Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-06-22
Letter from Col. Baxter, No. ..

10 ne presented 10 tilul DOuN AZ
calling their attention TO many frauds al
legged to have been committed by Gen. Ma
brv i'm diverting TO his own private USE
bonds, which had been appropriated by
the State for the construction of the Knox
willie and Kentucky Railroad, and asking
for a committee to investigate the same
In this memorial | specifically referred to
the frauds complained of, detailed the man
ner and pretenses by which they were per-
petrated, and gave names of the witnesses
by whom the facts could be proved. 1t
would seem that Gen. Mabry, as well as
the members of the Legislature who were
friendly to him, if honest, would have
been glad to have furthered the investiga-
ton for the purpose of relieving him of
the dishonorabe imputation. But such
was not the case. Mr.. Mabry was upon
the ground eXerting all his influence, per-
sOnal and pccuniary, to suppress an inVestl-
CATION MIR. Fleming, the representative
from this county, who has resided in Knox
Vile for fifteen years, and perfectly
e. gniZant ofthe charges made awaited him
scltofhis position and endCaVOredtO prevent
It reference of the memorial to commit
tee For such action there could he but
one motive; he was recreant to his repre-
sentative trust and was using his official
posi- ION 10 screen Mr.. Mabry from the eX-
Iu,urc wi eh an investigation would
nrcessitatc. From this moment hence
forth i though, | comprchended the stu
alton, and have ever since acted upon
the convictions which his conduct forced
upon me.
The reference however, was made, and
after the memorial slept Enacted upon 10y
the first committee for about two or three
months, il was withdrawn from that and
committed toa new committee Here it
reposed, undisturbed, until about Febru-
airy, when it was withdrawn from the sec
ond committee and referred to third COM
mittee. On the third committee Mr..
Fleming was appointed. In the latter
part of March, he wrote me from Nash
vile, notifying me that the Investigating
Committee would soon visit Knoxville,
and expressing the wish that ! would give
them all the aid | could in the prosecution
of their duties. TO this invitation, ! re-
piled or the 18th OF March, as follows:
The people of Tennessee have been
greatly wronged by the frauds and pecu-
laton~ of their public men. Many of them
expected that rigid investigation. for the
purpose of exposing and bringing the gull
~ parties to punishment, would have been
instituted by the present General Assem-
bly,. But this has not yet been done, and
am free To say, that have been painfully
oppressed with the suspicion that some Of
the peoples representatives were more
anxious to conceal than they were to eX-
pose their villainous corruptions. For
these suspicious, | could, were ii necessa-
ny, give the evidence, but | will not do so
now. There are | know, many him
ORANGES to full and searching inVestiga-
ton. There are but very few men who
possess the requisite amount of courage,
intellect and energy, for the task which
has been assigned to your committee.
You can do Il If non UW,
and if ii is your purpose to enter upon this
work in earnest, and with fixed and de-
termined resolution TO ferret out and eX-
pose the villains who have been preying
upon the people of the State for the few
years past, will cheerfully and most cor
daily endorse your efforts. But If the ac-
ton of your committee is to drag its slow
length along, n all its predecessors have
done before il. | will not be willing to
waste my time in waiting upon its sittings,
or in furnishing the names of witnesses
cDgniZant of the fraudulent practices which
I have been instrumental in bringing to
the attention Of the legislature
1t j. not difficult for the reader to see
what my opinions Of this committee We're
tciore they came hither After witnessing
their action while here and before ! saw
their report, | wrote and published ." that
il was well understood here that som" of the
committee had been bought up by the cor
ruptionist~.n Thereupon Nj. Nelson one OF
lil" 'umNlttce, became lnQlgnanta Land, not
| knowing who the " corruptiOnists y We're,
otiereda resolution to raise a Joint select COM
mittee, "wliO-e duty ii shall be 10 inquire
and demand of the author of said imputa-
| tons the names of the cOrruptiOnists, and
! the members of the committee who were
! bribed, and report the same to the General
| Assembly" Accordingly the committee
was authorized and duly appointcd-Mr
! Cooper; of Bedford, being chairman. In
! behalf of the committee he wrote - in
! quiring" and demanding the informal
! ton which the Legislature desired. To
! this " inquiry and " demand - | replied
and after rciterating the charge against
some of the committee, ] said, 1.-The reso-
| luton under which the committee was
appointed does not call for proof, or au'
thorize your committee to receive it,
But " if you will &c; the Honor
able the Legislature 10 pass a resolution
raisin" Il committee 20 investigate and re-
port upon IL, that is, upon my charge
against some OF the committee. with pow
er to send for persons and papers, and I,
examine parties and witnesses on oath, AN,
the committee will enforce the attcndanc,
of such witnesses rs ! may name, and per
NIT me tOlappear and conduct the eXami
natiOIt exercising all the rights usual!
accorded by cOurtg TO counsel in the cross
examination of unwilling witnesses, / vii
assume the responsibilities Of prosecutor
and by proof, make good everything
have alleged
This most reasonable proposition ma
been declined. Why, il will be for tn
public to determine. Mr.. Fleming says h
is willing for honorable (?) men to max