Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-09-30
A BRAZEN UNTRUTH.

| In the Press and Herald of yesterday the fol-
| lowing remarkable statements:
A BRAzEN UNTRUTH.
I'm reporting the details of so exciting TRACE
dy as the killing of Gen. Clanton, in our street;
on Wednesday, inaccuracies as to incidents
were, Of course. to have been expected. But
even the most credulous reader of the CHRoNI-
Gle, yesterday morning, must have been amaz-
ed at the following deliberate statement in it;
report: 49,
not, in any respect, political prejudices that
brought about the sad tragedy. Col. Nelson
has been for some gears prominently identified
aoith the same political party as Gen. GGnton,
and there Was therefore no such provocation.' "
st can well be imagined why it should be de-
| sired to circulate such brazen falsehood abroad
as is conveyed in the sentence we have italiciz-
ed, but its publication, here in Knoxville, is
nothing less than an insult to the intelligence of
every man in East Tennessee. Gen. 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 q Radical, but a
very prominent and demonstrative one. Along
with Senator Brownlow, he voted for Senter
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 'identi-
fed" with any other than the Radical party.
These facts are notorious in East Tennessee, and
to no one better known than TO the author OF
the above malicious falsehood. The Radical
character of the son is as well 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-
nenty identified with ''the same political par
ty,' we desired to remove all possible pretext
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. Clantons friends. Our best
citizens not only appreciated our motives, but
agreed with statements, for the large sale of
a 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-
fed 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 aud Her.
ald' own declarations
We affirm that ever since Col. Nelson ceased
to hold the position of Assessor, about the
fall of 1869, he has acted with the Democratic
party.
He was candidate before the Congressional
Democratic Contention 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 22d of August, 1870, and
for several days thereafter, in prominent po-
sition in the local column Col. John Williams
issued an official call for Congressional Con-
vention, which begins with this plain statement:
after consultation withCol. Blizzard and Col.
d. NJ Nelson, candidates for Congress, as a
member Of the State Executive Conservative
Democratic Committee of Tennessee it becomes
my duty to call q convention to nominate q
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 ed
ttoriGt, referring to his candidacy, that truth
full C?) 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. NeL-
son as one Of the 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 18th we find its report of the proceedings
That report says that nominations for Con-
gress being in order, Mr.. Craigmiles, of Brad
ley, nominated D. NJ Nelson" Further along
in giving the first ballot for the nomination we
find Bradley county gave nine votes for Col.
Nelson, as the Democratic candidate for Con-
greSS from this district.
In the same issue of the 18th September, 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 By every means IN his potcer
the election of Col. Blizzard"
We might continue and show further positive
recogniti0ns on the part of the Press and Herald
of Col. Nelson as a co-laborer in the interest of
Democracy.
But we contend these facts prominently
Identify Col Nelson with the Democratic par
ty." We have shown him candidate for Con-
qress, balloted for in Democratic Convention,
and commended by the Press and Herald to the
people of the district entitled to the their)
confidence" and pledged in public speech
to laid by every means in his power the cleo
ton of Mr.. Blizzard" and yet the Press and
Herald would have it that his only act identify
ing him with its party was to vote on pure
ly personal grounds against Mr.. Maynard"
Was ever mendacity more bare-faced?
In view Of these facts, is not its statement that
Col. Nelson has 1seUer been identified ,cith any
other than the Radical party" "a brazen I'M
truth and a malicious falsehood"? Is it
possible they have forgotten SO soon the events
of last year? We know they publish paper
purely as matter of business" but they
ought to have some regard for truth and consis-
ten1y.
But, what is the object of the Press and Her
aid in trying to drag politics into this unforu-
nate affair =? Does it wish to have the people of
Alabama believe that Gen. Clanton was killed
by 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 animosities? Is it not the basest ingratitude
on its part to thus attempt to throw new odium
upon an unfortunate man, whose offense it at
first very naturally excused as far as possible?
So far as we are concerned, we have in this
matter made it our sole effort to tell "the truth
the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
We have Invested ourselves entirely of all po-
liticaI feelings and stated only facts as we I'M
| derstood them. For Col. Nelson's unfortunate
act we share deep regret, and for his friends the
kindest consideration, and as public journalists
we have tried to do our whole duty-to give the