred
and apparently sustained. The people
clamOred for answers to these charges.
The Governor met it all through the |
Wing with personal attacks upon the |
speakers, and some Of their deceased |
kindred At this time / rendered him |
my services in his defense. He answered
by publishing list of appointments for
me. How | performed this service is not |
for me to say, but his Excellency has
said that / contributed more TO his re-
election that any one man. ! spent |
several days at the Governors home |
during the canvass, on the most intimate |
and confidential terms
There was nothing personal, on my
part growing out of the Senatorial elec- |
tion-the appointment of my brotherin>
law and that of Chancellor (if | under |
stand your aliusiOn) occurred near
year before the canvass Of 1867, and |
never produced jar, that was aware
of. Such is the history of the material
obligations existing between Gov.
Brownlow and myself
If the public see ingratitude, treason
against mankind, in this, must abide
their verdict | have done nothing but
to dissent to many of his official acts
during his second term If this be ''trea-
son to mankind make the most Of it
You say ! recommended a certain man
for Chancellor, and afterwards denied If,
and the Governor proved it on ME. This
is the first have ever heard of this affair
and can make no further comment
upon it
As to the appointment Of my brother |
in-law, as have suffered for two years
under this false charge without defense,
| might let it pass now. Bnt choose to
state the facts Of the case, every word of
which is known to living witnesses
Your whole statement of the case is un-
founded. Mr.. A. C. Hickey, of COlum
bia, made application to Governor
Browniow for the appointment Of At
torney General while | was in Ohio fill
ing a few appointments on my way to
Philadelphia The Governor promised in
the presence of s w. Hatchett, that if
Hickey would procure the recOmmenda-
ton of loyal men he should have the
Office | returned direct from Philadel-
phia, while the Governor swung round
the circle Northward The Governor
fingered long in the North for fear Of
cholera in Nashville remained at his
post during the pestilence. The friends
of Mr.. Hickey presented his claims,
while Mr.. Arnell presented the claims Of
Capt. Bullock, relative Of his Both
these gentlemen had been officers in the
rebel army, and were the only appli~
cants. l hesitated long before giving the
commission to either, but the courts were
coming on, the presiding Judge urged
the appointment, and | gave the
commission to Hickey, with an agree
ment that if the Governor or
any Of his friends were dissatisfied he
was to resign at once When the Cover
nor returned | spoke Of my action in the
case to him and he fully approved it.
Hislanguage was, "Y GU did right, Fetch
err, to appoint Hickey think well of
him, besides told Mr.. Hickey he should
have it" Mr. Hickey was recommended
by Judge Ward, Judge Hughes, Speaker
FriersOn and others. Mr.. Arnell and
Mai. Noah, stung by the defeat of their
rebel, got the Union League of Columbia
to send remOnstrance to the Governor
against Hickey's appointment. The Cow
ernOr sent the paper to me from Knox
vile, with the simple endorsement, "You
see the appointment of Mr.. Hickey is
producing trouble among our friends;
perhaps he had better resign" wrOt-
to Mr. Hickey and he prompt re
signed The Governor then ordered an
election, promising Mr. Hickey to COM
mission him if he could be elected. In
ths worst disfranchised district in the
State Hickey was elected by large ma
jority. The Governor refused to issue
his commission on the ground that he
was not eligible When he was referred
to the section of the law then in force,
enfranchising and making eligible all
who held commissions under him, he for
the first time, repudiated Mr.. Hickey