Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-13
address 10 The President or the United
States In Behalf OF the People Of East
Fennezeef

kSaNFfLEE lHaNT FSAfsasy %s"4 hSoN'
To Ills Rxen.EEsCY, ABRAHAs LssoeI.E,
President Of the United States
Dsaa slE-~-we have the honor TO make
known TO Your ExcelleBcy thst on the 9Th
instant, In this city, an Association Of loyal
citisens was organized, entitled ''The East
Tennessee Relief Association The OBJ
iects OF said Association arr definitely set
forth IN the Second Article Of its Constitu-
ton, which declares
THE objects IL THE Association shali be 10 con-
tribute ~ far possible 10 the feltst the people
ol East Tennessee, who arc now suffering under the
effects af prttraced wars BY receiving and dis
,enslnx any donations contributors wheiher o.
innaies or supplies, that may be appropriated Tor
that purpose by individuals associations or eorpo-
rs.ions BY siding thu people, ln sScFy legssn'ste
way in securing fsm sbo authorities, bsh civil and
military Federal and State, proper protection Ia
the resumption and persecution Ut their Industrial
purxuIts and in obtaining from The Government
more speedy ard satisfactory compensation for their
properly that may have been destroyed by authority
or appropriated BY the army rs necessary for the
public .erVcc: and furthermore. Il shall hc the OBJ
inet IL this Association 10 encourage and support
by every means IN its power any sDd every project
OF enterprise calculated 20 open up 70 the people Of
with tie markets Of our moro prosperous sister
States
By resolution adopted BY the said As
ISOLATION on the 9th instant, the under
signed were appointed COMMITTEES IN be-
half Of the Association and Of tho Peepls
of Eas. Tennessee, "to address the Presi-
dent oF tho United States, and, through
him, both Houses of Congress, on the con-
ss::..:on and wants Of the people Of Easi
: Tennessee, and ask their attention to the
necessity of some action on the part Of the
Government for their relief
In former times and under ordinary cir
| s,.sn.sa.ess IL ,ranld hardly have been
/ deemed proper 20 address Your ExceiicRey
! in this extraordinary way bat when II is
/ considered that .thc people of Tennessee,
! by reason Of the rebellion, are now without
( representation in either branch of Congress
! and that they have no State Legislature
/ through which to communicate with Con
greSs. we viii he warranted, we trust, in ap.
preaching the Government, through Honl
/ Rxeclleney, in something like an original
capacity. In attempting, therefore, ths
discharge Of the duty imposed upon us By
he Association We represent, we feel thai
Il il hardly necessary to recount 10 You
Execll.ney TIE painfully interesting history
Of the people of Pest Tennessee since th'
outbreak Of the rebellion; though = brie
recital of their wants and sum rings may mo-
be out of place.
! IN the beginning Of the pending ciTt
strife, East Tennessee by an overwhelming
majority, declared against the rebellion
From her geographical position, her rail
road communications, her trade and social
/ intercourse had been mainly with ths
Southern States. Her domestic Institutions
and social organization were the same
AS theirs or aearly assimilated thereto
and, according to the eommonly-FeeSived
! opinion, her future success aud full de-
velopmcnt were identified with and depcn
dent upon the growth aud prosperity Of th.
South. Nevertheless, when the scheme o.
corrupt and ambitious men TO dismenbe,
the National Government was fully dis
closed, her people did not stop TO consider
their local or Pecpniary interests. Theil
innate love of country rose above the mar
ROW and selfish considerations that controlled
the people, and dictated the policy Of Other
States, Appeals 70 local interests and see
tional prejudiees and hatreds were alike Nm
needed and, In her isolation from ell th,
! loyal States, and amidst the ieers an,
threatened violence Of Southern mob, hci
| people stood firm in their determination Il
maintain the Federal Consultations and th'
Union OF states existing under L. In th'
second and last election il Tennessee aPer
this question, on the sth Of june, 1851, oul
of an aggregate vote Of about 4s,0Oo IL
East Tennessee, only l4,700 votes wcr'
polled 10 favor Of Separation, and many o
these werc the illegal votea Of rebel soldiers
and, even after the pretended ordinances o
separation had been passed and formally
announced, the loyal people Of East Ton
nessoe, through convention 81 their dele
gatcs NJ GreeuesilIe, Tenn. On the seth q
June, 1861, unanimously received. Thal
the action Of our State Legislature In pasz
Ing the sn-naIled Declaration o. Ihdepsn
depee, and IN hrmlng the Military Ieagae
with the Confederate Siates. and ID adept
Ing other acts looking 10 separation II IL,
Stats Of Tennessee from the aorernsaent o
the United States j. untonstisntiopaI kns
Illegal. and. hsretoEe, net binding upo.
as ~ loyal ciilzeaA'
But the trusted leaders Of che pespls Ii
the Middle and wsssera Isivisioas &c III