New-York daily tribune., 1865-07-17
TRNNEssEE-GOy. BROwNLOw.

has already appeared in our columns. IL only
serves to strengthen our conviction that tho
Governor and his political brethren have MADE
a very grave mistake, which will 60 nigh toI
proving fatal to them if they do not retrace
their steps. Here is Gn brief) their prcdica-
ment:
Tennessee in 1861 fell into the hands OF the
Rebels, who forced thousands OF her noble
Unionists into the ranks of their armies. Ihey
prosecuted, hunted, robbed, shot and hung'
until the Unionists whereof BrownlOw was one,
were driven to frenzy from which they have
not yet fully recovered.
To drive out the Rebel hsrde, the Unionists
were not above receiving assistance from any
quarter, even from negroes. These were
unanimously, devotedly Union; they were
ready to work or fight for the National cause:
and they have done both nobly. But, having
used them to drive out the Rebels, the White
Unionists, like Brownow. fancy they have no
further need of them, and kick them aside with
contempt Not merely are they denied the
Right of Suffrage by the Brownlow Constitu-
ton, but education and the right of giving
testimony are withheld from them, 40 that their
new condition is just better than Slavery and
that is all.
To balance this prescription and steady the
ship of state, the BrownlOw Constitution dis
franchises Rebels as well as Blacks. But this
notable device proves in practice an illusion.
The Rebels have returned by thousands from
the Rebel armies OF Lee, Johnston, Dick Taylor
and Kirby Smith, and they swear that they Will
not be disfranchised-th they will vote at the
point Of their Northumberland 80 they will.
A Rebel is not Enthusiastically diStinguishabe as
negro is-he is not accustomed to taking o
back seat and sitting quietly there-he goes
in on his muscle" and will not be kept out.
Gov. BrownlowS address is clear admission
of this. He says in it that he had hoped every.
thing would henceforth be peace and quietness,
but
lam compelled to announce serious apprehensons
that different order Of things is soon 10 be encount'
cred The harsngues Of aspiring politicians denounc.
ing the determination OF Slavery and the establishment
Of Free State Constitution, and the very existence oil
the Government which am called 10 preside, as
stutonal. spurious and usurpation; the con,
duet of numerous county Officers giving evidence Q,
their failure to perform their duties the holding of
numerous local elections in defiance Of law and tho IN
stalnent into Office of dsiranohised Rebels. proclaim
plainly TO be misunderstood. that the spirit OF lie,
beon and notification still exists and must be nei ana
defeated"
True, for you, ParSon every word true
Nay, more: those "dsiranchised Rebels will
continue to vote in spite Of your constitution and
your menaees, and they will ere long vote you
out of power and very possibly into exile or
the grave, if you persist in tho disranchisment
| of a full third OF the Unionists OF your State.
You are trying to make your egg stand on its
smaller end, which you can only do while it is
nicely upheld by Sufficiency Of bayonets. 1t
will be down on It's side and rolling all about,
before you know it.
The Parson deduces the authenticity and
validity of his constitution, not from the will of
majority of the People, as he easily might
if he had let all the UnonSts be counted
in, but from the right and duty OF the
Union to guarantee to every State re-
publican form of government"-an authority
which may be found moro sweeping than he
expects or desires. Says he:
constructing the Government OF the rebeous States
and that with just much force applied. Just snch
manner may be necessary when the nation entered
npon it's task for furnishing the people OF Tennessee
with republican form OF government. II had right
to present Just such particular form OF free govern.
ment most adapted to the condition OF the peo
pie and choose the means OF setting 1t on foot III
had chosen the Constitution Of Kentucky OF Maine
il is difhcut to what objection could have been
made on D1 IN S 20
tuition dyested only OF that feature which had caused
all our suongs and proceeded to present us with our
own abandoned ship of State clothed In Its own ancient
rigging II Is not for US 10 say there irreguar
ties in the mode the time Of setting the State Gov
ernment in motion II was for the national power In
performing its guarantees to choose oT tseI the man
ner and time OF dischsrgng its duty 1t chose orevive
the State Government through loyal people OF the
State-those who had proved themselves unworthy
OF free government 1t prescribed. throughits agent
its own plan of operations and had right TO do so
State Government is thus the GIT OF the nation ana
certainly in compliance with the obligation OF the Con
stuton guaranteed TO US as republican form OF gov
ernment
We do not care to quarrel with this logic;
but the Parson will yet discover that majority
of the People would have been convenient,
along with his omnipotent but not unchange-
able Federal authority.
He closes-and this is the gst of his address
as follows:
d" II Is said TO be cruel 10 re'lsc thei ne hoocJ .o
privilege of voting for few years. Magnanimty re-
Quires that they should go to the ballobox ana Win
bloody hands desst their ballot and by the force OF
bers seize the regns they have tried
sroy elevate their baed leaders to power renew their
persecution Of Union men, and at last have victory IN
the State East Tennessee with her thousand martyrs
remember Is again to come under the rule of such men
as Harris. or Cheaham or Bates or Pillow mere ap-
peDdage to Rebel Government and yet this VIII DC
the early result OF the repeal the failure OF the act to
limit the elective franchise
Having said this much by way OF friendly explana:
ton come 10 the principal object Of this address. and