Year: 1867

BOLIVAR, May 10, IoOk-H
! My DEAR BnL:-PIease excuse my famil-
iarity y0a know we have heretofore been
4 so familiar shat never called you by any
sother name in our younger days, and can't
/ think Of addressing you as governor-it
don't sound natural, and to tell you the hon
sest ruth, Bill L don't think the title very
appropriate one. = It has been long time,
Bill, since we parted, and many changes
have come ever US. 1 am told that you have
/ changed very much in the last few years,
! both in appearance and disposition that
your face would,pass you as an old rascal in
any crowd. You know, Bll,you were an
awful little rascal when you used to fish for
the devil in e Cripple Greek, and bait with
Methodist preachers; but Thought when
you joined the church aud turned preacher
thatyou would certainly quit your rasoality,
and l believe you did sorter hold of for a.
while but the deviIwas still in you ana has
been growing all this time larger and larger.
until he has gotten 50 big that you cam
keep him down any longer, aud he now be-
gins tosshow himself in your looks as we'll as
your acts. Please send me your photograph,
Bill and let me see If you look anything
ike the Bin l used to know on Cripple
Greek, when you wore your long fax shirt
and breeches, such as nature gave youi
when you used TO spend the Sunday In fish
ing or robbing orchards, and such devilment
You used to be a devil of bog, Bill and
now you are a hi Of man, ain you?
thought Bill, I would just drop you a few
lines to see if 1 could not persuade you to
come out to our section and make as q few
/ speeches during the coming canvass I would
ike very much to see you once more before
the devil claims his own, and our people
want to see what manner of beast you are
whether your ears are as long as they have
been represented whether, in fact, you are
as horrid a looking monster as your acts
since you have been styling yourself Gov
ernor of Tennessee" wouldjustify them in
picturing you.


Bill, we've got a man oUt here that | want
to tell you of, that is some in bear fight
/ himself His name is ETHERIDGE, and he is
what we in this country call a buck" He
is the devil on a stump speech, and if you
will only come out and meet him, think we
will have some fun. Y ou recolect, Bill, we
used to have " heap of fun at the frolics,
/ corn-shuckings, camp-meetings, sheep-shear-
/ inqs ETC., on Cripple Creek" That fun was
nothing to what am expecting when you
1 and Etheridge meet on the stump. think,
! Bill, he'll take the wool off you IN great
deal less time than you ever saw ram
! J,5Tl
that your friends in crime VIII hardly re
/ cognize you, and you'll hear such shouting
! as you never heard at the biggest eamp-meet-
/ ing that ever came off on hCripple Greek"
/ Do come, Bill You need not be afraid to
come to our Cebellious section. Our people
are much more civil set than you seem to
imagine, and our best men-tho they would
see you id before they would vote for
you-will protect you from all harm at the
risk Of their lives They will be a surer
protection than all the loyal militia this
side Of purgatory. Come on, Bill, or Con-
eyROr, if you like the title better The Con
seryatiyes of this portion of the State want
to see you-probabiy you may be little
better looking than they imagine-probably
your face would be good for a fe10 votes.
The Radicals are not SO anxious to see you,
because they don't care whether you look
we'll or Ill, whether your hair curls or kinks,
whether you ever spoke for or against sLaUe-
RI, for they are bound to vote the Radical
ticket. The fact Is, Bill, the few Radicals
we have in this end of the State are almost
as mean as you dare to be, and they are de
termined to vote for the zneanest man they
can find consequently YOU are their man.
But we have few clever men in this county
who if you will give US register, viii be
entitled to vote, and who do not know how
mean a man you are, and you probably
might induce some of them to vote for you
through sympathy, if nothing else, could
they once hear you and Etheridge speak


1 hope, Bill, you will consider the matter
favorably and send me list of appointments
for this district l will take great pleasure
in having them made public, and viii do ali
in my power to render your visit pleasant
and agreeable.


Let me hear from you soon.


Your friend in your past,


JoSH-EE SMITH


P. 81 hope, Bill, you won't take any ex
ceptions at anything in this letter, because,
Bill, used to be your friend, and still can't
help but feel some interest in you; but you
have been keeping such bad company lately,
and have suffered your temper prejudices
and evil inclinations to get the better Of your
judgment so far, that fear you'll never be
fit for me to associate with again, however,


"As long as the lamp Of life holds cut to burn
The viIest sinner may return,


and am willing to do ali / can to bring you
back into the paths Of rectitude, butt fear
it will be hard job.


Yours, JoHN-EE.
The editor of the Press and Times says
that ne is so interested in this canvass that
he will take note even Of q straw. Espe