Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Some Facts About the Charges Against
Colonel PrOsser and General Stokes
Some Items for HnOxYI1Ie. gW

SOElc ltcIslS lOE kkEfOAFtl1es ! .
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 24, 1871.
A community is often judged by the
character of the men chosen to represent
it. The people of State are, therefore,
interested in choosing for their rulers or
representatives men of ability and honesty.
In this view / have taken some pains to
inquire into the facts relative to the charges
recently preferred against several of the
Government officials of Tennessee.
The Washington Patriot, of this city,
some days ago, published a very severe at
tack upon Colonel w +. Prosser, the
Postmaster at Nashville. The facts were
furnished and the article inspired by either
ex-senator Fowler or Mr.. Emery, Colonel
Prosser's predecessor. The facts, even if
as charged, would not have justified so
malicious an article, and, as the case will
work out, the silly effort will only be an
other illustration of the want of sense and
decency of the real author. The facts of
the case are few. A neighbOr and friend of
Colonel Prosser had q claim pending in
one of the Departments which he desired
the Colonel to collect. Upon examination
since made, it appears that an attorney in
this city, under previous authority, had
quietly prosecuted the case, and in due
time draft for the amount claimed was
issued AS the original attorney died be-
fore the claim was finally paid, the draft
was turned over to Colonel Prosser in ac-
cordance with instructions from the claim
ant. This paper was not delivered to Mr..
Prosser until after his Congressional term
expired, and no agreement of any Kind
was entered into by Mr.. Prosser while
serving in Congress. In reply to repeated
requests to collect the claim Mr.. Prosser,
during his term of service, simply said
that as soon he found time to look into it,
he would see what could be done. As a
matter of fact he never found time to in
quire into the situation of the claim in the
department until after his connection with
Congress ceased. Then he found the case
had been settled, and the only connection
he had with it. as the facts now develop,
was to receive the money and pay it over
to the claimant. He did not, therefore,
even technically violate the law of Con-
gress preventing members from recev-
ing or agreeing to receive" pay for prose-
cutting claims during their term of service.
The money paid Colonel Prosser out of the
sum collected was, not for prosecuting
that claim, but for other business
transacted for the same party.
These facts appear in the papers now be-
fore the Postmaster General. They have
been presented in proper form,- together
with an able review of the law of the case
to the Department by Hon. Horace May
nard, and l have good reason to believe
that the result will be a complete acquit-
tai of Col. Prosser. This dispOses of anoth-
er "carpet-bagger's case and quite differ
emily l venture, from what was hoped for,
by those who trumped it up.
This case coming before the authorities
here following close upon the charges
against Gen. Stokes placed Tennessee in
very unenviable position. The case against
the latter gentleman having assumed the
shape of a legal investigation, I prefer to
have the facts appear there. Those who
have known Gen. Stokes as well and as
long as the readers of the Chronicle have,
will need the weight and impartiality of a
judicial decision against him before they
believe that he is guilty of a willful viola
ton of the law. The Indictment, it must
be remembered, only charges him with
prosecuting the claim for pay whilea MEM
Der of Congress. It does not charge him
with being party to the frauds and for
geries by which the soldiers were deprived
Of their pay. Some of the papers have
given out this impression, but the govern
ment has no information to warrant such
serious charges. fs-.f.fs fs. .a.fT- i
1 have called at the Treasury Depart
ment, and Mr.. Mullett says the Secretary
Of the Treasury will recommend in his an
nual report an appropriation of 100000
for the Knoxville Custom House, and that
the work will be pushed on vigorously.
r