Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-17
"BARGAIN AND SALE"
Gov. Brown Crises to Explain"

A Full and.ExpIicit Denial of the Bull
letIn's StOry-HIstOry of the Veto of
the Liquor BIII-The Governors
Traducers Put 10 Shame.
To the Union and American:
NASHVILLE, August 16, 1S73.-My at.
tention has been called 10 certain articles in
The Nashville Bulletin, Republican journ-
al OF this city, referring to the office of
State Comptroller, in which is charged,
among other things, 'that Gov. Brown
must have given assurances" to the parties
alleged to have been instrumental in pro-
curing the resignation of Capt. Hobbs, that
Col. Burch would be appointed in the event
of vacancy.
have invariably RETAINED from re-
futing through the public press any criti-
cism of either my Official or personal con-
duct, trusting always in regard to my pub
lie acts to the discriminating judgment of
an enlightened people. But in the presence
of q scandal so grave and so seriously cal
culated, If unnoticed, to affect my official
and personal character, feel that de-
parture from my custom hitherto is pardon
able, and that the public will indulge
prompt and emphatic refutation, due alike
TO myself and the people of the State.
at the time Capt. Hobbs resign
ed, neither knew, believed, nor
even suspected that any i'm
proper, unfair or corrupt means had been
used or resorted to, directly or ind rectly,
to procure it. He had repeatedly said to
me that he had spprehenslons that his de-
clining health would force him to relinquish
his Office, and l was not surprised when, a
week or ten days prior to the vacancy, he
informed me that he would tender his re-
sgnation the first of the following month.
l did not, then or su sequeDtly, suspect
that be was actuated by any other motive
than bad health and inability to discharge
the duties of the office.
had no agency in the election Of Comp
troller by the General Assembly, for with
out the mention of other considerations, q
sense of delicacy arising from my official
relations forbade any active participation
in such contests among political friends.
And 'fter Capt. Hobbs induction into Of
flee and until bis resignation was rendered
and accepted, was not approached on the
sutject of his successor, and had not only
given no assurances to Col. Burch, or to
any one else, that he ould be rendered the
place In case of q resignation, but had not
intimated to him, Eor to any one, that l
would do so; and when the vacancy did oc.
cur was perfectly free 10 entire good faith
to every one, to have assigned to The place
any other qualified and eligible person.
And had done so, neither Col. Burch
nor any other person could have said or
eUel felt that | had violated any existing
promise or assurance, actual or implied; nor
could / thereby have disappointed any
reasonably excited expectation. There was
no motive presented or influence used by
any one, to secure the place for Col. Burcb,
ami in the exercise of the high official pre-
rogStive conferred by law upon the Execu-
tive, l was moved by no higher or lower
incentive than a sincere desire to have the
affairs Of that most important Office admi-
nistered by one thoroughly competent, and
who would serve the State with strict fidel
ity to his trust. In so far as the charges in
question may involve other parties, it is not
the object o this communication to dis
cuss them. know nothing of the facts, and
have 10 inf rmaiion on the subjecs, other
than that derived by the public through the
same sources. To those who know me
well, flatter myself that it is unnecessary
for me to add, that if l had had the infor-
nation, or had believed that corrupt
means were resorted to TO secure
u NaOaiS9 III VI ~ ost S--s"'"SLio W SHO Va
fee, such an set would not only have merit
ed, but promptly met my unqualified dis
appreciation and condo nnation.
1t is impossible for me to anticipate the
phases in which mslevoleDt critics or inim-
zeal parties msy endeavor or desire to have
me connected with this scandal. And |
therefore desire to add, that if there was
such bargain snd sale as is charged, COT
81, 4 hauo auiinnan \ I had NJ
knowledge, information or even suspicion
of it.
Having said this much, failure to
notice paragraph in the same journal, in
reference to the veto of the Liquor Bill,
might be miscoDstTued. Besides, | desire
to be saved the necessity of again obtrudiDg
myself upon the public. 1 did veto bill
at the recent SESSION Of TIE General Asse m
bly, known as the "Liquor Bill" or at p.
plilg Bill" because OF constitutional obiec