Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-26
CHANCELLoR III. G. SMITH.

Radical Testimony as TO His I'm.
c0mpetency-.sBar and Cor
ruption,, TO Secure His Election
A Damaging Record. .s-.
The Jonesboro Union Flag, a leading
Radical organ in upper East Tennessee,
and edited by Capt. George Edgar Grish-
am, has the following article in its issue
of Jan. 90:
On Tuesday, the 10th inst, Hon. L. F.
Self introduced in the State Senate a res
olution for the purpose of removing Ham
G. Smith from the offlcee of Chancellor,
which high position he obtained through
gross and palpable fraud. The resolution
specified three distinct counts, namely:
1. Incompetency because he 'sis not q
person of competent law knowledge to
comprehend and perform the duties of
his office" 2. Bribery in the fact that
that he ''did promise to divers persons
the offices of Clerk and Master in the
courts of various counties of said dis
trict +" 8. "His notorious character as a
hbertine and debauchee, which is bring
ing the high office of Chancellor into dis
repute, and the authority of the State into
contempt of the citizens thereof"
In regard to the first count nearly
every lawyer in the first Chancery district
of prominence will verify. AS to the
second count, we boldly and most en-
phaticaIy aver, and hare uninspeach-
able witnesses to prove our assertion,
that this man Ham. G. Smith, did enter
our Office in June last, and whilst con-
versing in regard to his appointment of o
Clerk and Master for the Chancery Court
at Jonesboro, in case of his election as
Chancellor, said he wanted US to support
him with the Union Flag, and he
'would make the appointment all right
when elected" On leaving our Office he
took us by the hand, and, shaking it
heartily, said; 81 THINK / HAVE SAID
ENOUGH TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL
GET ri"
If this be bribery, make the most of
it! We call it by different name-that
of swINDLR.
Further: We have letter from Hon.
A. W. Howard, late Judge of the Crimi-
nal Court, which is still stronger evidence
of Smiths duplicity. It relates to his
(Howard's) appointment by Smith as
Clerk and Master at Greeneville.
Further: Mr.. Hugh G. Fain, q worthy,
honorable aud truthful gentleman, re-
siding at Brownsborough, in this wash
ington) county, stated, in our Office few
days ago, that Smith, prior to his cleo
ton, gave him to understand, in emphatic
terms, that if he would use his influence
to secure his (Smith's) election, he would
appoint Mr.. Will 81. Fain, his nephew,
as Clerk and Master of the Chancery
Court at BlOuntville, if elected.
Further: We are informed that Smith
assured MIR. Lawrence Speck, one of
the proprietors of the Morristown Ga
zette, that if he would support him for
Chancellor with his paper, he would, if
elected, appoint his brother, Mr.. George
Speck, Clerk and Master at Morristown.
As to the third count against Smith
that of Hberti1aisnl, it is too notorious a
fact to be denied by himself or those as
quaInted with the circumstance surround
ing him.
We did not have these proceedings in
stituted against Smith in the Legislature.
We do not know whether that Honorable
Body will remove him from the high po-
sitiOn he now holds by fraud or not; but
one thing we do know, and that is, if
they do not remove him it will not be
from not having the most positive and
glaring proof of his violation of the
State Constitution and his unworthiness
u hold the position in every respect.