National Republican., 1879-04-30
REFUTISG 4 SLANDER.
An Open Letter from Representative Houl

An Open Letter from Representative Houk.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 20, 1879.
To The Editor of The National Republican:
SIR: Tho letter published in this mornings
post over the signature of Joseph A. Cooper
Collector" contains nothing new TO the people
of my district. 1t contains only shadow of
the ISLANDERS brought against me during and
before my canvass for Congress by the Ignorant
creature for whom it was written and by whom
it is signed. 1t is wholly unnecessary to notice
this ebulition of ignorant spleen in the COM
munity where it originated.
Although, through the strange coincidcnccs
| of the war, its author held position of honor
| in the military service of the United States for
| time, and has since been collector of internal
revenue for the second district of Tennessee,
still his social position is such that there is not
| family in the city of Knoxville, or in Knox
| County, where he lives, either white or black,
who would feel honored by his social recogni-
ton or dining at their table. Every one of
| these charges, and moro and meaner, were
made and remade against me, and met and re-
| futed, during the preliminary canvass for the
| nomination in my district.
| As result was nominated by convention
| composed of the very best men of the country
| Judges. lawyers, ministers, doctors, farmers,
and mechanically more than n two-thirds
| vote. Not content with fighting me thus be-
| fore the convention, this same character, as an
instrument in the hands of wiser and meaner
| individuals, continued this personal warfare on
me up to the election, at which was trium-
phantly elected, receiving, as did, ajOrity
more than four times as large as that ever given
| to any man in the same counties in an "oti
year"
Many of the better element of the Demo-
cratic party voted for me because of this un-
| ;,tpt otl nf an
mics, and that, too when they well knew l
was a strict Republican. My personal enemies
have often made efforts to have these charges
appear in the newspapers Of the country, but
until the post adopted them there had been no
paper found, of any politics, mean enough to
print them. Lest some stranger to my ac
cuser who knows nothing of me- may be
misled by this most UNANIMOUSLY mean
and slanderous publication, l will
state that there never was a charge or ac
cusation of any character imputing wrong
brought against mo while in the military ser
vice, as the records of the War Department
which are open to all, will bear witness.
, only left the army when the surgeons-rcgi
!, mental, brigade, division, and departmental
united in the opinion that it was absolutely
necessary in order to save my life from i'm
, pending lung disease. l refer to the records o
the War Department as to how and why lcf
: the army, as well rs to the thousands of com
rades who served with and knew me well, an'
, more than 80 per cent of whom gave me thoi
support at the ballot-boX.
And while l have never prated about m,
military services, protesting always to be NOR
e of civilian than warrior, / will simply So.
here, in sef-defense, that my military rccor
was most honorable and without n stain of an
kind whatever, as is well known by many
among whom will mention Hon. ]. G. Chilc
| q citizen of Anderson County, Tenn, VIII
wi m tonn nt
f Cross, of Knox County, Tenn, who WAS m
, | major. Andrew Johnson, then Military Coy
ernor of Tennessee, when he found that i
health would drive me from the field, voul
tarily proposed to have me detailed for servic
on his staff, with my rank and pay as colone
It which offer l declined on the ground that
accept 1t would prevent the commander of N
c regiment from his rightful promotion.
| insisted that he who had to bear tn hes
It and burden of the day should have both tn
honOrs and emoluments Of the position Of per
u in which he was placed, and therefore resigne
. that the proper promotion might take plac
u In regard to what the writer of Co0pers lettC
= calls the capture of my army at Loudon, Ky
| will only state that so far from being SUI
,C prised by the enemy and captured, l led m
men in strict accordance with telegraphic o
r ders from General George w. Morgan, an
when completely surrounded by force fN
It times as large rs my own, we cut our wa
L killing seventeen Of the enemy, aud woundin
many more.
1T Instead of being reproached or in nnywi:
censured for my conduct on that occasion
~ General Morgan, then commanding the sevent
- division of the Army Of the Ohio, whose Il,
=, dress is Mount Vernon, Ohio, issued a speci
W order complmenting my gallantry, courag
and prudence, and contrasting my conduct
3, LOudon with that of those who had then !
III Gently surrendered at MurireesbOrOugh, TenI
. to the enemy. This order was read on "dre
y parade" to every command in General Mo
ie gan's division, including the regiment
which Cooper was then in command.
J. These facts will appear from General Mo
J., gan's order books, aud their accuracy will
al attested by the soldiers of Morgans comman
. as well as General Morgan aud his stall, amor
n whom | will mention Major Charles Medar
n. Of the Interior Department
es From the date Of my resignation in Il
army up TO the Federal occupation Of Ea
Ii, Tennessee | was engaged on the editorial st'
ld of the Nashville Press and the Nashville jon
~, io nal and quilted that duty 10 return home al
resume the practice of law when General Bur
vs. side occupied East Tennessee.
S. As to what some unprincipled scOundrel M;
ei have charged against me, like tho creatu
el Cooper, cannot undertake to determine; b
''' this l know, no man can substantate al
charge Of a dishonorable character against "A
| have continually met and defed my h
dueers, aud their only refuge has been that
its asserted falsehood without any attempt
ny proof Cooper, the ostensible author OF I
lqd slanderous letter tho post has published is ban
nd upt in fortune, social position, and MOI