Early Governors' Papers

Paris 18th Feby 1828

Dear sir,

I have Just been informed that H. W. Dunlap Esq has or is about to resign his office of Solicitor General of this district - I am also informed that among others Maj Dudley S. Jennings of this place will be an applicant for the appointment.

Without knowing who his competitors may be, and certainly without a view of inquiring the inerest of any other candidate - I, in Justice to Major Jennings, have thought proper to make the following Statement to you -

That he was one of the first lawyers, that settled himself in this part of the district,- That he has always sustained the character of a sound lawyer, and is considerred not to be inferior to any lawyer in the district- He has frequently prosecuted as Solicitor General under my obser -vation, and to the entire satisfaction of the Court, and I have no hesitation in believing, that he would make an able and efficient prosecutor.

With sentiments of esteem I have the Honour &c

James Hicks

His Excellency Saml Houston Nashville Tenn

Hicks for D S Jennings

Paris Feby 26th 1828

Dear Sir

I had not intended procuring commendating letters for the appointment for which my name is before your excel -lency on the list of applicants, but from a conuersation which I held with Mr Hugh Dunlap in which he stated that you would be infuenced by recommendations of qualifications from the district. I haue been in-duced to abandon my original inention and haue forwarded to you letters from Judge Hamilton, J. S. W. Cooke, Colonels J. H. Dunlap and William Dunlap. James Hicks and Wenderson Lewis. General Cooke stated to me that as Mr Cotton and Capt Terrill had both applied to him before he had the least idea that I would be an applicant and he had refused writing in their behalf on the ground that each of them was in some sort a student of his, and as you were already in possession of his opinion in regard to my qualifications to fill this or any other appoint -ment connected with the administration of justice, he deemed it both unnecessary and improper to write Mr Dunlap, the present incumbent, stated to me that he had advised you of what you seemed already sufficiently aware, to wit, that the supreme court sits in tihs solicitaial district, and of the importance

To Joseph M^cMinn Esqr Governor in and over the State of Tennessee

September Term 1817

We the undersigned represent to your Excellen cy that at the present Term of the circuit Court for the County of Sullivan County acertain Thomas James who was indicted for forging and passing counterfeiting two certain change Tickets purporting to be on John Keller of & James White of [Arlington?] Virginia was tried and convicted - There was no evidence that the defendant had forged said Tickets, but John Keller being sworn stated that said Tickets one for 25 cents and one for one Dollar was never Issued by him or his [firm?] It was also proved by James Hicks that the defendant in November ^last passed to him the 25 cent Ticket and a few days

after passing said Ticket on learning the same was not good called on said Hicks and told him he had got the same from a certain [K?] and wanted to take it up and put good money in its place but was shortly after arrested before the ticket was redeemed There was other evidence going to show, that the defen dant has other tickets which he said he had obtained in the same way There was also Testimony of one [illegible] to show that said James rec.^d tickets from one [Rowe Kisnor?] in payment of a Debt which they owed him, & that the tickets produced in trial looked like the money in Tickets which they passed to said Thomas James, it also appeared in Eviden ce. s.^d James always [illegible] had sustained the character of an honest man, the Jury however found him Guilty as charged in the indictment of the Court ordering him to be imprisioned till 24^th Oct^r. next, to pay a fine of twenty dollars & to receive