Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-21
BROWN, OF KENTUCKY.
UnboSOms Himself of a Fifteen
Year-Old Secret.

The sensation in Washington yes
terday was the appearance of letter
in the Post written by William Brown,
Of Kentucky, in which he avows him
self the author of a letter signed
Justice, in regard to Garfield and
Rosecrans, which has attracted such
general attention. The following is
an extract:
There is a motive in all human ac-
tion, and mine, in writing that letter,
most certainly was not to attack the
dead, but to defend the living. Let all
great men consider that General Rose
Grams tame, reputation and character
are as dear u aim, to his family and
to his friends as are those of General
Garfield to his. He has as many rights
as any one, and is a good, patriotic
man. Another motive was self.
defense. | had nothing to do with the
| publication of the letter in the Sun;
never spoke of its existence, and do
not know how Mr.. Dana obtained it.
There were several Others Of a still
more damaging character to General
Roseerans, all showing how Garfield,
I while protesting friendship for Rose
Grams, was trying to undermine him
and disgrace him; for Mr.. Chase was
all powerful at that time, and could
make or unmake most any man. Much
J of my own correspondence with Mr..
Chase is mixed with these papers. l
hope that all are destroyed, for if these
letters come to light | could not easily
explain, with knowledge of their
existence, how | canvassed for Gar
field. President Garfeld's friends,
instead of censuring me, should be
gratifed that
BORE HIS SECRET
| in my bosom for fifteen years, and
would have borne it to my grave but
for that unfortunate letter Mr. Dana
published. If / formed an unjust opin
| Ion of General Garfield it was the work
Of. Mr.. Chase. He is dead, and | shall
never reveal several conversations we
had on this subject. The situation at
the time these letters were written
should not he forgotten. General
| Garfield was General Rosscransr chieI
of staff, relationship almost as con
fidential and intimate as that between
mau and wife, yet he was secretly
writing letters about him that wer.
powerful agencies in removing hin
from his command. A wife who woulC
write letters of to other than her hus
a band or defile his bed with the act o
s adultery could not betray more conf
e donce The misfortune with Genera
Garfield was his boundless ambition
and his great egotism. His natura
instincts were all good. He was patri
otic and sincere in his devotion to hi
country and party. he would no
have betrayed public trust, but h
was like thousands of men who fgur
in the pages of history
HE LOVED PLACE,
n power, and what he called "popula
7 credit" Such men are none too par
ticular ss to how they crafty thei
wishes. We had marked instance q
y this in President johnson, when h
!; tried to entrap General Grant into a.
untruth aud tried to prove it by hi
: Cabinet. Yet apart from polite
:, johnson was enc of the most honora
= Bile of men--in politics utterly unscru
e pulOus. Men born poor, like CARTEL
: and johnson, who have ambitions, mr.
a 4 for the most part selfish. The strug
gle with life makes them so, and the
: can no more help it than they can tn
:, color of their eyes. Ny former lette
was attributed to the Hon. Chaunce,
| Filley, Of st. Louis, and it has beef
/ alleged was inspired by the stalwart
and written by one of the delegate
who supported General Grant This
you know, is a mistake. No livin
soul had anything to do with it, and NJ
one saw it until placed into you
hands. 1t was my own conception, i'm
J PEELED by the reason stated. | belonl
to a body of men who have high re
: spect for General Rosecrans, though
have not seen him for many years, anC
as | know as much ofall this matter a
any one, | did not think it right Il
permit this good old soldier
3 TO SUFFER IN SILENCE.
1T is true am 'Stalwart, 10 IN,
5 devotion to the Republican party, bu
| was not Grant man, and it is no,
duty to those who were for him a.
r Chicago to say that | was not one o
{ them. Gen. Graut, Gen. Roseerans
Mr. Conkling, Mr.. Blaine or MIR. File,
had no more to do with the letter thai
Mahomet. In justice to the Gran
men, | say that in the Chicago Con
Nention cast thirty six'votes for Mr.
y Blaine, Ho would, | know hav,
{ bitterly opposed my letter; but | an
:. my own master, and must think an,
. act for myself. | inulose you tn
/ official report of the Republican Con
( vention of the State Of Kentucky
/. held at louisville April II, $780, Yot
y will see by that that | was delegate
r to the Chicago convention from tn
S Seventh District of that State.
9 herewith submit my references as
lawyer, and beg leave to subscrib
myself, Yeurs respectfully,
1