Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-04-05
Civil Government In Tennessee. .Shall
IL be Recognized and Assisted?

\ new State Government will soon be Inaugural
ted in Tennessee and its fate and future are impor
tant not only to the people IF that State but also
to the whole country Since the secession of Ten
nessee from the Union, the people of that State have
been deprived of the protection Of law, and have
suffered all the evils Of anarchy except SO far as
they have been tempered by the exercise of military
authority. Until the capture of Nashville and
Memphis the forms Of civil government were main
tanned so far concerned the rebel population but
for the loyal people there was no law but that of
the mob and the bayonet; and since the complete
expulsion of the rebel State Government there has
been no law save that of the strongest
With Il view to restore the reign of law and to
protect 50 far as practicable the peaceably disposed
people Of Tennessee in the enjoyment of those civil
rights which are the acknowledged birthright of
American citizens, popular convention was held
in Nashville in January last, which proposed GER
tain amendments to the constitution Of Tennessee
the most important of which was the entire aboli-
ton of slavery The action of the convention was
submitted to vote of the people, and at the election
held on the I'D of February, the amendments were
adopted almost unanmousy-thc vote for them
reaching between thirty thousand and fifty thousand
The convention also nominated ticket for State
officers and legislature, and at another election,
held on the ith of the present month, the nominees
Of the convention were elected, the energetic and
patriotic Parson Brownlow being chosen Governor
of free Tennessee.
Of course the rebel population did not vote al
either of these elections, being shut out by an oath
of loyalty that they refused to take but, oath or
no oath, rebels have no business TO vote outside the
lines of the rebel army. The Union people did
vote, however and the question is now presented
to the loyal men Of the nation whether the Union
men of Tennessee, who have been faithful among
the taithcss, shall be sustained and supported
If tho Government Of the United States favors
and strengthens the movement inauguratcd by the
loyal population of Tennessee it will gain strength,
and gradually enforce the authority of the new CON
stitution and State government until it embraces
every portion Of the State and gives safety and
protection 10 the interests of the people
For ourselves, we have no hesitation in saving
that it is both the interest and true policy Of the
national government TO sustain the loyal men of
Tennessee in their efforts TO re-establish the State
Government. We should everywhere recognize the
Union men of the seeded States as the people of
the State ignoring the rebcous portion of the peo-
pie and conceding to them no political rights until
they return to their allegiance. This policy was
adopted in the case of West Virginia and with cx-
ccllcnt results The opposite course has been pur-
sued towards Louisiana, and, in Consequence Of IT,
the recognized State Government is weaker now
than il was when established
The chief obstacles in the way of successful es-
adjustment of civil government in the partially re-
covered insurrcctionary States are the Democratic
members of Congress who insist that that the rebels
" Wcll " inc lVydl people shall participate IN any
new State organization, and the extreme radical
persuasion who hold that the seeded States are out
IF the Union, and that they cannot come back with
put the aid of Congressional legislation If either
faction is permitted TO decide this question. the
prospect Of the people Of those States is gloomy in.
Iced. The theory adopted by the Democratic mem
jers of Congress renders any civil government i'm
possible while the plan Of the Radicals would post
bone for years that which is present necessity and
n the case Of Tennessee. we may add, present
light.