Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-20
The Ninth Of February, 1861.

On the 9th of February, 1861, the pcopl,
of East Tennessee decided, by Il majority o
thirty thousand, against holding convcn
ton and against rebellion, The State de-
cidcd the same question inthc same way by
a majority of near sixty thousand. This
vote, for few brief weeks, discomiited The
traitors Of the State They trcmblcd be-
fore tho mighty storm Of popular indgna'
ton. But their silence was of no long du.
ration. The echoes of traitor artillery at
Charleston, fired at Fort Sumter, rekndled
the hopes of treason within them. Ii was
music to their ears, and brought gadnoss
to their hearts 1t announced diShoaOr TO
our flag and country, The head traitor,
Harris, and all the little traitors in Nash.
willie, Memphis and Knoxville, were filled
with joy GOV, Harris again called his obe-
dient Legislature together, But they re-
mcmbered the 9th of February, and feared
the people, BY legislative enactment they
passed an ordinance Of Secession; in othcr
words, a Legislative body, elected nearly
twelve months before assumed the functions
of convention Dccency required that
they should submit their action to the peo-
pie for their ratification. In the meantime
Harris and his co-trators had formed a
Military League" with the rebels of the
cotton States, and transferred the State to
the so-caled Southern Coniedcracy. But
for fear the people might not ratify all they
had done at the ballot-box on the Sth Of
June, the day fixed for the votc they appro-
priated five millions of money to be used in
raising, arming and equiping an army of
twenty five Thousand men. Major Generals,
Brigadcr Generals, Quartermastcrs and
Commissarics were appointed by the dozen,
Many Of them were selected from among
Union men, (and some from among the
members Of the LEGISLATURE who accepted
the bribc, and hcnceforth became traitors.
The organization of the army ut once com
mouced From that hour all free speech
was gone, in all parts of the State, save in
East Tennessee. In Nashville, Bell, Brown
Foote, the Ewings-in word, ali our lead
ers either suddenly turned traitors, or qui-
city bowed to the storm. The press gave
way also, and there was one universal reign
of terror all over the State, always except
ing our mountain-girt region Here, al
though they raised regiments and compa-
nies in nearly every county, and excited
mobs Of armed rutlians to murder Union
men; and although Il constant stream Of
outlaws and desperadoes, in the form Of sol
dicrs, from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and
other rebel States, passed along our rail
road, both night and day, on their way to
Virginia, and were turned loose on our citi-
zcns at each town and depot, yet the great
body Of our people, God bless them, stood
FIRM. Here, the people attended the public
discussions with their arms in their hands,
and openly dcfcd tho monstrous enemies of
free government and of mankind. First
Henry, then Foote and House, and lastly
Bell, all old and trusted leaders, were gra-
ciousy sent by the traitors Of Nashville in
to East Tennessee to cnlightCn our minds
and open our eyes to the newly discovered
beauties Of treason. We spurned their
counsel, and sent them back, mortified in
their pride, and ashamed of their impu-
dencc. Our own public speakers, Johnson,
Nelson, Nctherland, Maynard, Baxter,
Trgg, Fleming, and others, mantully braved
the storm, and everywhere boldly denounc-
ed traitors and treason. The people stood
firm, and thirty-three thousand out of forty
seven cnshrined Their names in immortal
honor. The balance of the State with Il
few exceptions, wavercd gave way, and
stained their names with undying infamy as
Traitors