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authorship of the petition. It is my opinion that the entire difficulty was fomented and nursed to its troublesome dimensions by the Mr. Lawson I have spoken of and in regard to whom I wish just here to say a word.  He came here with Howlett who was removed from Matthews Co- at my request and followed him to that point.  Howlett can barely write his name and there is not a scratch of his pen in the records or correspondence of the office during the time he remained there as agent.  It is all in Lawson's handwriting including Mr. Lawson's nomination as Register at Large for Matthews Co- which that individual so far as the records of the office show wrote and signed himself.  He appears to be a shrewd broken down Englishman of considerable parts and some experience in newspaper business who has used Howlett as a complete catspaw for his own purposes.  Col. Lewis of the 3rd N.Y. Cav. a gentleman of high standing who has purchased a farm in Matthews Co- informed me that he saw Lawson, at that time unknown to him- come into the bar of the boat which runs from Norfolk to Matthews C.H. and take a drink with a negro at the negro's expense- and that when they landed Lawson was in 

Transcription Notes:
foment: : to stir up : rouse, instigate. foment rebellion. ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-10-10 13:21:02