The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-01-16
Gov. Bate and the Cfancei-
lorship.
To the Home journal:

My information is that Gov. Bate
has given us u most excellent Chancel.
lor in the appointment Of Hon Il X
Hancock as successor to the lamented
Burton. | have taken some pains to
make inquiry into the matter, as well as
Of the merits Of the appolntee, and
think all is well, and the people OF the
Mountain Division will have no cause
Of complaint, as all who pretend to.
know report Hancock worthy and well
qualified.
There is one thing, however, Of which
We Of Franklin county may comment;
! understand that when the friends OF
Capt. Brannan presented his claims
they were met by the Governor with
the reply, II know all you say Of his
qualifications and fitness for the office to
be true personally my feelings are
far him, but Franklin county already
has Il Supreme Judge and y Circui,
Judge. She had the Chancellor before
Burton, and not long ago had the Gov
ernor. think she has enough"
Perhaps have not caught the exact
words Of the Governor as he was report
ed to me as having declared, but GER
tainly the substance.
Now, ! am not one o. those who
think 1t makes the least difference where
the official may live in the State, or how
many may live in the same county, city
or vicinity. II the man is honest and
capable, it makes NJ difference in what
spot Of the commonwealth he may have
the accident Of home but want to
look little ut the propricty with which
the present Governor Of Tennessee may
undertake to cqnaIizc the offices through
out the State, especially when no Exec
utive appointee is an incumbent in
Franklin county. If Gov. Bate had
practiccd upon the idea Of equality Of
distribution in his own patronage it
would have looked better when he came
to apply the rule outside Of Davidson
county, and more particularly outside
Of the city Of Nashville.
Now, let US take Davidson county
and see how the matter stands: That
county has the Governor, II u. 5. Sepa-
tor, one Supreme Judge, a Circuit
Judge, Chancellor, II Criminal Judge,
II Congressman, Surgeon to the Penn
Tertiary, two clerks Of Congress, an Ad.
jutant-General, Il Commissioner Of Agri,
culture, Clerk of the Supreme Court,
Marshal Of Supreme Court, Federal At
torney.Gcneral, Assistant Federal At.
torney-General, Surgeon to the Insane
Asylum, Surgeon or Superintendent in
charge Of Insane Asylum in Knox coun-
ty, the Entry Taker for Middle Tenncs.
see, Deputy Clerk Of Supreme Court,
State Geologist, Assistant State Geolo,
gist, L. S. Surveyor the Port of Nash.
vile, Marshal of u. 5 Court, Inspector
Of "tilzcrs, Ere i lent State Board Of
Health, Nicc-President Of same, Secre-
iary and two other members of State
Board Of Health, Chaplain to Peniten.
liary, and three Commissioners of In.
sane Asylum. There may be more, but
here are thirty-two. Who will number
her list Of by gone feeders at the public
crib?
Now, do you suppose the Governor
knew this State Of things when he gave
his reason for not appointing Brannan,
or did he suppose other people would
never know the facts? or, did he act
upon the idea that Davidson county
coald not be brought within his rule,
and that he had the right and power to
dictate to, aud rule the rural districts d!
You will see that good many more
than two of the foregoing officers have
been appointed by the present Gov
crnor
Don't it look Il little funny that the
Governor, after he has exhausted all
his direct patronage, in which he by no
means forgets his city and county,
should undertake to bait the outer world |
with the accidental crumbs that fall
from his table, and commence his "cv.
II service reform" on an out county?
W nat could have been his motive?
" o. wad some Power the giiticgic us
To s'c ourselves ~ others see us
!. waI lrac mony u blundcr free us
An foolish notion"
Now, am 10. making objection
to any Of these officials because
hey all live in Davidson county, and
most of them in the city of Nashville,
or as have already minated, think
Il matter of no consequence, but !
want to see what the Governor will +,
hink 1t the next Convention should =
ny to him: We are personally for you, y
I'D prefer YOU, but we want YOU to be II
you have said the officers :,
'nst be distributed and Davidson al. ~ a
indy has too many; evil commence u
mn YOU, who introduced the reform, v
M lake OFT your gubernatorial head e
rst' and then we will Immediately !. y
hereafter 60 for the u, S. Senator. and ?
educe Davidson by two of the thirty. y
wo, and having thus commenced the v
ei"rm of your introduction, We will, MS T
ast as may be, bring things to their !.
ust dimensions and proper proportions :, :,
nave heard it said, if fellow lives y
D II glass house it isn't safe for him to " y
brow rocks at his neighbors' castles 3 ;.
We think the Governor will be con. =,
Istcnt. There was of course no dema- y :,
ognery in his action. Franklin county y !,
as for him largely, and the glorious u u
ID county thinks consistency Is :"
,r. A JEWEL. b.
Winchester, January, 1884. !,