The weekly Butte record., 1862-04-26
Speech of Parson Brownlow

Below is the speech delivered in front Of the
St Cloud Hotel, Nashville, March 18th, BY
Parson Brownlow:
Gentlemen: | am in a sad plight to say
much Of interest-too thoroughly ineapacita-
ted to do justice to you or myself My throat
has been disordered for the past three years
and | have been compelled TO almost abandon
public speaking. Last December | was thrust
into an uncomfortable and disagreeable jail
/ for what? Treason! Treason to the bogus
Confederacy and the proofs of that treason
were articles which appeared in the Knoxville
/ Whig in May last. when the State OF Tennes-
see was member of the imperishable Union.
At the expiration of four weeks | became q
victim to the typhoid fever. and was removed
to room in decent dwelling, and guard OF
seven men kept me company | subsequently,
became so weak that could not turn over IN
my bed, and the guard was increased to twelve
men, for fear should suddenly recover and run
away to Kentucky Becoming convaleScent,
IN measure, | was removed to my former
place of confinement. One day | was visited
By some Confederate officers who remarked ::
" Brownlow. you should not be here. Take
the oath of allegiance to the Confederate Gov
ernment, which will not only entite you to q
speedy release, but insure your protection. =
Sir !" said |, - before | would take the oath
to support such a bellforsaken institution, |
would suffer myself to rot or die with old age"
Why, my friends these demagogues actually
boast that the Lord is upon their side, and de-
clare that God Almighty is assisting them in
their nefarious projects. In Knoxville and
surrounding localities, short time since, daily
prayer meetings were heard. wherein the AL
mighty was beseeched to raise Lincoln's block
ade, and to hurl destruction against the Burn
side Expedition. Their prayers were partly
answered-the blockade at Roanoke Island
was most effectually raised a reciprocal of
their sacrege diviney rendered.
Gentlemen, am 10 abolilionist I applaud
no sectional doctrines | am a Southern man.
and all my relatives and interests are thorough
ly identified with the South and Southern in
stitutions. | was born in the Old Dominion,
my parents were born in Virginia, and they
and their ancestors were all Shareholders. Let
me assure you that the South has suffered no
infringement upon her institutions the slavery
question was actually no pretext for this IN
holy, unrighteous conflict. Twelve Senators
from the Cotton States, who had sworn to
preserve inviolate the Constitution framed by
our forefathers, plotted treason at night-a fit
time for such 4 crime-and telegraphed to
their States dispatches advising them to pass
ordinances of secession. Yes, gentlemen, twelve
Senators swore allegiance in the day time, and
unswore it at night.
A short time since, | was called upon by
little jew, who, believe is the Secretary OF
War OF the bogus Southern Confederacy. He
threatened to hang me, and | expected no
more mercy from him than was shown by his
illustrious predecessors towards Jesus Christ.
| entered into long correspondence with this
specimen of expiring humanity, but, from mer-
cy or forgetfulness on their part, | was permit
ted to depart with all my documents in my
little valise, which hope to publish at no dis
tant day. Gentlemen, when | started on my
perilous journey. was sore distressed in mind,
and exceedingly so in body. But the moment
my eyes encountered the pickets of the Federal
army my depression decreased and returning
health seemed suddenly to invigorate my ply
sical constitution.
Gentlemen, Secession is played out-the
dog is dead-the child is born, and his name
is JEFF. Davis, Jr
My throat distresses me to such an extent
that | must decline further remarks this even
ing, but shall make myself heard on the next
convenient occasion, which will probably be
ere the termination of the present week.