Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-23
THOSE LIBEL SUITS.
Various Expressions of Opinion
About Them From cur Mem
phiS and Knoxville Ex-
changes.

phis and Knoxville Ex-
changes.
A Paper that Stiu Thinks the Union
and American is Suing Che
Banner.
Memphis Register.
BY the Nashville papers of Friday
we see that Col. John G. Burch has
commenced an action for libel against
the Banner and that the Banner has
commenced a similar action against
the UNION AND AMERICAN. Tie
ground for Col. Burch's suit is an al
legged hbelous charge in the Banner
that ne procured the Office OF Comp
troller by a corrupt bargain with Hobbs,
the then Comptroller.
For some weeks past the Banner has
been insinuating that such a bargain
and sale was made, and q few other pa
pers IN the State, that always sneeze
when the Bonner takes snuff, without
any knowledge of their own, reiterated
and copied the insinuaions.
No one who knows the character of
Col. Burch and Gov Brown, who would
necessarily be party to any such cor
rupt bargain, has ever believed this in
situation to be anything but SANDER
Gus, the venting Of personal or political
prejudice against Col Burch, or the
Jaundiced hate of disappointed aspira-
tons. That such a bargain necessarily
duplicates Gov. Brown is undoubted.
Col. Burch, were be capable of making
such bargain, would not DO so without
an assurance from the Governor, that
the appointment would be given to him.
This would make the Governor a party
TO a most outrageous and corrupt
fraud.
No one in Tennessee believes that
either Of these men, high minded and
honorable gentlemen, would be party
to any such transaction They are
incapable OF it.
The insinuatiOn Of the Banner be-
came a direct charge, when "Wo-
mack, !" a former clerk of Hobbs in the
ComptrOller's Office brought suit against
the latter, claiming that he was en-
ployed by Hobbs for the whole term of
ms Office, and that Hobbs had sold and
transferred the Office, without paying
or providing for him as per agreement.
The comments of the Banner upon
this action are the bass of the libel
suit, though the animus has been
shown for months IN the insinuations
previously spoken of.
Col Burch believes 1t due TO himself
and his friends that the calumny
should be exploded. Maj. Hobbs called
upon Womack, and proved that
WOmack's assertions were false, and,
as doubtless the whole fabric of false
hood was raised upon his groundless
charges, SO the whole charge falls to
the ground, and Col. Burch Will be
indicated IN the courts of the country.
None who know Col Burch-know his
high and unimpeached characteT-have
ever believed one lUord of the insinua-
tions against him. His whole life gives
the lie To such a charge, but it was pos
sibly due to the position he holds that
his fair name should be vindicated be-
fore the public, and hence his action.
He has not sued the Banner to procure
pecuniary damages, but merely to
prove that the Banner was guilty of
the charges, and we doubt not he Will
establish this fact.
Memphis Ledger.
We regret to see that two Of our
most valued and influential State ex-
changes, the Nashville Banner and
UNION AND AMERICAN, have been
sued for libel, damages being claimed
against the former for $4,000, and the
latter being invited to hand over $780,
600. And it is the more unfortunate
since each defendant IS also plaintiff
that is, they are sueing each other. If
each suit is decided for the plaintiff,
the Banner will come out $4,000
ahead. In all seriousness, We regret
to see such discussions In the press.
We take no sides, and have no idea
who is right or wrong. Such
things weaken the power of the press
by calling public attention to an
improbable controversy, while the
great objects for which the press
should labor are to some extent ne
elected. This affair has been brewing
some time-that is. almost ever since
Col. Burch, of the UNION AND AMERI-
CAN, succeeded Mr.. Hobbs as Comp
troller. The cases cannot come up be-
fore September. Meanwhile if these
papers continue to belabor each other
instead of battling together for the
good cf the people, the Radicals Of Da-
wilson county will walk over the track
TO an easy victory. We viii take the
liberty Of suggesting that they adjourn
this discussion until September and
make common cause with the Liberal
and Conservative people of the State,
who are Just now greatly interested IN
securing good men for Office at the Au-
gust election.
Memphis Avalanche.
A struggling controversy between the
Banner and UNION AID AMERICAN
relative to the reasons inducing one
Hobbs to suddenly resign the Office of
State Comptroller has caused the pres
ent Comptroller, Col. John G. Burch
TO sue the former journal for libel, as
sessing the damages at $4,000. Not
TO be outdOne in courteslcs, the Banner
Immediately afterward brought an &C
ton against the UNION AND AMERI
CAN for 100000, thus seeing its ad-
yersary and going $4,000 better. Col
Burch is said to own the majority Of
the stock Of the UNION AND AMEEI
CAN Company, and. as usual IN sucl
cases. to control its policy-hence tbs
shape of the suit. But we have for
GOTTEN to state where Hobbs comes
in. Hobbs was a candidate before The
last Legislature for Comptroller. 5,
was Burch, who, however, did not de-
yelop much strength. To everybody I
surprise Hobbs was elected. Nobody
knew him. He was obscure as a viole
concealed beneath an old-fashione,
New England snow. The announce