The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-08-26
A LIE NAILED.

A LIE NAILED.
one False Charge Efectually Disposed OF
"A Letter From Reb.
The following charge" against Gen.
Weaver is too silly to even deny. Any
one who knows Gen. Weaver knows
how utterly unlike him anything of the
kind must be:
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, July IA
serious charge is made. by the citizens
of Pulaski, Tenn, against Gen. Weaver,
the third party candidate for president.
In 1868 Weaver was provost marshal at
Pulaski and, it is said, abused his au..
thority and prostituted his official posi-
ton for gain. Taking advantage OF
his position to tax and impose upon
citizens of the town and surrounding
country, men were arrested and impris-
oned upon trumped up charges which
could not be proved, and released if
they could pay a ransom. Weaver is
charged with being merciless and with
our principle, using his power in an UNI
just and cruel way"
For fear that anyone might be dis
posed to believe this silly yarn, the fol-
lowing letter to the Weekly Toiler, Of
Nashville, Tenn, is given:
NEAR FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn, July 20, 1892
DEAR SIR-Your note enclosing q clipping
from the Pulaski Citizen in regard to Gen.
James B. Viewers course toward the citizens
Of Giles county during the war of the rebellion,
and in which you state that II understand that
you contradict" came to hand last evening.
have neither contradicted nor affirmed any
thing about it. for had not heard of its publ
cation. Perhaps you got your impressions from
me direct, when you lived in our family and
taught school
have often spoken to my friends Of Gen.
Weaver; OF his kindness, frmness and exalted
piety: of him Christian gentleman, for I
knew the man and had ample opportunities Of
knowing him His tent was on my premises,
within sixty feet of my dwelling house, for one
whole winter. His tent was his headquarters
until he was ordered to the courthouse, which
was in full view, to take command OF the post,
which duty he performed until his regiment
was ordered to Chattanooga. He was COM
mander of the post say about half the winter of
1854, but his tent was not taken down until he
made his final move He was a colonel then
and was the commander of the Second Iowa
regiment Col. Weaver was under the immedi-
ate command of Gen. G. NJ Dodge. of the left
wing of the Fifteenth army corps Of Gen. w.
T. Sherman's forces.
had built my house in the edge OF grove
of tall trees, the nearest grove to the town Of
Pulaski, looking to the eastward It was a
grand grove and I felt proud of it On the
evening of the day that the Second
camped in my grove I sought Col
Weaver and pleaded for my grove, telling him
that had been raised in the country amongst
the trees, and had it not been for that grove I
should have remained in the country; and more
than that, that intended to preserve it for the
benefit Of others as well as for myself just at
that moment spied some soldiers passing,
each with couple OF fence rails on his should
er. remarked if my fences are burned they
can be replaced but II this grove is destroyed I
cannot live long enough to grow another. Col
Weaver Strengthened himself to his full heighth
and declared with emphasis, 1T shall not be
CUT
I am now twenty EIGHT years older than
was then, but never think Of that grand man
but it appears that my heart grows bigger: it
appears that my heart would continue to en-
large if it had the room. He did not 60 back on
his word. He gave me to understand that he
did not make war upon the CITIZEN.
While Col Weaver's regiment remained
come to regard it in measure asa protection
against the soldiers OF other regiments.
I am aware that many bad man has used
his Office as mask to hide rascality from pub
ucview, in peace as well as in war. Citizens both
north and south. had ample reasons to complaiZ
of the enemy's soldiery during the civil war
I remember one case Of the kind to the amour,
OF twenty dollars myself but it took place be-
fore my acquaintance with Cox Weaver
Giles is magnificent county and Pulaski e
decidedly the very best town I ever lived in
Well, gentleman in blue, or rather from the
bluegrass region happened to stay there one
night, and he wished to remain longer, and to
sell goods, wares and merchandise to the kline
citizens Of town and country. That was while
Johnnie" was temporarily absent from home:
but when he returned he got mad and went and
Quilted the store, so he did. And that old mill
tarv governor, A. j., decided that the citizens
of Giles county should pay for the whole store
That's what went with my twenty, yet did not
get from thread TO a shoe-latchet"
Col Weaver was good man then. and be-
lieve Gen Weaver is a good man now.
Yours, ETC., THEo HARRIS, SR.
The people of Lincoln and Giles need
no better proof than the statement OF
Theo. Harris, Sr. They know him, and
when he nails lie they are ready to
clinch it.-[Ed. Toiler.