Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-07
SPENCE.
A Modern ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
nishing supplies TO the 'sRebeis''
and Calling on the Federais 10
Pay for Them-A Representative

Pay Tor Elem-A AkePHcSchS
Radical
| To the Editors of the Union and American:
/ see in your issue of the second an ar
ticle headed, sfHon VIM. Spence IN
which the writer suggests that perhaps
some of his county-men can give further
| information as to his business IN W ashing-
ton. suppose the writer has reference
to ourcelebrated Exchange Bank William
As to his being in Washington actively
engaged in lobbying for reconstruction,
the people of Rutherford are not at all
surprised nor would they be surprised at
anything he might attempt.
Under the circumstances, i think 1t not
out of place for one who is well acquaint-
ed with the Hon. gentleman, and who is
also posted as 10 his business at Washing
ton, to lay before the public some facts in
regard to this celebrated reconstructionist.
l presume it unnecessary to speak of the
character of the gentleman previous to the
war, for that is well known to all who
have heard of the Exchange Bank
of Mu freesLo7o, and more par
ticularly by the depositors of that
institution. Suffice it to say that when the
late unhappy war broke out, the Hon.
VIM. Spence was one of the most earnest
advocates of the rebellion, and it is well
known fact that he did more TO enlist and
equip the Confederates than any other one
man in the county; and there are many
responsible, old citizens here, whom he
derided and insulted because they would
not subscribe money and supplies for the
Confederacy. 1t is also well known that
he bought large amount of supplies
(corn, meat, etc, } of the citizens OF this
county at less than their market value,
his argument being that they were for the
Confederacy. 1t is equally well known
that he never paid the citizens for these
supplies, although he shipped them South
and received pay from the COnfedefacy
for them. The fact is also well known
that when the Federal army was adj
vancing upon MurfreesbOrO, Mr.. Spence
was actively engaged in manufacturing
flour and whisky for the Confederacy
and when Sidney johnson was retreating,
he went to Shelbyville and applied TO
Gen. Hardee for cars to be sent back to
the neighborhood of MurfreesbOro, to re-
move large amount of supplies, (whis-
ky, flour, meat, etc. and did succeed in
obtaining the cars for that purpose, and
removed said articles South, to prevent
their falling into the hands of the Yam
KEGS. do not propose TO give facts with
out giving names, therefore refer your
readers to John w. Thomas, the present
superintendent of the Nashville and Chat
tanooga railroad, who was Mr.. Spence's
agent, and who went with the supplies
South. AS Mr.. Thomas is a man of I'M
doubted varacity, no one would for
moment doubt his statement.
When the Federal army entered Muir
freesboro, Mr.. Spence had not dollars
worth that they could take, he having re-
moved everything South. This fact can
be substantiated by the testimony OF the
best citizens In Rutherford county.
know myself, being an Off
Ger in the Federal army at
the time, that the Government never
took dollars worth from him, except
the Rio Mills, which he Spence had
bought but as usual never paid for.
Yet in the face of all these facts Mr.
Spence is now in Washington, where he
has been for several months, attempting
to collect from the Government large
amount for the supplies he furnished the
| Rebel army, and for which he had once
been paid for by the Confederacy. The
Federal Government has already paid him
| $12, 900, and he is now asking for some
| $50, 600 more.
Would it not be well for some one to
call the attention of the Reconstruction
| Committee to these facts, while Mr..
Spence is so actively engaged in attempt
ing to have reconstructed a people whom
he assisted in robbing of the school fund
while disappearing our county in the
| Legislature.
If the departments at Washington OF
the Reconstruction Committee desire evil
dence to substantiate the fact that he
| (Spence) never furnished one dollar S
worth of supplies to the Federal army, o.
that the Government is not indebted to
him for property taken by the army, fol
which he has already received twelve
thousand dollars, and now asks for more,
that evidence can be obtained from the
most reliable citizens here, who were IN
both armies.
L all llllOlLhS " PSASCAAS "AAS
recently returned from Washington thai
Mr.. Spence and some of his Radical CO
horts are making a great hubbub in re
gard to certain Ku-Klux outrages, said &c
have been committed in this county.
suppose they refer to the hanging of ont
Isaac Marable, who was a Federal sol
der; also the killing of negro atSmyr 1f
some months since, as these are the only
| outrages of the kind that have been com
mitted in this county for the past TIVE
years.
| happened to be cognizant of the fact
in both cases. In the first place, Marabl
was hung by Radical negroes at the in
stigation of a negro man whose wife III
had outraged. AS is well known, he wa
a man of the most depraved character
and his being hung was a relief to tn
people; yet all disapproycd of the act.
AS to the negro who was killed a
Smyrna, he was killed by negroes for
similar offense, and the fact is not denie
that white men had nothing to do
either case. AS to the Ku-Klux, no sue
organization has existed in this county fC
the past twelve months. All of these slar
. | QeIOuS IGpOTlS Cal NC lnO4Ou5Hg ANA"NN
, by the highest testimony.
The fact Is too plain as to the object
this loyal scallawag in thus attempting
outrage a people whom he has betol
| swindled in every possible manner. IL
object is to again swindle the Cover
ment, as he has done heretofore, and
l order to do so, he is willing thus to sacr
flee the people of his own State. Takir
advantage of the present unhappy pro
pect of his own kindred, he purposes;
"on quilts broad base his towering fortune
raise,
; As when sedition fires the ignoble crowd,
Q And the wild rabble storms and thirsts for blood
This loyal saint appears amid the strif
ready and willing to assist in insultin
g and trampling upon the rights of Poop
whom he has plundered. Not only as
: private citizen, but as a legislator he hi
. assisted in squandering their revenu
stealing their school funds, and bringil
their credit down to the lowest ebb.
RUTHERFORD.
. THE SWEDES.
No From the Memphis Appeal
We had the pleasure of meeting Past
}, Uils Anderson, of the Lutheran churC
Of,