TNGenWeb Project/TNGenNet, Inc., (a Tennessee nonprofit public benefit corporation). "The Howard-Smith Collection" Transcription copyright: 1998, by Mrs. F. A. Augsbury; all rights reserved. The originals are at the McClung Library in Knoxville. This file is in text format. Please use your browser's "back" button to return to the previous page. ******************************************************************************* To: Major C. J. McKinney From: John B. Brownlow, United States Senate Chamber, Washington, D.C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United States Senate Chamber, Washington, June 30th 1870 Dear Major: I have delayed sooner answering your letter in reflecting as to what suggestion I could make of a practical nature. You say Roderick wrote you that he expected the Collector of the 1st District to resign and in that event he would ask your appointment etc. I doubt whether Roderick expected any resignation from the Collector though it is more than probable that he would like to give you an evidence of his friendship in view of the fact that he is again a candidate. Now, I would write him if I were in your place, that I would accept a sort of General Route or mail Agency for Tennessee if it did not pay more than fifteen or eighteen hundred per annum. As I understand it there is not much labor connected with this office. Occasionally you would, with free tickets over the Roads, make a kind of tour of inspection from one end of the State to the other. Nearly all the time you would be with your family having to absent yourself from home very little. This appointment on a salary it might be of two thousand wouldn't be a bad thing. There is nothing in your personal relations with Butler* which would prevent your doing this in view of his letter to you proffering kindness. I am sufficiently friendly with his to co-operate with him in working for you. He has always been (unless his cadet-ship troubles have changed it) on the best possible terms with the P.M. General* & Sec. of Treasury.* I should consider you a great fool if you rejected Butler's proffers of friendship simply because he was not a friend of Senter.* I am far, very far from entertaining that opinion of Senter which I once did. I think he has treated his friends badly and displayed fully as much selfishness as he imputes to Butler. On this point I have not time now to fully explain myself but if I live will be at home in two weeks where I hope to see you & we can have a long talk. As soon as Congress adjourns the President* & all the Cabinet leave the City. Write Butler that in any application he may make for you I will go with him & give whatever aid I can. Roderick has lately made advances toward me and I have no doubt he now regrets his abuse of Papa* last summer. The P.M. General might say there was no vacancy just now but if the thing is pressed he might find one. Don't tell Roderick in your letter that I have made this suggestion to you but tell him you are positive I will, representing my father, accompany or co-operate with him in anything he may do in your behalf. And unless I am much mistaken he would be glad of an opportunity to have me co-operate with him. You had better write him soon as the President & Cabinet may leave a few days before the adjournment. Be sure to burn this after reading as I would not have it run the risk of being lost. Give my love to Cousin Mary & all the family except Lide whom you can tell I call a "hard case". She hasn't answered my letter. Papa's health improving. Yours Truly Jno. B. Brownlow P.S. I expect soon to get passes from here to Bristol, annual passes. If I do I will return here in September, the first of the month and while here I might perfect any negotiations now undertaken for you. It is important they should be commenced before Congress adjourns. I am one of the Incorporators of the Southern Pacific R.R. under the Bill which has just passed the Senate & which will, without doubt pass the House. J.B.B. -------------------------------------------- Notes: *Butler---Roderick Randum Butler, Representative from Tennessee *P.M.General---Post Master General John Angel James Creswell *Sec. of Treasury---George Sewall Boutwell *Senter---Governor of Tennessee, DeWitt Clinton Senter *President---U.S. Grant *Papa---Senator from Tennessee William Gannaway Brownlow, former Governor of Tennessee