Nashville, March 7th 1869

Hon. Wm. M. Stewart

My dear Sir:

I fear that you think a little hard of my not having answered your very kind letter, written in regard to [Romelly's?] affairs, a little earlier, especially as that letter advised me of the generous manner in which you had taken the responsibility of having my name inserted in the Bill for removal of civil disabilities. Believe me, if you please, to be not less grateful to yourself and to the highminded and magnanimous members of either house of Congress who voted for my relief than I should been had the bill come call. I cannot but now regret that my name was made use of if its mention in the bill had the effect, as I see is published in several newspapers, of defeating the measure. I can hardly understand how that could have been the case, as I know that my conduct since the termination of the war has been uniformly moderate and forbearing, and as I have been constantly laboring night and day for the suppression of all rancorous or unkind feeling growing out of the past, and to secure the unusual prevalence of sentiments of true loyalty & submission to the Cause. As to this matter, I beg to refer you to my personal friends, Senator Brownlow & [Foster?] from this state.

I enclose a newspaper clip showing what I am doing here in to the new Administration.

God Bless you!

Martin