Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-10

bled and made a second report, in
which they called attention to the fact
that / had charged the State for affix-
ing the seal to the assignment of the
scrip, and censured me for doing so.
AS soon as the report came to my
knowledge Qor / was not invited be-
fore the committee) / sent a memorial
to the House showing my clear legal
right to the fee, and humbly asked the
House to spread the memorial upon
its journals alongside the report. MI.
Fleming, of Knox, moved to refer the
memorial to a committee, where it
sleeps. Thus the House refused to
permitme to make any defense against
an attack made either wilfully or in
gross Ignorance of the law.
Next, a bill was introduced, and
which, under a very unpopular ex-
element against me, has passed into
a law, reducing my fees until the
Office will not support an unmarried
dry goods clerk at a third-rate board
ing house.
But nay political SHINING continued,
and provoked a committee to investi-
gate the cutting off of certain coupons
to the amount of $50, 1000. A promi-
nent member of the Convention, and
also a member of the House of Rep
re~Sentatives, each made a speech on
the subject. The committee met and
found that the cutting off of the cOu-
pOns was a necessary and proper Off
cial act to prepare the bonds for mar
ket-that the coupons were blanks,
and had been cut off by my clerk In
my absence. So l was reluctantly,
and in dubious language, acquitted.
The charges had been published and
had produced quite a sensation, but
the report of the committee has never
seen the light of day.
Next came the terrible ''secret cir
cular' written and first signed by
me. A Representative arose from his
seat, and called attention to it. 1t
was denounced as conspiracy. The
Banner said the Secretary of State
would be invited to vacate his office
and the ttCetUe,it was expected, would
be expelled. 1t was not investigated,
but the committee became ashamed
and reported that it was only "a Do
litical document" and that there was
no Intentional wrong. VOlleys OF
abuse have been heaped upon "the
signers" OF the circular in the papers,
but the report has never been pub
lished and will not go on the Journals.
InOw thought "the wars were O'er,''
but on the night Of the 10th l made a
political speech, in which / con-
demned many of the acts of the Leg
islature. This gave fresh Ofense, and
a new committee vas raised. General
charges were made, and the commit
tee had leave to sit during recess. A
member of the House rose to a privi-
legged question, and stated that the
committee was in possession of testi-
mony which would convict me of the
most serious otfenses. He was added
TO the committee. After waiting to
see if he had been correctly reported,
L addressed a note to the secretary OF
the committee, requesting copies OF
the testimony referred tO,and received
for reply that no such testimony eX-
isted. The statement of this member
was published all over the State, but
the correspondence with the secretary
Of the committee wa only published
in an obscure corner of the Banner,
and that at my humble request,
This last committee, on which
have not a political friend, has adj
jOurned to meet ON the 18th of april,
so that l am to remain under serious
charges till it repOrts-say two
months. The committee will censure
me of course, if they can find any
p~retext for it, but if they never meet,
the object Of raising the committee
will have been accomplished by the
time they meet. l shall not trouble
myself about it.
MeSsrs. Editors, 1 am about to re-
tire to the private life OF a farmer. II
was with reluctance that l accepted
the position / now hold, five years
ago, and l regret that l did so. 1t is
a part Of my nature to oppose ex-
IRENE men aud extreme measures.
Hence l opposed alike the abolition
agitation and the SeceSSiOn movement.
l opposed many things in both par
ties during the war, and hence l OPP
posed much of BrOWnloW's admins
tratiOn, and find myself now oppOs-
ing what l regard as extreme men
and extreme measures. In the heat
Of the contest l may have gone into
extremes myself. If so, l regret it.
A free and happy country is what ]
pray for, for my children to live in.
But candOr cempels me to say that
have but little hope of it.
RESPECTFULLY, a. J. FLETCHER.