Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-07-25
PARSON BROWNLOw'S AUTOBIO.
GRApHY

perhaps it will be asked, Who is the per-
son that offers this volume to the world In
this the inqusitive reader shall be gratifed
for short and simple are the domestic annals
Of the writer though in his ffty-sevont
year. | am the eldest son of Joseph A.
Brownlow, who was born and raised in Rock
bridge county, Virginia, and died in Sullivan
county, in East Tennessee, in 1916. My
father died whom | was young that | could
not have been judge Of his character bit
il has been source Of consolation to me to
hear him spoken Of by his old associates
General Sam Houston among them as
man Of good sense, brave independence, and
Of sterling integrity lie was private in
Tennessee company in the war OF 1872. Two
Of his brothers were at the battle Of the
Horseshoe, under General Jackson, two 9TH
ers of them died naval officers, and their re-
mains sleep in Norfolk and New Orleans,
1.-THE death Of my father was a grevous af-
Fiction TO my mother, as she was left with
five helpless children-throe sons and two
daughters-four Of whom arc now dead, hav-
ing heard Of the death Of the fourth since my
Punishment from home. My mothers maid
en- name was Catharine Gannaway-a Virgin
ian, likewise, Of respectable parentage, and
slaveowners.
"She departed this transitory life in less
than three months after the death of her bus
band. Being naturally mild and agreeable in
her temperament she was warm enGeared
to large circle Of friends and acquaintancos.
But their consolation was in this, that, while
sinking into the cold embrace Of death, she
was happy in the religion Of Jesus Christ.
81 was born in Wythe county, Virginia, on
the 29th Of August, 1905 After the death
Of my parents | lived with my mothers rela
tions, who raised me up to hard labor until
was eighteen years old, when ! removed TO
Abingdon, in that state, and served as a reg
ular apprentice to the trade Of house car
pentcr. ] have been a laboring man all my
life long, and have acted upon the Scriptural
maxim Of eating my bread by the sweat Of
my brow. Though a southern man in feeling
and principle, | do not think it degrading to
a man to labor as do most Of the southern
disunionists. Whether cast or west, north
or south, l recognise the dignity Of labor, and
look forward to day, not very distant, when
educated labor will be the salvation of this
vast country
My education was imperfect and rrcgu-
lar, even in those branches 'aught in the COM
mon schools Of the country. | labored after
obtaining a trade, until acquired the means
of again going to school ! afterwards en-
tered the Methodist Travelling Ministry, and
travelled ten years without intermission. l
awaited myself Of this position to study and
improve my limited education, which did in
all the English branches.
am about six feet high, and have weigh
ed as heavy as ono hundred and sevontyhyo
pounds-have had as fine a constitution as
any man need desire ! have very few gray
hairs in my head and, although rather hard
favored than otherwise, | will pass for man
of forty years. have had as strong voice
as any man in East Tennessee, where have
resided for the last thirty years, and have a
family of seven children. have been speak
ing all that time and for the last twenty
five years ! have edited and published a Wing
newspaper having a larger circulation than
any political paper in the state, and even
larger than all the papers in East Tennessee
put together. have taken part in all the
religious and political controversies Of my
day and time
have written several books ; but the
one entitled, The Iron Wheel Examined,
and its False Spokes Extracted being a
yindication of the Methodist Church against
the attacks of Rev }. h. Graves, Nashville.
My reply was published by the Southern
Methodist Publishing House. and at the earn
est solicitation of the book agents and other
leading members Of the Church. 1t is a
work of great severity. but was written in
reply to one Of still greater severity,
" In September, l8i0, | was engaged in
debate upon the slavery question, in PhIla
delphia, with Rev. Abram Prync, Of New
York in which defended the institution o
slavery as it exists in the South The debat
was published in Philadelphia, and exhibit
my sentiments upon that great question
which have underg one no change since then.
4" am known throughout the length an,
breadth of the land as the Fighting Par
son while may say, without mourning tn
charge of egotsm, that no man is more peace
able, as my neghbors will testify. Away
poor, and always oppressed with securit
debts, few men in my section and OF my lin
tied means have given away more in tn
course of each year to charitable objects.
have never been arraigned in the church 70
any immortality. never played card,
never was a profane swearcr. never drum
dram of liquor until few years---when
was taken as medicine. never had ciga
or chew of tobacco in my mouth. neyC
was III hANfu lhilAi at u tH'aNlfs mover az
tended a horso-race, and never witnessed thei
running, save on the fairgrounds of my ow
country. / never courted but one woman
and her | married.
may be allowed to say that have beer
as l still am, quite politician, though | HAY
never been an office seeker nor an office hold
er. began my political career in Tennessee,
in 1928, by espousing the cause Of John Quir
cy Adams as against Andrew Jackson. Tn
latter ] regard as having been a true patro
and sincere lover of his country The for
mer admired because he was learned state.
man, Of pure moral and private characte
and because | regarded him as a iederalis
representing my political opinions. | hav
all my lifelong been Federal Wing Of tn
Washington and Alexander Hamilton schoo
am the advocate Of a concentrated fedora
government, OF of strong central govern
ment, able to maintain its dignity, to assei
its authority, and TO crush out any rebellio
that may be inaugurated. have never bee
sectional but at all times national mar
supporting men for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency without any regard on which sid
of Mason and Dixon's Line they we're borr
or resided at the time OF their nomination
In a word, ! am, as ever have been an al
dent whg, and Clay and Webster have eve