Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-02-20

uOn OF my term of service the same peo-
pie reelected me to a second gubernatOrial
term by over fifty-two thousand majority,
and before the expiration of that term the
Legislature sent me to this " refuge"
| There were some extraordinary eX-
penses, but very necessary ones, which
the State had to incur during my admins
tration, resulting from the destruction of
! State property by the rebels. Among the
first of my duties was to rebuild the
penitentiary, large portion of which the
Democracy had burnt down in 1864, per-
hapS from a desire to have the
leaders of their party at large.
This was adding to the States in
debtedneSS, but should not be charged to
my account. The State lunatic asylum
was dilapidated, and its splendid grounds
and valuable farm property of hundreds
of acres run down. These had to be ren-
ovated, and new building had to be
erected to provide for the colOred insane,
no provision having been made for them
before. The school fund had been apprO-
priated to purposes of treason.
All over the State rebellion had done its
baleful work of destruction. The asylum
for the deaf and dumb children of the State
had been occupied as a hospital, its furni-
ture destroyed and property injured, and
appropriations for its support and repairing
had to be made. Railroads were worn out,
their rolling stock destroyed and run south;
bridges destroyed depOtS demolished, and
[ was compelled to rebuild and he who
charges that in anything / did / was ami
mated by other than sincere desire to
serve my State, or that | had an itching
palm, or that one cent of the peoples mon
ey, other than my limited salary, was APP
prOprlated to my own uses, is, without
qualification, an unmitigated liar.
NV enemies and I have nlpntv of thnn,
as my country has, in Tennessee, will tell
the member from Kentucky that his state
ment is not true. If he reads the Demo-
cratic newspapers Of Tennessee he would
long since have learned that his own party
do not believe me to have been corrupt in
office. The most influential newspapers of
the State which supported Seymour and
Blair have vindicated me from any impu-
tatlon upon my personal or official integ-
rity. Differing widely from me upon the
policy of my administration, they have
nevertheless done me the justice to acquit
me of any official malfeasance or personal
dishonesty. 1t is further gratifying to me
to state that such has been my treatment
at the hands Of the Democratic press gem
orally in Tennessee since the bitterness of
local cOnf1icthas ceased, while many prom
inent leaders of that party have paid me
like tribute. [ avail myself of this oppor-
thank them for this, and to express my
grateful acknowledgements for what / be-
lieve to be their just appreciation of my
character in that respect
Of course my administration in TenneS-
see did not escape without personal mo-
tlves of self-interest being ascribed to me !; !
but as ] had no reason to shun the broad |
light of day upon all my acts, [ invited in
VestlgatlOn, and had the good fortune to
be vindicated by my political antagonists |
A Democratic committee of the Legisla- |
ture, which looked into my administration |
OF affairs with the hope of finding some de- |
llnquency which would give them q tri- |
umph over me, reported that they could |
find nothing. | was charged with person. |
al motives in the suit of The State Us. VIII |
liam II. Ballew ct 0I., from which [ was |
vlndlcated by the decision of the supreme |
court of Tennessee, composed exclusively |
OF my political opponents, and the record |
is there for any to peruse who wish.
Here the Senator goes into all elaborate |
defense of the financial part of his admin
familiar to our readers. He con-
cludes as follows:
His declaration that / am loathed and |
eXecrated by the people of my State is as
false as hell, for it is the solace of my de-
Ginning days that they bring me every day
renewed evidences of the good will and |
kindly appreciation of my fellow-citizens
of Tennessee. The asperities of the war
are not yet over, and l doubtless share in
the hatred which unrepentant rebels still
manifest toward Union men, but [ am
by good conscience and unfalt-
ering trust i'll divine goodness, and l can
stand that.
My public acts are already part OF the
history of my State and country, and /
submit them to the honest judgment of
pOsterity. As for my rude assailant, as
Daniel Webster once said of contempti-
BILE foe
81 leave him | leave him in the worst
Of all possible company | leave him with
himself"