Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-10-04
TIE FALsEMoop VAILED.
a ,.Brnren untru,n'' ana VINO Tolan
Are the Fellows crazy. or what?

A BRAZEN UNTRUTH.
"In reportngt the details of so exciting a TRACE
DIV as the killing of Gen. Clanton, in our streets
on Wednesday, inaccuracies as to incidents
| were, Of course, to have been expected, But
| even the most credulous reader of the CHROME
Gle, yesterday morning, must have been amaz-
ed at the following deliberate statement in its
report
TT can safely be said of this case that it was
not, in any respect political prejudices that
brought about the sad tragedy. COL. Nelson
has been for some years prominently 5deHtWed
irith the same political party as Gen. Clanton,
and there WAS, therefore, no such provooation.'
''It can we'll be imagined why it should be de-
| sired to circulate such brazen talsehood abroad
| as is conveyed in the sentence we have italiciz-
| cd, but its publication, here in Knoxville, is
nothing less than an insult to the intelligence of
| every man in East Tennessee Cen ClantoH was
| the Chairman of the Democratic State Com
| mittee of Alabama and has been identified
| with the Democratic party since the war. Col.
| Dave Nelson has been not only Radical, but
very prominent and demonstrative one. Along
| with Senator Brownlow he voted for Scnter
ana on personal grounds, purely, voted against
| Mr.. Maynard for Congress- and for his own
| father for Supreme Judge. He was an active
Elector on the Grant ticket-was appointed to
| office by Grant, and has never been 'ident-
| fed with any other than the Radical party.
| These facts notorious in East Tennessee, and
| to no one better known than 10 the author OF
| the above malicious falsehood. The Radical
character of the son is as we'll known, in East
Tennessee, as the Conservative sentiments of the
father, and their political antagonism has been
the subject Of almost universal comment"
In making the statement in our report of the
killing of Gen. Clanton, that Col. Nelson and
Gen. Clanton had been for some years ''promi-
nently identified with "the same political par
ty, we desired to remove all possible prctext
for dragging political questions into such an I'M
fortunate tragedy. In the first place the state
ment IS true, as we shall show and in the second
place, we made it to shield this community, as
much as possible, from the unkind feelings and
criticisms that we feared would be expressed in
Alabmaa by Gen. Clanton's friends Our best
citizens not only appreciated our motiUeS, but
agreed with or statements, for the large sale of
second edition of Wednesdays CHRoNIcLE,
and the concentrations we received showed |
that our article was satisfactory.
Now as to the facts. The Press and Herald |
pronounces as "a brazen untruth" and "a mali |
cious falsehood' our statement that Col. Nell |
son has been for some years prominently identi- |
ned with the same political party as Gen. Clan |
ton"
The above statement, we now repeat, is true, |
and we will prove it from the Press and Her |
atd own declarations.
We affirm that ever since Col. Nelson ceased |
70 hold the position of Assessor, about the |
fall OF 1869, he has acted with the Democratic |
party.
He was candidate before the Congressional
DemocrGtic Conreation which met here last year
for Congress, and so recognised by the Press
and Herald. He spoke and voted for its nomi-
nee and, as we are informed, for Gov Brown
The Press and Herald will not deny its own
declarations, much as it would like TO-
In its issue of the I'D of August 1870 and
Tor several days thereafter, in prominent po-
issued an official call for Congressional Con-
venton, which begins with this plain statement,
After consultation withCol Blizzard andC6l.
ID. ". NctSon, ca'1didqteS for Congress, as
member Of the State Executive Conservative
Democratic Committee of Tennessee it becomes
my duty to call a convention to nominate a
candidate for Congress in this, the second dis
trict," &c, &c.
On the following morning. (23d of August
$50, In the Press and Herald, Col. A. Blizzard
announced himself for Congress- and in an cd
5t9TlGt referring to his candidacy, that truth
iul ~ sheet SAID Inasmuch as there are other
announced aspirants who are entitled to the
confidence OF the people Of the District we do
not wish to be understood as favoring the claims
Of any one as against those of another" In
the very same paper, be it remembered was
Col. Williams official call announcing col VeI-
sou as one Of tie candidates
But there Is still more convincing proof The
Democratic Convention met in this CITY on the |
10th OF September. In the Press and Herald |
OF the llth we find its report Of the proceedings
That report says that nominations for Con-
10y, nominated ID. NJ Nelson" Further along
IN giving the first ballot for the nomination we
ind Bradley county gave nine votes for Col
Nelson, as the Democratic candidate fo1. C,l-
greSs from this district
In the same issue Of the 1lth Septernber in
an account of the Serenade to Col Blizzard the
Press and Herald says "Col Dave Nelson made
characteristic speech and announced his de-
termination to aid 6V ererv means an his nome,
the election Of COL Blizzard"
we might continue and show further positive
recognitons on the part of the Press and Herald
OF Col. Nelson as co-laborer in the interest of
Democracy.
But we contend these facts prominently
identify. Col Nelson with tho Democratic par
~ we have shown him candidate for Con-
gresS, balloted for in q Democratic Conrentiou |
and commended by the Press and Herald to the
people of the district AS entitled TO the (theirl
confidence, and pledged in public speech
TO laid by every means in his power the cleo
ton OF MIR. Blizzard, and yet the Press and
Herald would have it that his only act identify
ing him with its party was to ''yQte" on pure
ly personal grounds against Mr. MAYNARD I" /
Was ever mendacity more bare-aced?
In view Of these facts is not its statement that |
Col. Nelson " has ncrey been Identified rim an,,
other than the Radical party," IA brazen IN
truth" and a" a malicious falsehood" l. IL
possible they have forgotten SO soon the events
OF last year. We know they publish paper
purely as matter of business" but thew |
ought 10 have some regard for truth and consis-
teney.
But, what is the object of the Press and Her
aid in trying to drag politics into this unforu-
nate affair Does il wish 10 have the people of
Alabama believe that Gen. Clanton was killed
by a Radical" and that politics was the cause
IN any way Of the tragedy Does it wish TO
make this unfortunate affair still more unfortu-
nate for Col; Nelson, by dragging into it politi-
cal animosltes? Is IT not the basest ingrattude
on ITS part TO thus attempt to throw new odium
upon an unfortunate man, whose offense it at