Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-04
VERTREEs TO BARRETT.
An Open Letter to the Great vindi-
Gated.
What SIR. vertrees Has to Say.

~ law . ANuoOL0 AOI 4OuT
which | know to be fictitious,
will make a statement, which even in
your %naturet, here is not a degree of
impudence sufficient to deny. You
sued me. Previous to that time. |
had enjoyed the distinction of being
.unacquainted with you. Some time
thereafter, you sought an interview
with me-the only one we ever had.
You stated hat you desired to com
promise the suit on some honorable
terms. | declined to consider any
propositions whatsoever, of compro-
mise. You stated that you could
establish your innocence. [ replied
that for the honor of the State |
hoped you could; but that | was pre-.
pared, and expected, to prove that
you we're bribed. l further stated
to you that if you we're innocent you
ought to be vindicated; and | requested
you to consent to a tlial at the ensu-
ing September term; and [ stated to
you that if the evidence didnot estab-
lish your guilt, | would publicly retract
the. charge. You replied that you would
see MT again." but you never did.
On the 23d ofSeptember | pleaded
that | had stated the truth when |
said that you were bribed. l think
you will credit me with a knowledge
of the danger incident, in law, to the
plea oftruth improved.
You have evaded the issue l ten
dered you, by pretending that your
v%indication is already complete. If
so, it has been in a most e%quivocal,
collateral and unsatisfactory way.
Have yon really allowed yourself to
be persuaded by your bosses and ac-
%cessories, who tremble lest the evil
dence before the grand jury will be
given to the world, that the action OF
the grand jury has vindicated you?
Ten of the first grand jury voted to
indict you. Eight Of the ten presented
a petition to Judge Quarles in which
they said the proof is ample and
complete. amply sufficient ior cenvic.
ton before a trial jury" Attorney
General Washington, to my own
knowledge, began the investigation
with reluctance; but after he had
heard the proof and taken it down, he
stated in court that he gave the petit
ton Of the jurors, whom you say are
as honorable as any men in the
United States, his unqualified in
dorsement and approval.
Nine Of the second jury also voted
to indict you. Out OF twenty-seven
men, twenty were satisfied as to your
guilt, and nine of the twenty declared
that the evidence before them was
sufficient, not merely to be the ground
Of accusation, but to convict. Did
your uninterested friends believe you
to be v~indicated2 After the first jury
was discharged, the American said;
"As there is a civil case brought by
Mr.. Barrett against Mr.. Vertrees,
which puts Mr.. Barrett's character
and his act ia issue, we do not see why
Davidson county should thus incur
the expense OF this extraordinary
array Of witnesses. That suit would
make the way Of the Attorney Cen
eral clear, and show what witnesses
we're necessary, what point he could
prove. The public would gain its
ends, justice and the punishment of
the guilty, or the acquitial of the in
nocent. 1t is hard to see why this
county or the State should bear such
expense, when that case will show
whether there is anything in it, and if
there is, where it is, and how to reach
it,"
After the second jury returned the
indictment mot found the American
still said: I'VE should like to see
these matters all ventilated thoroughly
where all the people of Tennessee can
sec, where all crime wherever it is,can
be punished. To that end we can at
least congratulate those who have
been so intensely eager that there is
yet a civil suit pending IN which the
transactions, they allege, can be thor
oughly aired. As to this case, we
know nothing Of Mr.. Barrett's affairs,
and only what we have heard as to the
evidence. We accept, as all good citi-
zenS will do, the verdict Of a grand
jury of honorable men as conclusive
that no proof was adduced ofanything
criminal. We hope the entire testi-
mony will be given to the public"
Three-fourths Of the grand jurors
we're against you. The Attorney
General was against you. Even the
American expected you to compel me
TO produce the proofs Of your peridy
in our case, where all the people of
Tennessee can see. This you dared
not do.
Those who are acquainted with your
Senatorial career are not surprised to
learn that tae suit, wherein your We
nality would have been exposed, has
been dismissed. Neither will
the general public be surprised
when they learn the cause which
impelled you and your accessories to
inform the world that your good name
had been vindicated to your hearts
content.
On Monday, as you will never for
get, | served you notice at Bolivar,
Tenn, that on Monday next | would
take the dispositions Of three Of the
grand jurors, and prove by them the
evidence before the grand jury as to
you or yours.
Beforeanother sun had set you were
here. With whom did you CONSULT
BY whom we're you advised? 1t the
truth were known, / doubt not that
YOU took counsel Of some men that
we're as much afraid Of the evidence
proposed 10 uncover as you. The evil
dence is,there. IL is 10 writing in the
grand jury books, and they, / am in
formed, have been copied, lest perad'
venture they be destroyed. To what
can / compare the conformation Of
you and your confrcres, when that no.
ticc admOnished you that the grand
Jury evidence was about 10 DO reveal
on To Tho fright Of little children i
I o lmao bcafl were abonti0 be- uneagod.
/ Your tribe knew that they would b
! buried Ike another Pompoii, be-