Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-22
ROSEY'S CHAMPION.
William Brown, a Kentucky Lawyer,
the Author of the Letter on Gar
field Which Has Raised
Such a stir, and Not Chauncey L. Filley,
of st. LOuis-What Dom Piatt
Knows About the Matter.

! The excitement caused in Washington by
| the letters OF Justice" in the Washington
! Post made a demand for the name OF the
author on account OF their strong denuncia-
! ton OF the sentiment which sought to shield
| the late President Garfield Ft the expense OF
General Rosecrans. The author was given
in the Post Of Sunday morning, in which was
long letter signed in full by William Brown,
Of kentucky, some extracts from which We
make room Tor, as follows:
THE WRITER'S MOTIVE FOR ATTACKING GAR
FIELD.
There Is a motive in all human action,
and mine, in writing that letter, most GER
tainly was not to attack the dead, but TO de-
fend the living. Let all great men consider
that General Rosecrans's fame, reputation
and character are as dear to him to his
family and to his friends as are those OF
General Garfield to his. He has as many
rights any one, and is a good, patriotic
man. Another motive was selfdeiense. /
lad nothing to do with the publication Of
the letter in the SEN !; never spoke OF Its ex-
istence, and do not know how Mr.. Dana OBJ
tanned it. There were several others of a
still more damaging character TO General
Rosecrans, all showing how Garfield, while
protesting friendship Tor Rosecrans, was try
ing to undermine him and disgrace him; for
Mr.. Chase was all powerful at that time, and
could make or unmake most any man. Much
of my own correspondence with Mr.. Chase
is mixed with these papers. l hope that all
are destroyed, for ii these letters come to
light 1 could not easily explain, with a
knowledge OF their existence,
HOW CANvAssED FOR GARFIELD.
President Glrfiel3's friends, instead of GEN.
surfing me, should be gratifed that bore his
secret in my bosom for fifteen years, and
would have borne it 10 my grave but for that
If. H. I
formed an unjust opinion ofGeneral Garfield
it was the work OF Mr.. Chase. He is dead,
and | shall never reveal several conversa-
tions We had on this subject. The situation
at the time these letters were written should
not be forgotten. General Garfield was Gen
eral Rosecrans's chief of staff, Il relationship
almost confidential and intimate as that
between man and wife, yet he was secretly
writing letters about him that were powerful
agencies in removing him from his COM
mand. A wife who would write letters OF
love to other than her husband, or defile his
bed with the act of adultery, could not be-
tray more confidence. The misfortune with
General Garfield was his boundless ambition
and his great egotism. His natural instincts
were all good. He was patriotic and sincere
in his devotion to his country and party.
He WOULD NOT HAVE BETRAYED A PUBLIC
TRUST,
but he was like thousands of men who figure
in the pages OF history-he loved place,
power and what he called popular credit"
Such men are none too particular as to how
they crafty their wishes. We had a marked
instance of this in President Johnson, when
he tried to entrap General Grant into an I'M
truth, and tried to prove it by his cabinet.
Yet, apart from politics, Johnson was one of
the most honorable of men-in politics ut
terly INSCRIPTIONS. Men born poor, like
4 o. al tt I.
are for the most part selfish. The struggle
with life makes them go, and they can no
more help it than they can the color OF their
eyes. My former letter was attributed to the
Hon. Chauncy |. Filley. OF st. Louis, and, it
has been alleged, was inspired by the Stall
warts and written by one OF the delegates
who supported General Grant. This, you
know, is mistake. No living soul had any
thing to do with it, and no one saw it until
placed into your hands. 1t was my own
impelled by the reason stated; 1
belong TO body OF men who have
HIGH RESPECT FOR GENERAL RosECRANs,
though | have not seen him for many years |
and as l know as much of all this matter as
any one, | did not think it right to permit
this good old soldier to suffer in silence. 1t
is true | a 'Stalwart' in my devotion to |
the Republican party, but was not Grant |
man, and it is my duty to those who were
Tor him at Chicago to say | was not one of
them. General Grant, General Rosecrans, |
Mr.. Conkling, Mr.. Blaine, or Mr.. Filley had !
no more to do with the letter than Mahomet |
In Justice to the Grant men, / say that !
IN the Chicago convention / cast thirty-six |
votes for Mr.. Blaine. He would | know
have bitterly opposed my letter; but / am
NY own master, and must think and act for |
myself. i inclose you the official report OF |
he Republican convention of the State of !
Kentucky, held at Louisville, April II, 1880. |
You will see by that that | was delegate 10 |
he Chicago convention from the Seventh |!
district OF that State. / herewith submit |
ny references as lawyer, and beg to sub |
cribe myself, yours respectfully,
civilian BROWN.
WASHINGTON, March 18th"