Early Governors' Papers

Franklin county - I will attend at Lincoln county court the first week - There are some important cases in Franklin circuit court

as above W. B M.

1 Comiss 28 Jany 1822 Thos H Fletcher

county for ten years past and is moreover a true and substantial friend of yours — We lay no class on these things because your decision must be made upon the law relative to the case, and not upon the strength of of recommendations

Yours truly

Tho. H. Fletcher

I must also add that Capt Hunt by his indulgences to the distressed has actually grown poor in his office — He has however learnd [sic] from experience the fatal tendency of such a course a continuance in office for two years to come [would?] place him above [want?] - and if he does not receive the Commission he will be left in poverty and distress - T. H F

I attended the contest for the election in the above case - I think I feel disinterested - The facts as set forth by Mr Fletcher are substantially correct - and I entirely accord with him in his reasoning & conclusions. It appears to me that Hunt is certainly the legal & constitutional sheriff. In addition to what is suggested above I beg leave to add, that the constitution says that the county court shall appoint the sheriff Shortly after the first balloting the Justices all left the bench except the chairman & three other Justices - they then formed a

friends of Gray contend that the Court on the evening of the first day annulled the order ^of the morning proclaiming Hunt Sheriff and that thereby Gray became Sheriff. Well even if this be the case the reception of Hunts Bond today & the qualifying him as Sheriff is an actual renunciation of the order of last evening declaring Gray the Sheriff and therefore the last proceeding makes Hunt the Sheriff —

I write in great haste & surrouded by a Crowd— Excuse the scrawling hand & the confusion of of my arrangement.

Yrs - Tho H Fletcher

Governor Carroll Nashville

Thos H. Fletcher Esqr. Nashville

16

fixing the time at which the election is to be held, and also the period when the electors must meet for the purpose of voting. In order that we may have our full weight in the elections for President and Vice President hereafter, I would recommend that the general ticket system should be adopted. It is true that no danger of division is to be apprehended at the approaching election; but in future when we may differ in our choice, an indivdiual by the force of circumstances, may under the arrangement by districts obtain a plurality of electoral votes, to whom a majority of the State may be decidedly opposed.

Since the close of the last session, the following - temporary appointments have been made. William A Cook, Esquire chancellor, Thomas H Fletcher Esquire Secretary of State, Bromfield L. Ridley Esquire, Attorney General for the fifth solicitorial District, and Gideon J. Pillow, Esquire Attorney General of the ninth solicitorial District. Those appointments were made to fill vacancies occasioned by the resignations of the former incumbents. As the commissions under which the present officers act, will expire at the end of this Session, the duty of making permanent appointments will devolve upon you before your adjournment.

In casting a glance at the present condition of our State, it is gratifying to observe its eminent prosperity. The rapidity of its recent growth, the important relative position it has attained among its sister states - the fertility of its soil and the industry