Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-16
East Tennessee unlOn Convention.

| PURSUANT 10 puDilc mllce, the knOnVllle-
Grceneyllc Convention assembled in the
Supreme Court Room, In this city, on Tues
day last the President, Thomas A, r MI
son, In the chair, The crowd of delegates
WAS large, and the spectators in attendance
was worry great-the interest felt and mani
tested being intense,
Mr., NELSON madea calm, dignfcd and
patriotic speech, setting forth, in brief but
comprehensive way, the history Of the re-
belion, and Of his arrest and treatment
lie said that it was due 10 himself and to
the Convention, to state that he did not APP
prove the Emancipation Of Mr., LINCOLN,
and he had So Expressed himself on different
occasions; but with equal candor he stated
that he believed Mr., LINCOLN TO be- an hon.
est man, having the good Of the country IN
view, lie stated that he regarded slavery
as dead and buried, and as he was left to
choose between the old Government without
slavery, and the miserable Government OF
the Confederacy, he was for the old Gov
ornmcnt, He had no confidence in the hon
or, integrity, or patriotism, Of the leaders OF
the rebellion, When captured on his way
to Washington and taken to Richmond, he
had agreed with the rebel Authorities to Il
course of ncWrditg and this he done, among
other rcu9ons, because they were not then,
or now to his knowledge, exchanging polit.
zeal prisoners. They had violated their
agreement with him, BY coming to his house
in arms an uniforms pointing loaded guns
at him, and destroying his property, and he
felt that no obligations rested on him to re-
main neutral any longer, lie resigned his
office, az President Of the Convention and
took his seat on the floor as n delegate His
speech was well received being repeatedly
cKccrcd, and went very far to relieve him of
his embarrassed condition, growing ont of
hi. publications touching the rebellion. The
truth is, Mr.. NELSON is u Union man--has
never been anything clsc-and has rsled
his life in the cause Of the Union. and in
opposing this Internal rebellion.
Upon Mr.. nelson's retirement, WM.
IlEIsKELL one of the Vice Presidents was,
upon motion Of Gen. SPEARS, declared the
President Of the Convention. He took the
stand and after n few appropriate remarks,
took his seat. and announced that the Con
vention was ready for business, Upon mo-
ton the Convention adjourned to meet again
at . o'clock Before the adjournment the
roll of names was called by counties, and q
resolution adopted requiring the President
to GIL up the vacancies in the Business Com
mttee OF thirty, occaSioned by deaths, and
by some two at least who had turned trail
tors. Mcdowell. of Green, and HARRIS, OF
Sewer.
AFTERNOON SESSION
Pursuant to adjournment the Convention
met, when Col. llouK, Of Anderson, offered
a resolution to the effect that none but loyal
men should occupy seats in the Convention,
and otherwise so wordod as to doubt the 10y
atty of som; who were delegates. This
resolution got up II protracted discussion,
in which Mcssrs. HoUK, TREwnITT, PICK
Ems, BAXTER and w, b. CARTER took part
Finally, upon motion by Col. WILLIAMS, OF
Knox, the motion was laid on the table.
The Convention then adjourned to meet
the next morning at clock, and the Bus
mess Committee went into session, at which
several short speeches were made, and Il
preamble and ten resolutions were offered
by W. B. CARTER, as expressive Of the view,
of the Convention, but no action was had
thereon, the Committee adjourning to meet
again the next morning at s o'clock
SECOND DAY.
! The Convention was called to order at Q
o'clock and a committee was appointed to
visit the room Of the Business Committee
of thirty, to learn when they would proba-
bly, make report for their action. The
/ Convention then adjourned to meet again in
| the afternoon.
f The Business Committee were in session
all day, and had under consideration three
different Preambles and Resolutions, pre-
scented, one by w. B. CARTER, of Carter
county, one by Gen. SPEARS, of Blcdsoc
county, and the other by DAN TRrwnIrr
of the county Of Hamilton. A long debate
sprang up upon the merits Of these papers
and is still progressing, near night, and rs
we 90 to press. The issues involved are the
new State questions, and the question Of the
everlasting niger. 1t will not be in oul
power to give all the decisions made by the
Convention, in this issue, but must defer il
until next week.
Sales OF Plantation Lands.
The New South, published ut Hilton Head
South Carolina, has the following notice o