Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-08-30
THE NASHVILLE PAPERS IN REPLY TO
BAxTER's CHARGES

If we were charged with stealing fifty
thousand dollars worth of public money
and were innocent we would most certain
ly say So and would not stop to consider
what legal effect such denial would have
on any legal proceedings in which we
were engaged. We invite careful atten-
ton to the replies of the Nashville papers,
which we give in full in another column,
to the grave charges preferred by Col.
Baxter Both articles were evidently
written after consultation between the
writers. 1t will he noticed that neither of
them deny the truth of the charges he
makes. They invite him to have a legis-
lative investigation, where they hope
partisan zeal will shield them they at
tempt to prejudice honest people
against him, by calling attention to the
fact that these charges are made through
ga Radical {" paper, but neither of them
come out like indignant honest men would
do, if innocent, and pronounce the charges
false and challenge further proof, which
Mr.. Baxter intimates he has. Their de-
fence in substance is, that Col. Baxter has
sued them for libel and they therefore will
not get into a newspaper controversy with
him. His "malice - is evident, they say.
Well, we know of no law which prevents
a newspaper sued for libel from defending
itself of a charge of stealing. We don't
think Knox county jurors would be at all
preiudiced against the Nashville papers in
their libel cases. if they should unequivo-
cally deny and disprove this very serious
charge of plundering the public treasury. 1t
is true the Banner says, nor is it necessary
for us to repeat that his insinuations are as
false as they are Enthusiastically mean,"
but then we expect the public will think
it as necessary to deny them once at least.
The people are as competent to pass judg-
ment in the simple issue raised by these
charges as a Legislative committee would
be, and we think much more likely to de-
eide it honestly, Legislative investigating
committees in such cases are not apt to feel
as keenly for the public good as are the
people who are plundered.
If, as a Radical organ" we have COM
mitted any offence in helping expose such
astonishing frauds, we are willing to as
sumo all the responsibility. We certainly
will keep our columns open to Mr.. BaX-
ter or any one else for this purpose. With
honest men the defence that Col. Baxter
uses a radical" paper TO expose rascality
will only receive the contemptit deserves.
We understand he makes it his duty to
expose such frauds and that in doing so he
acts on the principle of the man who kill
ed the snake in the show-he "makes it
his business to kill snakes wherever he
finds them.n
We had really hoped, for the sake of
Tennessee journalism, that Col. Baxter
| was mistaken in his grave charges. We
published his card very cheerfully, as we
do all efforts at exposing corruption, but
we really expected from newspapers that
have been loud and violent in denouncing
| imaginary radical frauds,n a prompt and
complete vindication, or at least Il manly,
unequivocal denial of the very serious al
legations preferred. They may have ex-
pected the public to accept their answers
as satisfactory, but we do not see how they
can prove so to honest, intelligent readers.