Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-07-10
4 REMARKABLE DOCUMENT.
A Proposition to Carry Tennessee for
Grant.


SwEETwATER, TENNESSEE,
MAY 2Sth, 1872
To His E.cceUcncy L. s. Grant, President
t. s. A., Washington, ID. c.:
SIR l trust the subject, when stated,
will be sufficient apology for this intrusion
upon the valuable time of the Executive
of great nation like the one in which it
is our good fortune to live. / trust after
you hear brief statement of my case, you
will give such attention as it seems to your
mind proper.
After the close of the late unfortunate
war, l was engaged at wages in an office
then getting up claims of the several kinds
against the Government growing out of
the war. / served but short tine as
clerk, when | began getting up claims as
attorney myself which business l have
followed in connection with the Law, to
the present time. Recently the Attorney
General at Knoxville, Tennessee, in cou-
necton with Special Agents of the Gov
eminent, preferred several indictments
against me in the United States Circuit
Court for the Eastern District of Tennes-
see, for what they are pleased to call, the
crime of making and presenting fraudu-
lent claims against the United States, and
for conspiring to defraud the Government
of the United States.
| am innocent of the charges. | never
knowingly made or presented a fraudulent
claim, nor did l cOnspire to wrong the
Government at any time as charged but
on the other hand, 1 at all times gave such
advice and instructions as would if follow
ed lead to Just and equitable settlement be-
tween the Government on the one hand
and the claimant on the other, and /
seriously doubt if the Government was
ever wronged in any case where / had full
control. | know it was not knowingly.
BE it far from me to try by conspiring or
otherwise to defraud the Government.
We are soon to enter upon and engage in
a great contest, either for your reelection
or that of your successor. In fact, the
contest has already begun. AS matters
now stand, it is exceedingly doubtful and
uncertain who will be the choice for the
next term. l conceive there is no doubt
but that much depends on the action of
the Baltimore Convention and the late
rebel element and present Democrats of
the South. Should the Democrats in con-
vention soon to be assembled at Baltimore
fail to make a nomination for the Presi-
dency, which is more than likely, then, in
that event the race is between Horace
Greeley and yourself. In such a contn-
gency, the South holds the balance of
power, and their action will elect the next
Pres ident,
In this State, the people of my party
(Democrats) are very much divided, while
the press is in favor of Greeley, Int in nag
opinion it tciU not take much to turn the
scale before the people and carry the State
for you Our people look upon Greeley as
the man who originated the Republican
party, whose work has freed their former
slaves, destroyed their institutions and
brought untold sutferings to their doors.
They are not going to him with much de-
votion, if at all. They look on you as q
brave and gallant soldier, who fought
bravely in war and then was magnanimous
in time of peace. They look upon your
administration as one of honesty and
economy. They admire your popularity
and standing abroad, and as the one best
fitted to properly adiudicate and eXtricate
the country from the complications with
other nations growing out of the late war
This feeling, if | may be permitted tC
judge, is in your favor, and Improperly cul
tivated will insure you the State of Ten
neSsee.
/ propose, iCthe government UW dismiss
the suits heretofore begun against me q
RflorUitte, to take up the cause Of the Re
publican party Of Tennessee and supper
The Philadelphia nominees; will canvas
the State, and from my position, will d.
much toward defeating Greeley in thi
State. l will read his record and histor.
from every stump in the State. can AIS
buy heaCy influence to the front on tn
j served through the late war, beginning
as Confederate private in 1861, and SUI
rendering to you in the spring of 1865 a
Major of Ordnance. Haze q large and RI
spectacle relationship IN The State, and i
full confidence Nth the late Confederate
who believe the suits against me ar
groundless and instituted by certain off
Gals for ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
IL is my purpose TO be good and tru
man, to make an upright citizen, to pro
tect the institutions Of my country and m
fellow-man, and thus do all the good | cal
My conviction, if it was probable, cOul
not benefit the government or people {
the United States. But it will cost ther
thousands to prosecute me, and it wi
myself to defend, and thus TAX
from my family the hard earnings
many years. have an abiding confidenC
in my ultimate success and final vindic,
ton. Should an interference compromi,
the standing of any official, don't ask i
nor would / accept it upon any terms, bl
that of justice. assure you | have a
ready been sorely punished for doing tina
which / considered 10 be right and ey,
my duty 10 do.
Having now briefly stated, I trust II
same may be considered, and that ma
be advised.
am sir,
Yours most obedently.