Jonesboro Tenn

May 6, 1896

In Confidence

My dear Paul,

Your letter at hand. Will wonders never cease. Tillman told me positively that he could not be a candidate & that he could not [??] the race.

He wrote me a few days ago that he would like to be Chairman of your County & asked me to write to our friend. I wrote Wadsworth to consult you all, but I wrote Tillman & could not dictate to my friends, but that he could be satisfaction [sic] to me, & advised him to consult you all. Since then I have heard nothing. It is important to me that the Chairman of your County be a friend of mine, and I would like for the delegates from your County to Johnson City to be of my friends. Now about Schwab. I would like to see him elected. We have 2 Candidates from Cocke Co., 2 from Hamblin, 4 from Hawkins, 2 from Greene Co., 1 from Washington & one from Center. These I know of. There may be more. Each one pushing one to help him for help already given one. It places me in a [??] of a fix. As you have been, passing through a great deal of similar trouble. I [know?] them your sympathy.

All I can say to you is to act upon your best Judgments & then let the ford help us out.

Your friend,

W. P. Brownlow

PS I wont go to your County while it is on fire. B