The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-05-12
From the Knoxville Chronicle.

I
/ take this method of replying to letters
so numerous that can't write to the au-
thors individually.
Such petitions and memorials as have
come to my address | have presented to
| the Senate and asked their reference to
appropriate committees. Some few have
,h3en reported on fayorably, and others
adversely. Such claims as rest altogether
uBon ;he petition Of an indiyiSual are, of
cttrsc, set aside. Now, / will take occa-
fsi6h {, say thot. many Tennessee claims
are prejudiced by the eXtrayagantamoaIts
demanded. For instance, men claim to
have lost by the Federal army more,
twice over thar they ever possessed in
the world.
When | have been called upon, have
borne testimony to the loyalty and re-
spectability of parties, but | have stated
that ] knew nothing personally Of their
losses / have, no doubt, given ofonse to
some few persons, by refusing to endorse
their loyalty during the war, when L
knew they had voluntarily aided the re-
bollion.
I As a member Of the Committee Oh PEN
sions, am expected by many who write
Inc to accomplish what it is impossible to
do, OF the seven members of the Com
mitteo, four are able and experienced law
yers, and when petition is presented it
is sent by the Clerk TO the War Depart
laent to see if the records there harmO-
nize with the statements of the petitioner.
| When it is found that they are not sus-
tained the petitions are, ofoorrge, reject
ed. We have in our Committeeman all
the laws the government has enacted on
the subject of pensions.
As much as it would crafty me to sec
all sufferers by the war receive just com
pensation from the Government, in the
| way Of pensions, cannot urge before the
Committee any claim in violation of Law
and without a particle Of evidence to sus
tain the allegations Of the petitioner
| have received one petition and one mem
orial asking me to vote against any furth
er appropriation Of land to rail roaC
companies. As my whole politioa
life and education are on the side of in
ternal improvements by the general Gov
erpment, | respectfully decline to ODE
such Instructions. ] will vote for gIyin!
the public lands and otherwise aiding tn
Improvement of rivers and harbors, ant
what Mr.. Calhoun termed "inland seas,
as vel! as to all proper railroad objects
These develop the vast resources Of on
great country, and invite immigration frou
all parts of the world. Such Was tn
: "Americin system" Of the immortal Clay
the wisdom of which is attestod by increas
ing years and experience | would i'm
prove rivers and harbors, and build rail
roads by the Federal Government withou
5 regard to any section-East, West, NortI
or South. Nay, more, had | my way
would so construct the Government Of th
United States as to form a strong centra
Government here in the District Of Col
: umbia, and organize the States as SO ma
ny colonial corporations as absolutely de
pendent upon and subject to the will o
the central power at Washington as ar
G counties to States Thus | would wip
! out and extirpate the whole theory an
! pretense of States Rights and State Soy
ereignty to which We are mainly indebte
: for the late rebellion, While only spoa
for myself, J. believe that Congress an
the country are looking in the same d
fection. w. G. G.~BRowNL0w.
G Washington, April 25, 1870.