Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-21
THE FREE PRESS BURLINGTON FRIDAY MORNING. AUGUST o. 1857

u The SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL CONVENTION
which met at Knoxville Tenn, August 10th.
spent halliday in debating on the follow
ing resolution and proposed amendments
'Resoiped, That editors and reporters who are
friendly to the objects of this Convention and only
such, be invited to seats within the hall of the
Convention.
Mr. Mason Of Alabama, the mover, said
reporters from the Northern States were
admitted at the last convention at Savannah
from whence they Kissed forth their ISLANDERS
against the South In their dirty and venal
sheets
Mr.. Lapsley of Alabama, thought it was
'too small game for the Convention to make
war on northern reporters.
Mr.. Lyon of Va. said 'the press could
not be muzzled. They might as well at
tempt.to graspthe air in their hands and,con-
fine it as to muzzlc the press of this coun-
try, lie would prefer to invite all visitors
and reporters to be present. Finally they
got rid of the subject for the first day by
laying the whole on the table. On the sec
ond day it came up again and the ground
was all hoed over anew. Mr.. Cooke of Ten
nessee was willing to admit all the members
of the press from Parson Brownlow down
to Greeley
MIR. Yancey of Georgia snid it grated
harshly upon his ear to hear delegate
of the gallant State of Mississippi favor the
extension of civilities by the Southern Com
mercial Convention to a Black Republican
editor. No one would invite Greeley, Ben
net, or lovely John Wentworth, to partake
of his social Inequalities, and he was for
applying the same rule here. Southern
members Of Congress did not change the So
liabilities of Southern life when they went
to Washington they did not associate
with Black Republican editors and report.
ers, neither could he extend civiities to
them here. Reference had been made to
Parson Brownlow. lie had known that
gentleman by reputation for many years
and knew him to be true to the South and
her interests and was willing to trust the de
fence of her institutions to him. He had haC
the pleasure on Sunday last of seeing Par
son Brownlow for the first time, and Of
hearing from him an unanswerable argu
ment against any association, political, or
otherwise, with the aboltionists of the
North. Parson B. said that if he should
meet an abolitionist in Heayen he would
be sure that he had tempered with the dool
keeper, and cheated him in some way. He
was willing to serve under him as his len
eral But if man was not fit to 90 t.
heaven, he considered him unworthy to 81
upon this floor
Parson Brownlow said having been al
luded to by name he must say few words
"IIe was in favor of admitting any ant
all reporters. If his satanic majesty wert
to send reporter from the Internal regiont
with red and inhamcd eyes, and scorcheC
whiskers, and with the odor Of birthstone
about him, let him be admitted. We, o
the South, fight against principalltes anC
powers, and the wicked spirits in the high
places of this world, with the flesh and the
devil. We can outspeak them, and out
write them, and if necessary we can ou
whip them. lie was for fighting them il
the Union, not out Of the Union. lie wa
for holding on to the purse str ngs of til,
government, the navy, and the standing
army, and when the time comes for tn,
South to unite as one man, he would know
no division, no Wing, no Democrat, OF
Know Nothing. And when driven to thu
wall he was for uniting together agains
their adversaries, and giving them the d
and rubbing it in"
That speech put the convention in sucl
good humor that they voted to admit al
reporters no matter where they might com
from.