Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-06
Card.


Whereas, having witnessed with pain
an effort TO injure our friend: Mr.: a. >.
Mitchell, President of the Mississippl
River railroad, with the public, by unjust
| implications upon his social and politi-
cal conduct, particularly during the late
war. we, portion of the citizens OF Tip
ton comfy. where Mr.. Mitchell was born
and raised. having known him from boy
hood. deem it Just and due to him to
make this expression of our knowledge
of b;s character and his conduct in all
relations. especially during the late war,
and in connection with his Office as
President Of the Mississippi River rail-
road, which he now fills with unsurpassed
skill and ability:
/. That he is distinguished for devo-
ton to his parents, fidelity to his friends,
and faithful and unselfish efforts to be
useful to the people among whom he was
raised.
2. We bear willing testimony to the fact,
what the whole county of Upton knows,
that during the. later years of the war,
Mr.. Mitchell, through his influence with
the Union military commandments at
Memphis, procured a general order for
bidding the entrance of foraging or raid
ing parties into Upton county, and there
after none came. The citizens of Upton
were thereby saved tens of thousands
perhaps hundreds of thousanes-of dol
lars worth of property, and delivered
from many of the worst horrors OF state
of war. And that Mr.. NJ. was actuated
in this cause by sincere sympathy for
his distressed countrymen of the South,
is sufficiently attested by the fact that be
never asked or received any compensa-
ton whatever for his services in their be-
half, though the people of the county
could we'll have paid thousands of dollars
for the protection they obtained through
him.
8. We further bear testimony that Mr.:
Mitchell, during the war, made several
trips to Washington City to obtain the
release Of sick and wounded Confederate
soldiers of Upton county from Northern
prisons, and always with success, and
that he never charged a dollar for his
services. On such occasions, and only
in few cases, had his personal expenses
in making these trips partially paid. !.
4. Mr.. Mitchell, in the management of
the affairs of the Mississippi River rail
road, has always had, and still enjoys, the
entire confidence and appreciation OF the
friends of the enterprise in Upton
county. They know of his patience,
labor and faith in the ultimate success,
which has kept the work alive under the
most discouraging circumstances of the
past. They believe he has done more to
endow the road and build it up to its
present strength than any other man in
Tennessee could have done, and that be
is. above all others, the one entitled to
the support of all true friends of Mem
phis, and of the counties seeking by their
own means to be united to Memphis by
railroad connection.
s. While the citizens of Upton county
always have been and ever expect to be
faithful to the doctrines and organization
of the great Democratic party of the
nation, and while they differ widely as
the poles from Mr.. Mitchell in politics,
they owe it to him as man and ss cit
izen to bear testimony to his upright
ness of private character, and to his
deserts as neighbor, friend and public
benefactor in whatever way be has had
the power to serve this people.
n. r. Bate, James Holmes,
d. Fl. Cummins, James Byars,
C. B Hall, John T. Douglas,
l.. Hill. D. G. Slaughter,
W. M. Hall, W. Mcintosh,
W. q. Fugar, J. r. Bledsoe,
]. R. Sanford, Jehn Maloy,
r. s. Barrett, VIM. Conard,