Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-02-28
speclal Nashville Correspondents.
February 3

Mr.. EDITOR Il propose to give you few items
from the Capitol of State and the first shall be
in regard TO the weather. We have had cold snap
the coolest of the season for this region-it has
continued with undated force for days. The rigor
of it has been greater at the North than for years
II has DISTRACTED railroads delayed trains and block
AIDED rivers and canals The cold weather is general
throughout the West, Southwest at the North, and
in the East The thermometer has been ranging be-
low the freezing points, and meet who you WILL the
exclamation is, 1T is exceedingly cold"
A few words as to Nashville. Money matters are
tight and trade is dull all parties suffering from the
withdrawal of the paymasters, and their millions of
greenbacks. The worst is yet to come, and come it
must The developments in the several courts held
here this winter including the Supreme Court, shows
great deal of Indebtedness and no little insolvency
Let financial crash come and many will go by the
board now supposed to be capitalists. And come or
not the scarcity of money and the dullness of bust
ness will close out some. Rents too high; clerk
hire is exorbtant and living is costly beyond
ception.
The bill winding up the Bank of Tennessee and
Branches is law, authorizing the Governor to
nominate six Directors for confirmation by the SEN
ate, who shall elect President, Cashier and Clerk,
and appoint Attorneys in all the Districts. The
Governor has nominated sterling Board of loyal
men, who will put the institution through. The
bill provides that first of ALL the full amount of the
School Fund.- Sl,5OO,OOO, shall be secured. This
gives great ofense to that class of men who have
been buying up the issues of the Bank at rs and 80
per cent, expecting to realize fortunes The Legis-
ature is rght-let the poor children be taken care
Of who have been kept from school for five years by
the of the traitors who stole the school money
and went South living off of it, and specializing in
cotton.
bill has passed the Senate, and will doubtless
pass the House, increasing the salaries of Circuit
and Chancery Judges to $4,000, and that of the Su-
preme Judges to $500. This is as it should be,
and will secure the services of able and honest
The country and the Judges greatly indebted to
the Governor for this increase Of pay, for he has
fought for it noby from the day he was inaugurated
He found the Judges with the poor salary of ST. $780,
and he at once struck for higher wages for them
| The old readers of the WIG will recoect that he
has advocated this increase for years.
For at least week past, the doings of the minor
! ty in the House have been most disgraceful. They
have sought by revolutionary to defeat egis-
laton, and fifteen men of this cast have sought to
control forty,fre. Col Duggan, Mr.. Raulston and
Others have convinced the Speaker that he has power
to bring in absentees, but whether he will stag con-
cirsccd is the point The State Constitution, Art. 2
Sec IL, thus defines the power of the Senate and
House
"Two-thirds of each House shall constitute 8
quorum to do business; but smaller number may
adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized By
La,0 to compel the attendance Of absent members"
Producing this and other authorities from Parla-
mentary Law, brought forth the following warrant
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, !
Speakers Desk, February 10, 1866. !
To the Principal Doorkeeper Tor his Assistan) of thu
House Of Representatives Of the Sateof Tennessee
You, or either of you, are hereby commanded tc
bring causeto be brought to the bar Of this House
such of the following named absentees as you cs-
find
N. Brandon, of Stewart; Asa Faulkner, of War.
rem J. R. Hood of Hamilton; A. D. Mcks, Of
Dickson; G. NJ. Ordway, of Giles; w P. Scales, Of
Dyer; VIM. Simmons, of Franklin; A. 4. Steele
of Marshall; W. W. Willis, of Hawkins; A. R
Wynne, of Sumner; and Samuel P Walker, Of
Shelby.
Given under my hand and seal, the day and year
aforesaid. WILLIAM HEIsKELL,
CpeaheE VI Lie L. OI H.
Under this warrant the absences were arrested
and brought before the House, which brought the
House up to a quorum again. The Speaker dis.
charged them at once and two or three of them got
up and made dean speeches. and distinctly asserted
that they did not intend the franchise bill should
become law!
Wednesday afternoon, 2lst inst, there being
quorum Mr.. Blackburn offered the following;
Whereas, The following named persons, to-wit
James r. Hood, Of the county of Hamilton; A. E
Garrett, of Overflow A. r. Wynne, of Sumner
/ and William Simmons, of Franklin, have on divers
occasions shown the most utter contempt and disre-
spect to this House, and the State of Tennessee, by
absentng themselves without leave, for the purpose
of defeating important measure pending
before this body, and
Whereas, Such conduct is sedtlous and revolu-
tonary in its character, and dangerous to free Gov
ernment and is a contempt to the House. and disre
specful to the State of Tennessee therefore be il
/ ResoLUed That the aforesaid persons are hereby
declared expelled from this body, and their seats
vacant and that the Governor be requested to issue
| writs of election, to fill said vacancies.
| The mutineers left the House, and again reduced
/ it below quorum. A motion to issue a warrant
for their arrest was made but the Speaker refused
to entertain it-said members had a right to decide
the question of voting for themselves. The Speaker
has satisfied every candid man that he is with the
dsorganizers. So the affair stands to this day
| What is to come next predict. Since
writing the foregoing five Of the mutineers said
to have handed in their resignation which destroys
the quorum, and as these hope, and as their
rebel advisers hope, will dissolve the General As
.sembly. In this they will be sadly disappointed.
Nbo Pobo bos 4
1t large gathering, and it is safe to say two
thirds of all in attendance were rebels and rebel
sympathizers. They opened the ball at II o'clock,
and ad ourned sine die at clock. 1t was of short
duration, and is regarded a failure
| Hon. W. B. Stokes notified the audience, at the
| time of adjournment that he would speak to the
other side of the question at night large audience
turned out, and Stokes spoke for two hours making
| most telling speech. He reviewed the Convention
of the day, and exposed it with master hand, an
out and out rebel concern-said the rebels were at
their old tricks trying to bring another rebellion.
Look at this Convention They had made a Nc
| Clellan man President-they had opened their ex-
ercises with prayer by rebel preacher who had
been sent through the lines by Gen. Rosecrans
they had appointed man Secretary who had cast
the vote of Congressional District for JEFF. Davis
and Stephens They had no stars and stripes in
their Conventon-they made no mention of the mar
tyred Lincoln-they made no alusion to the United
States Army and Navy-they passed no eulogy upon
Gen. Thomas for saving this city-they had no good