The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-01-24

10 fE,aes sToas . - ,t'2s ts6ex Fip
ss u v.,isg 80 ava assh ~
The Case Of Brownlow. y :.
kSexvitIE, tennessee, 4
70 January f.sfS6e a'
n u, Ealsv " as RtA~sks Esspissys IA
The letter Of your ccrrespcndeh, Of the
27th ult., and published % year issue ol
the lst inst. in rlation IA tho Passport
granted TO w. &, Brownlow. 10 gait. tue
Confederate States, ty General Clifton.
den, Is one Of such a chsractef rs Ia de.
mand q reply from me. hnd 10 enable
your readers 10 appreciate the esse in il
true light. l beg TO 40 behind the tacts
stnted by your correspondent
On the Goth OF October last Rrownlow
suspended tho publication Of tlse Knsx-
vile Whig and stated in q leading edito-
rial that he did so 10 avoid q threatened
arrest and prosecution for treason, on &C.
count OF his opposition 10 the Gohiederate
Government as manifested through bis
editorial department. The friends of, Mr..
Rasssey. the attorney fot M ~ - Rklhn
In this district, met and prohfpr!y de.ll vi
that he entertained any such purpose. -
The Knoxville Register. believed 60 be In
the confidence. and to speak the senti
ments Of the district attorney, affirmed
this denial. The Nashville Banner said
the ''parson was labouring under an hal
lucination." while other Southern Jour
mails INDUCED in similar strain. of con-
temptuous ridicule, until Brownlow, over.
whelmed with Southern Indignation. and
in fear of personal violence, about the Srd
Of November. left honfe and sought shell.
ter with his friends and sympaihixers In
the semote and mountainous portions Of
Blount and Sewer counties. He had been
thus concealed about three weeks. SO far
as know, no order had been given by the
military for his arrest, nor had any pro-
cess been issued against him by the civil
authorities, and no crime was imputed TO
him by any official Of the government
In fact. upon the authority Of this semi
official declaration of the Register, IL was
generally believed that he would not be
molested by the government for any thing
previously appearing in the Wing, aud |
have not heard that any subsequent act
of his has been complained OF.
lE this condition Of his case, Mrs.
Brownlow, kind and estimable lady, in.
formed me that her husband was so EN-.
barrassed that he desired TO quit the Con-
federate States, and remove his family
with him, aud requested me to procure
him passport. lpromised to do so, and
having other business ut Richmond, |
went hither few days thereafter presi.
dent Davis kindly accorded me an inter.
view in the presence OF Secretary Bepja.
min and Attorney General Bragg, in re-
lation to the general political troubles Of
Fast Tennessee, and. after about forty
minutes conversation upon this subject, |
remarked substantially as follows. "That
Brownlow, from fear of personal violence,
had left home, and was supposed TO be
concealed somewhere in the mountains Of
Blount orSevior; that had not seen him;
did not know where he was and had no
authority to act for him; but his wife had
requested me to procure him n passport to
leave the Confederate States" TO this
statement added the expression Of my
opinion that it would be good policy to Let
him 60 Mr., BENJAMIN asscnied to the
proposition, but President Davis inter.
posed the objection that it med to be
comforting on nrownlow q privilege with
held from others; to which Mr.. Benjamin
rcioincd that he was willing to mako a
proclamation offering free exit to every
disniiected man in East Tennessee, except
bridge-burners and such rs had actually
taken up arms against the government,
with distinct understanding that all who
remained would DO required, by n rigid
policy, TO support the Confederate Gov.
ernment. A few additional remarks upon
this subject ended the conversation. and
withdrew. The next day called at the
War Department, and was furnished with
letter 10 General Crittendep, o. which
the following is a copy: ..e.s
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, !
WAN DEPARTMENT,
Richmond, Both Nov, 1861. !
"Dear Sir: have been asked to grant a
passport for Mr.. Brownlow to leave the
State Of Tennessee. lie is said to have
sccreted himself, fearing violence TO his
person, and to be anxious TO depart from
the State. s-sa
III cannot give him formal passport,
though | would greatly prefer seeing him
on the other side OF our lines as an ayow,
cd enemy. l wish, however, TO say, that
/ would be glad TO learn that he has left
Tennessee and have no objection to inter
pose to his leaving II you are willing 10
~. 7. P.BENJAMIN, Secretary Of War.
Maj. j.-Gen. Crittenden, Cumb. Cap"
This letter was delivered by mo in pei,
son TO General Crittenden, at his head.
quarters in Knoxville, where, uninnuenc.
ed by any thing said by me, he promised
TO grant Brownlow permission to leave,
and requested John b. Brownlow, who
was present, to call for it in an hour
That evening he handed young Brown.
low the following;
"HEADoUARrERs, KNoxvIiLR, Tenn, !
December 4th, 1861. /
"W G.. Brovnio,o Esq,
Sir: The major general commanding
directs me 10 say that, upon calling nj his
headquarters, within twonty.four hours
you can get a passport to 80 to Kentucky
accompanied by military escort, the
route to be designated by General Crit
tcndon.
81 am, sir, very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant, e
"a. CUNNINGHAM.
Assistant Adiutant-Gencral."
In pursuance OF this invitation Brown.
low camc in and reported himself, as re.
quirod. and made arrangements for his
departure. But, on the next evening, the
district attorney, Mr.. Ramsey. caused a
warrant to be issued charging him with
treason and alleging that he has given aid
and comfort 20 the enemy by the publica.
ton OF the Knoxville Wing. in virtue Of
which he was arrested and sent 10 Jail and
there detained, without any examination
Of his case, til he was discharged, nb stat.
od by your corrcspondont on the Goth Of