Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-07-20
A Card from Judge Temple.

The following card is copy of one fur
nished to the Wig for publication, and
we insert it at the request of Chancellor
Temple:
Editor Of the wing:
In my absence, last week. there appeared
in your paper an article purporting to give
my testimony before the Reconstruction
Committee of Congress, on the 18th of Feb
ruary, 1866. | ask, as II simple act of JUS
tice, that you will publish that part of my
testimony rs it appears in the report of the
committee, rather than the pretended part
published originally by the Messenger.
AS a key TO the testimony, let it he kept
in mind that | was under examination
alone in reference to the state of affairs in
Tennessee, at that time and as to the senti-
me,,ts and feelings of the late COnnedcratcs.
In reply to question by Mr.. Bingham,
stated that did not think theyp (the
Confederates) "would ever go to war
again :" that they are inclined to submit
to the existing state of affairs" that if IA
milder policy were adopted (by Congress)
it would have tendency to strengthen the
Union element, and that | thought that u
majority of the Southern people entertain
ed Il feeling of kindness for those who were
| formerly their slaves, " &C., dc.
Finally, in reply to question by Mr..
| Order, II Democratic member from Ken
lucky, dlleT speaking VI lIlc SoOu tllcCI
| the admission of our meWbers of Congress
would have in restoring quiet, | said: L
do not pretend to say, nor do mean to be
understood in anything | have said, to
! say that the original scseSSiOliSts in our
| State have changed their hearts. | think
their hearts are Just where they were four
years ago but great many of them are
dcquiescing in the present condition of
things, and think Il good many of them
| intn 10 IA
supremacy of the governmental the United
! States.
But | think their hearts are just where
they We're before; or, ut least, that is the
case with majority of them.
Question 6y Mr.. G1-ider.-I will ask you
whether those gentlemen (the original Sc
ceSsionists) who are acquiescing, who say
they are willing to submit to the govern
ment, are not generally men of capacity
and influence and consideration?
AnsUer.-Yes sir; they are generally, Sc
far as / know, for those are the persons
generally come in contact with. | have
not come in contact with many of the
common refugees and know very little
about their sentiment. 1t Is generally per
sons i'm position with whom ! have come
in contact with or with whom | have haC
conversation. / have had conversation
with great many of them, and they art
men, generally, of standing and respecta
bility, or were so before the war A grea
many of them have fallen off very much
i'm my estimation, since that"
1t will be seen from the above that my
whole answer was in reference to the per
sons concerning whom Mr.. Grider had en-
quired that is to say, in rCfcrence to tn,
criminal seccSsiOaiSts i0hO VcrG dcqties
Gina. They were the class of Confederate
! had mostly come in contact with, rs eli
ents, or defendants in suits, n cOntrdis
distinguished from the common soldier, OF
refugees, who were not so generally SUED
or indicted The word, "Pcopic,' as print
ed in the Messenger is not in the test
mony at ALL but the word is "rcftgeeS.'
Some one simply altered the word.
! regret that my whole testimony, IL
printed by Congress, from which | have
quoted, cannot DE given. 1t was taken
down by IA shorthand reporter-not writ
ten nor revised by me and ! don't think
| ever saw it until in print.
Now, Mr.. Editor, | asked you to publish
the foregoing ten days ago. | urged the
proprietors of the CHRONICLE not TO i'm
dulge in any personalities against my com
petitor, but to place the canvass on grounds
betting the high office we seek. | have
protested, and still protest, against run
ming the race on political grounds. If per
sonal or political matters are introduced
degrading to the canvass, ii is not my fault
Neither | nor my friends throw the first
stone. Respectfully,
.. p. TEMPLE.