Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-08-11
A Gard from ID. f. Harrison.


lished in the CHRONICLE in its issueaof
July =, 1880, over the signature of G.
&. Russell, / feel that reply is de,
manded, which, by your permission, i |
now make. - rs CO
In order that the matter may be
thoroughly understood, and the ani~
mus of the author appreciated, it is
we'll to bear in mind that Mr.. Nelson
had already declared himself an indes
pendent candidate for congress, and
had said to a number of persons in
Loudon that the Thornburgh influence
in Knoxville, together with the Rule
and Cooper influence, had agreed to
back him (Nelson) with the necessary
means to make the canvass. IA 81
Mr.. Nelson soughtan interview with
me at my Office, a few days after the
convention which nominated Judge
Houk for congress, and, smartiDg un-
der his. defeat for elector, he COM
menced his strictly confidential pro-
gramme by stating that ne had written
to Houk about removing that dirty g.
of b., Bob Msgill, from the post
office, and that Houk had
not answered his letter, and that he
believed Houk intended to ignore him;
and said he, believe that the whole
thing has been trick to get me and
the old man to support HOuk until he
is nominated and then go back on US.
For, said he, the old man was furnish
ed employment until tie convention,
when he was at once sent home. Now,
said he, if Houk don't remove Bob
Magill and give you the post
Office, and furnish ~ the old
man employment, intend
to become candidate for congress and
beat him. Now, said he, wouldn't it
be good idea for you to write aHouk,
and indicate to him what | intend to
do. Knowing, as I have foFa number
of years, that Mr.. Nelson has been
successful in making more or less
money out of supposed Influence, l
readily concluded that it was an effort
to place himself in an attitude TO be
either hired off by the republicans
I gave very little attention to the
matter until was informed that Mel
son had drawn up set of resolutions
and procured q cOlOred man to call q
meeting of the cOlored voters in order
to have his resolutions adopted by the
meetings at the same time specially en-
joining upon his agent the Importance
of copying the resolutions, as it would
not do to hand them to the printer in
the original hand. This, together with
the allegations made in the article by
Rim Ears called my attention to the
low, dirty tlickery then being practiced
by Nelson, and / now confess
that, Notwithstanding / have often
had reason to believe Nelson wholly
without conjunction of conscien ce,
yet, / was not prepared to belive him
so lost to shame as to thus degrade
himself and those who had committed
themselves in his behalf.
Now, as to the article written by him
over the name Of G. G. Russell, was
glad 10 learn by an interview with
Russell, in the presence of Rev. Mr..
Mcdonald, that he, Russell, disc
claimedany knowledge of what,was in
the article, and that It was
written by D. r. Nelson. and that he
signed it at Nelson's earnest solicitas
tions, Nelson at the same time telling
him that he was charged with forgery.
which was penitentiary offense, aud
therefore he had better sign that pa
per to keep out of the penitentiary.
|
ing over what he had done that he
went to the telegraph Office and dis
patched to the CHRONICLE not to pub
Iish the article. and it is known here
that the thing hung fire day or two,
and that Nelson went to Knoxville
possibly "a Russells attorney, to have
his printing done. @
All these things considered, together
with knowledge Ofthe fact that be.
cause Col. TbnrnbuFgh's friends didn't
think this Influence worth buying in
his race against Cullom, its great power
was thrown to Cull0m. Result: Thorn
burgh's majority nearly 5 600, when
with this great power for ThorDburgh,
he only beat Mabry about 800. So,
with these facts 30 fresh and 30 plain,
Houk's friends dou't think it best to
buy this great influence. The state
ments made in Nelson's article, in
regard toJudge Houk's promises to me
before his election are false, and mali
ciously so, as we'll as without the
shadow of foundation in fact. sup
ported Judge Houk in his fret election
both in the convention and before the
people, without compensation or hope
f ofreward; and Judge Houk now has 6
letter from me (if he has not destroy ed
5 IN stating to him that I intended to
e support him for reelection, and asking
him to make me no promises. Othel
charges are made which are EQUALLY
Y false, especially the reference to nos
9 being employed by Judge Houk at $5(
per month. In fact can safely stat,
. that the whole thing is a tissue o
$ falsehood from beginning to end. Hi
allusion to my having whispered
l. around that some letters which I ha,
: received from Judge Houk would lool
ugly in print wish to say Is perfec
Is bOsh. I have never received a lette
III from Judge Houk which he need to b
Of ashamed to see published on ever.
a. rock and fence in his district.
" Permit me to say that so far IS an.
G corfespondence ever had between
te Judge Houk and myself is concerne'
there Is not word to justify the at
IS tack made in Nelson's article, and
now state, In self defence, that neve
y have made application, either to judy
Houk or to the post office department.
n. under the present administration
= asking TO be appointed postmaster .
Loudon, and notwithstanding this fa9
Mr.. Nelson has seen fit to deman
my support, and denounced my In
gratitude to men in Loudon, and Civ
Ing as proof his fight against Hou
g because he would not remove Magi
4 and mt ma in = 90