Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-09-30

uy nearly every FeNOlnR man IN hnOANlllc,
and certainly by Houk, that on that day,
and for ten days previous thereto | was al
most constantly by my father sick bed. 1t
is known to Judge Houk that on the day
those meetings were held | was ATTENDING
hourly to:the wants of my dying father /
had nothing whatever TO do with preparing
for those meetings | was in Knoxville
not exceeding six hours for the ten days
previous TO Friday, the llth Of september
Knowing this perfectly well, he i~ yet bose
enough 10 represent 10 the people of this
district that while my father was on what
proved 90 be his death bed, suffering great
ly for week, before his decclso. / was SO
hcar,lcss as to ncg,rC, him and spend my
time in planning for packed conventions Go
defeat him. ! leave intelligent voters To-
decide what such treatment merits Wt uy
hands.
He acts as If he has bill of sale Of the
voters of the Second Congressional District,
and that they are bound to support him.
WHO Is THIS MIGHTY MAN
Now we ask who is this mighty Lconidas
Caesar Houk, that he must be wor,hippd
by all2 What has he done that hc must be
held above criticism, and that demands
for him nm unqualified support Is he
worthy of the implicit confidence that he
demands 1t appears that he takes that
view oft, for to oppose or criticisc him Is to
incur his great dispcasurc and reap the
results Of his venom. have watched his
serpentine course for nearly a quarter of a
GENTRY. lie has proven n complete f. IL
ure in every sense of the word. In his
youth his character was anything but en-
vmblo.
BECoMEs A MINISTER
lie started out in his early manhood,
having reformed-repented of his sins, as
he has done quadrenniullv ever since--as
minister the Gospel With an unblush-
ing eilrontery characteristic of the man,
he imposed upon an ecclesiastical body
representing religious denomination,
composed of honest Christian men, and OBJ
tanned authority to preach. He assumed
the sacred calling and committed BIAS
phcmy by saCriigeously ministcring in
holy things. As n minister he was mis-
crablc failure, destitute Of talent, zeal or
piety. lie probably found out soon that he
was a failure in this respect and went to the
other extreme.
ANOTHER CHANGE.
He read law, and with his ministerial
parchments still in his pocket became
rerling drunkard and "A prOlane swearer.
Were it not that he is lost to every sense of
shame, his braZen cheek would yet show
the crimson blush, when he recurs to this
disgracelul episode in his peculiarly dark
and unfortunate history.
TURNS SOLDIER.
Soon after, the war broke out and we
find him in the Union army first rs Quar-
termaster of the First Tennessee Infantry,
and afterwards ms Colonel Of the Third In
lantry, as gallant regiment of men rs
ever shuuldercd Il muSket or drew Il sabre
II passed through some Of the bloOdicst
conflicts Of the war and made record
al 81. in, lfag 100. EtrF
not with Houk as its leader Hc distinguish
ed himself in each position helJ, both as
Colonel and Quartermaster, by drunkern-
ness, insuburdinNtlOn and general inctli-
cheney. lie was IA downright swindle
on the Government, nc had sworn to sup
port drawing the pay oia high officer and
rendering no sort of equivalent Two
bauchcry and cOwardice. He was every
thing that is base and low and mean. In
the early part of 1868, when in the face of
the enemy, in the neighborhood of Muir
frcesbOro, he thought he smelt the
battle afar OIL and rendered his resignation.
If this step had been taken for the reason
chat the service would be benefited by get
ting rid of him, and he had given such a
reason, it would have been a redeeming
feature in his military history. But an
aversion to the odor of guppowder no doubt
-
him an invalid.
In April following. or about that. time,
his resignation was accepted, and he dotted
the uniform ne had disgraccd. and was
once more "A citizen to the supreme sHtistac-
ton Of "a large majority ot his regiment.
His brother-iu-law, Rev. W T. Dowell, IA
high-toned Christian gentleman, had been
appointed Chaplain Of his regiment, and
prcviou, to this time had resigned, because
he could not bear with lIouk' drunkenness
and ovcrbcaring disposition.
Somuch for his record rs a soldier. which,
if possible, vas a greater iuilurc than his
career rs administer.
A CIPHER.
For some time after he was out Of the
army, he sloshcd around loose" drunk
pretty much all the time In 1865 he ran
for Congress and was beaten by both Mr.
Maynard and General Joseph A. Cooper
after boGstfully proclaiming that he
would receive more votes than both of
thom combined.
PUT> on JUDICIAL ROBES.
soon after this "a new Judicial circuit was
created by the Legislature, embracing the
COUNT in which Houk resided. He made
up hi- mind to obtain this high position,
notwithstanding his notorious uniitness.
Gov, BruTnlow would not assume the
grayH ~ppnsibility of appointing him
with all Dr. shortcomings 70 such position,
and appointed Judge d. X. Young instead.
Thi excited our Caesars ire. and called
forth his malodictiOns on the Governor.
III, abuse of him was as low. rs coarse as
vulgar and as slandegous as that he has
hoaped upon our humble head Judge
ouug, an honest, upright man and u high
toned gentleman, vu- induced 90 resign
probably to o.alpn llnuk- yindictiycn".s
aud.Ji,iug.g gate and uullr the peculiar
circumstances Of the times HOuk succeed
ed through fraud, falsehood and chicanery
in being elected o. the responsible and dig.
uiGel Office Ct Circuit Judge Thh act
the good people Of the Circuit never ceased
10 regret so man ever did so mach 20
disgrace the lnnno5se" judiciary aS hr
lie made mockery Ofjustice, and brought
the courts Of the country into disreputc, By
going upon the bench, day after day, week
after week, and month after month, in 20
state of bea-tly int0NiCatiUT
There are records Of courts he held now
inoNistencc. which show the unmistakabIc
evidence of his dcbGuchery. lie frequent
~ attached his official signature 10 these
records, when he was too drunk 10 know
anything about what hc was doing. Hon.
est men expected no reliefirom his admin
istrati0n Of the law. Law-breakcr, of
every character multiplied and were en-
couraged by his wicked disregard Of the
.