Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-17
A LITTLE UNPLEASANTNESS.
Judge Harrison and Col. PrOsser
i'm the Ring.

Postmastership at NashyIIle-The
Determined Action OF Judge Har-
rison-Some Juicy Reading.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
NASHVILLE, March 1l.-Republics
are u~ngrateful, we are told; and so is
the Republican party. If anything,
the party is worse than any republic of
which history gives an account. As
We write this, the compact form of w.
Z. Prosser is before our minds eye, as
it were. Prosser is a party man; he is
a Republican clear to the marrow in
his bones. He fought on the Union
side during the war. He made a good
soldier. Some years after the unpleas-
antness was over, he became postmas-
ter here. He made a good postmaster.
Under his administration the mail ar
rangements were all right and nobody
grumbled because they did not get
their letters. There was no cause of
complaint against him so far as this
witness knows.
In the last campaign Prosser could
hAhCA 1O lnC DOllllldlAOA ~ OOnEICSE-
had he wanted it. The Republican
Convention, held over the Freedman's
Bank and composed mostly of freed
men, wanted to give it to him. He
declined, and H. III. Harrison was NOM
mated and elected. Prosser could have
had it as well as not, but he preferred
to hold the Postmastership here and
work for the party. He is the con-
trolling spirit here in a Republican pa
per called the Bulletin, and rumor has
it hat he foots the balance whenever
that paper fails to pay expenses. Con-
sidering all these things, the inquiry
naturally suggests itself, why was
faithful Prosser turned out of the
Nashville postofice? U. S. Grant,
Washington, d. c., will have an OPP
portunity to rise and explain. 1t was
his official AK that cut off the official
head of Postmaster Prosser. The head
rolls gracefully into the sawdust bas-
ket, and the world moves on as before.
Next!
From the Nashville Bulletin, April I6.
1t is perhaps due to President Grant
and the public that the following state
ment of facts should be made with ref
erence to the Nashville postofice:
In the month of December last the
Hon. 81. 81. Harrison recommended the
removal of Postmaster Prosser, charg-
ing that he neglected the duties OF his
Office, and that he was not acceptable
to the people of the city of Nashville.
In consequence of these, and other mis-
1r-o-n.NaA,,,az %l.a Dra11IavA SOW 70
the Senate the name of Dr.H.W Hass-
lock, then holding a position in the
Revenue Department, as his successor.
Subsequently, when the facts in the
case became known to the President,
he withdrew the name of DIR. Hass-
lock, believing that In Justice to
Col. Prosser, as well as to the
public service, no change should be
made. Judge Harrison Immediately,
however, and persistently appealed to
the President to carry outthe proposed
change, claiming the right under the
custom of the country, which allows
members of Congress, when in accord
with the administration, TO control the
postofice where they reside, TO dictate
in the matter of the Nashville Office, as
that city was his place of residence.
He also represented that Col. Prosser
had been allowed to control the Office
whilst a member of the XII Congress,
and that justice to himself required
that he should now be allowed the
same privilege. To these demands the
President finally yielded, and promised
to return to the Senate on the fol-
lowing day friday the name of
DIR. Hasslock. For some reason this
was not done, and Judge Harrison
addressed a lengthy communica-
ton to the President on the subject,
presenting the same arguments, and
reminding him of his promise. On the
following Monday the promise was full
filled, and Hasslock's name was sent to
made to the Committee on POstoffices
and Post Roads. This committee hes
itated for some time to recommend the
confirmation of DIR. Hasslock, believing
that under the Civil Service rules no
change was warranted, or could be JUS
titled; butas representative Republicans
from Tennessee were disposed to ignore
those rules, Col. Prosser could not con-
sistently ask others to observet them and
he, therefore, addressed the following
letter to the Chairman:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. z, 1S74.-
Hon. Alexander Ramsey, Chairman of
Senate Committee on Postoffices and
Postroads-Dear Sir: In the month of
March, 1871, 1 was appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate
as Postmaster Deputy at Nashville,
Tenn, and for the usual term Of four
years; since l took charge of the
office, have managed its affairs with
faithfulness and efficiency and, as l be-
lieve, to the eminent satisfaction of the
people of Nashville. To my surprise,
in the month of December last, the
Representative of that district in Con-
recommended my removal, and
upon that recommendation the
President sent to the Senate, as my
successor, the name of DR.. II. W.
Hasslock. A further investigation of
the facts in the case, however, led the
President to believe that the proposed
removal should not be made and the
name of DIR. Hasslock was accordingly
withdrawn. Subsequently, upon a fur
Their appeal from Representative Har-
rison, who claims the right to control
the Office and who insists upon my re-
moval, the name of DIR. Hasslock was
again sent to the Senate and is now, as
l understand. before your Committee.
Whilst l believe that my removal is
demanded by Mr.. Harrison in total dis
regard of the interests of the public
and of the Regulations of the Civil
Service, as well as in violation of every
principle of personal justice and politi-
cal faith, | am unwilling to be the oc-
casion of any embarrassment to the