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Near Nashville
March 20th 1845
My Dear Sir
I recieved yours of the 17th Inst with its enclosures and will finish with [adaress?] a letter to Washington on the subject- The acting paymaster genl. I take it is rather [green?], as the paymaster Genl. To wish himself paid precisely the same sort of claim under my first call, without hesitation If further delays take place after they hear from me I will go on myself toward the last of April & attend to that & some other matters of settlement yet undesposed of - The question is simply whether in obeying or rather complying with a requisition the U. States will pay the Governors staff officers whilst in the actual service of the U. States - such has been the practice heretofore & such is (certainly?) the [justice?] of the case & I wd raise a (row?) or have it done now. Turner's & Richardson's claim are in the same fix & must be paid as well as yours & Dury's. My certificate is exactly right & the one suggested by them is applicable on to Torbett.
In relation to my serving as one of the Electors for the State at Large, I have received communications from the Central committees of the three grand divisions of the State, requesting me to serve. I have not yet officially answer'd - but what was said in the Union lately was by my authority, that I [expect?] to accept & serve unless some family (affections?)
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should prevent - I desired to withhold my letter until the moment when peace should be restored & when the period had arrived for commencing something like active operations : that period I consider will arrive when the news shall come back from Mexico (2 or 3 weeks) that the treaty has been ratified when I will respond by a gov'a letter (if I can write one) & put the Ball in motion - I mean to accept mainly under one improsion, that with my acquaintance in the different counties (now?), I know who to talk to & have to arrange for the most rigorous and skilful prosecution of the Companys - no stranger however superior to me in other respects can do this part of the business as well as I can - I am a sort of amateur politician any how, with nothing a head that my am(?) would be mortified at not obtaining -The (?) kindly puts my name up for the Vice Presidency & I thank him sincerely - say so to him if you please & I will never do anything to discredit the Compliment - Many of the asperants to the Presidency are hinting the same thing - I thank them too but I take it that the military favor of the times will suspend me unless the belief that the fate of the state of Tennessee would be renderd more certain by my appointment. Tennessee all ( ?agencies) will be indespensible to success & if the recommendation is made here & falls on me I shals of course accept of it as a geographic complement at least - But I do not count on it now
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suffer the chances of it to influence me in accepting the post assigned to me in the electoral arrangements. Still I should feel the complement gratefully if the other Democratic papers of the State should follow the example of the Standard - If it were suggested to the I think it possible that they would wish but many few exceptions.
Please say to Dr. Ramsay what is contained in this letter & beg of him to excuse my want of punctuality in answering his last letter I sent an apology in a letter to [Mr Churchill?] a week or two ago & hope it was satisfactory - you can superadd a letter your own knowledge that I am very neglegent correspondent.
Who will be our Candidate for President, is as uncertain as who will be the Whig candiate - The chances on our side are between Cap Buchannan & Woodberry - very uncertain which - But I will venture a suggestion founded on fully govt austerity ( I think concluse) that Polk will not (now that peace is made) allow one word to be said about his running -& that is getting to take the general understanding hereabouts. I will make another suggestion which I want you to remember - & that is - if much difficulty occurs in the convention he has [money?] on Cap. Buchanon or Woodberry - an effort will be made to supersedeall by the nomination of Genl Dix of NT. He belongs to the Van Buren or [Barrister?]
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[Jackson?] of the Democracy & was elected as an anti Texas man &c But when he came down & took his seat he became convinced & voted for annexation & although that portion of the party at home to which he belonged abandoned the administration, yet he has sustained it thoroughly & powerfully - The ground taken would be that he alone could unite & save N. York & property he might as he is a man of very high standing ( next to Mr Van Buren & Silas Wright) in that state - all this is of course conjecture - of my own - but remember it & see if I have much forecast about these things - Remember me kindly to all our Knoxville friends - ( they are not so numerous as to put you to much trouble) & believe me as ever
Yours truly [Mr. A R Corzen] Aaron V Brown
1848
