Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-06-01
OUR NASHVILLE LETTER.

around Nashville is signify 1oggy. 1nere
seems to be much uneasiness in certain
quarters. United States officials are
anxious, as well as their dependents. 1t
is rumored on the streets this morning,
that advices from Washington indicate
that Blackburn, Hopkins and Sparkling
will suffer decapitation-that their official
heads will go off, to make room for other
patriots, who with bland smile and many
documents, have been the great head cen
ire of the nation, and done good work in
convincing the appointing powers of their
superior fitness for the places about to be
made vacant. Harrison will probably
succeed Blackburn. Wells has fair chance
to succeed Sparkling, the elegant and i'm
pulsive. And it is said, that efforts have
been made to induct one Cliff into the Hi
bernian's place, but this correspondent
don't believe that will succeed.
AS for the Postoffice, there are numer-
Gus applicants for that, and who will be
the happy man is slightly in doubt.
At the Capitol, matters are being cut and
dried to suit the reigning powers and per-
petuate themselves. The bill to re-distriet
the Judicial and Chancery Circuits, has
passed and the committees to do the work
appointed. We may look for some nice
"gerrymanucring, after the work is done,
and the report of the committee adopted.
We may look to see every district that can
possibly elect Union or Republican Judge
or Chancellor, so covered with Conserva-
tive 90 counties, as to utterly preclude the
possibility of the election of any one who
was loyal to the government during the
war. OF course this is all fair and honest
But be not surprised if it does not result
as above.
The Common School law may be consid-
cred dead. The majority of this body are
determined.that no money or tax shall be
voted by them to increase the Republican
vote. The good old Democratic notion
prevails that education units the masses
to labor and vote right with the "pahty.'
The votes in favor of schools were the few
members from East Tennessee, who have
ever been true to liberty, progress and in
telligence. Having squandered 81, zoo. 600
of the " Sacred School Fund - in their Com
federate cause, or, to put it more plainly,
having stolen the only school fund the
State ever had, it is not surprising if they
should dislike to hear this school question
agitated. Your peculdtOr never likes to
discuss his operations-he prefers most any
other topic.
The reports of committees on railroad
matters have a sinister look To many II
looks as if an effort would he made to repu-
diate that part of the State debt or. at
many that there is something brewing:
that all this sensitiveness on the part of
members means something 1t is suggest
ed that railroad operations have not been
confined to any particular party that
many OF the prominent operators are good
Conservative, and the investigation must
be conducted so as to screen Democratic
skirts-all of which will be done if il be
possible, Show them up, say we, and let
the public know who has done the steal
ing.
Was ever goose subjected TO such whole
sale plucking as this United States Gov
ernment? Everybody that is troubled
with impecuniosity, instead of going to
work TO earn an honest living, puts on his
thinking cap and concocts some plan by
which lie may get nice plum from Uncle
Sam, with only the labor of indscriminate
swearing before judicial officers and nota-
ries. There Is not rebel in Tennessee.
who had property taken by either army,
who is not working to get paid for it, and
they all hope to succeed. A combination
has been formed in this part of the State,
who have put up over 81 ,00O, 900 of claims,
have employed an ex-Federal officer, whom
they have supplied with ample funds and
sent to Washington, where he has elegant
quarters, keeps a carriage and pair gives
fine dinners and suppers, and his special
business Is to ingratiate himself with the
oincers ana employees OF the Treasury and
Quartermaster's Departments He is there
now, working his dirty project, but with
what success time will tell. That he will
succeed it IL feared but there are few
true men here who are watching this nice
little game, and it may result that the ele-
gantly furnished and appointed agent for
rebel claims may find himself "h,eU do,on"
in this chase.
The GOODNESS with which some of these
claimants prosecute their work is refresh
ing. Not long since, one of them asked
an eX-Federal officer to certify TO the taking
of some property The officer looked at
the papers, and found that the property
was taken ueyy early in 1862. He declined
to certify, as he did not reach Tennessee
until 1868. The claimant insisted that ait
would be personal favor, a mere matter
of FORM" &c, &c. The officer told him if
he would find an officer of the Union ar
my to certify TO the taking of that proper
ty in January, 1862, he would like TO see
the man but If certified to at all, by any
one who knew the facts, a close look would
show that his clothes were gray about that
time.
1t is said that our government is paying
claims every day very much like the above.
DAMON