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: C. J. McKinney From: John B. Brownlow [incomplete letter] ----------------------------- Dr. Sir: I have just returned from the office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue whither I went with Maynard. At his & Papa's request you have been made Collector of Revenue for the 6th Tennessee District (now represented in Congress by Whitthorne) vice Jesse Taylor removed for incompetency. The office is now worth $3000 per annum. When one reflects upon the large army of office-seekers and the very small number of persons to be appointed in preparation to the applicants you may be congratulated upon your good luck. True, I would rather be Assessor than Collector but Assessors are abolished. There are many offices I would rather have than the one you have but the one you have is, nevertheless, desirable, and it don't fall to the lot of many people to have their choice of offices. It pays better than the Collectorship of the first Dist. & Butler would never consent to your having the Collectorship of his Dist. The Commissioner told Maynard & I that he would immediately make out & send your Commission to you. I met Edmund Gaines in the Treasury Building immediately after seeing Commissioner. He is much gratified at your appointment. I got your letter several weeks since. The opinion you express of Greeley is that generally expressed & entertained here. When a Greeley man introduced into Congress a resolution to adjourn . . . [incomplete]