Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-07
4 REVIEW OF PARSON BROwNLOW,s
SPEECH BY ONE WELL IN
FORMED

SPEbSh BE ONE WE'LL IN
FORMED.
Under the above caption, a correspondent
Of the Cincinnati Commercial, over the sig
nature of "EAsT TENNESSEE FEDERAL Sol
DIER," reviews the recent speech of our
Governor in very caustic manner. We
commend the following extract to the calm
consideration Of all order-loving people:
And now let us examine the causes which
have been at work to transform this kissing
Judas blaspheming Peter. No sooner did
Brownlow feel the reins Of Government
surely in his hands than he commenced the
narrow, insane and signally short-sighted
prostitution of power 10 the accomplishment
Of selfish aims and personal revenge. So
completely has he unmarked himself and
shown his clovel foot, that among the l50,-
600 voters Of Tennessee he has comparatively
no supporters exclusive Of his own ap-
pointees and benefciaries. OF the voters,
10000 at least have been loyal throughout
to the Government Of the United States, and
yet this self-appointed exponent of Tennes-
see loyalty proclaimed: There is but one
God and Mahomet Nv. G. Brownlow) is his
Prophet" lie exhibits his own narrow
standard when he attributes 10 President
johnson "the test Of loyalty" quoted above,
and to-day, in Tennessee, every one is de-
nOunced by the Governor and his friends as
a "Rebe" who is unwilling TO join him in
his work Of traducing the character Of their
mother State, aud reducing her TO the condi-
ton Of conquered territory"
Brownlow sees beyond doubt that his
folly has completely destroyed any hope Of
his ever again receiving one tithe Of the
votes Of Tennessee, and that 50 far as the
people are concerned he is hopelessly dead.
lie also thinks that in the dominant party
in Congress, he will find a means by which
he can secure still longer hold upon the
government Of Tennessee These are the
reasons which have made him discord all
his past obligations, his labored scriptural
defense Of slarcy against Prime, which the
public have not forgotten, and now welcome
to his embrace that monster of hideous
micn," Charles Sumner, in denunciations
Of whom his record is behind none in the
land. lie would have Congress believe that
Tennessee is to-day "more rebellious than
when Lee surrendered"-why? Because he
hopes 10 bully his Legislature into the dis
franchisement Of every one Of the citizens
appointed by him shall permit 10 exercise
the elective franchise because he hopes to
obtain the continuation of the military in
Tennessee, and through their agency, drive
from the polls every one who will not vote
for him; and in the failureof all these plans
30 put his foot upon the necks Of the people
Of his own State, he may still further pan
der 10 the Radicals in Congress, and seek TO
L. Gf,f, q q e
quered province, and receive at the hands
Of Congress the appointment as Military
Governor Of Tennessee during the term Of
his natural life" To these ends he has de-
voted himself; for these thirty pieces Of
silver he has betrayed the good people Of
Tennessee; for the "mess Of pottage" he
has sold his birth-right, and has engaged
himself 20 the enemies not only Of his own
State but Of the whole Union.
The statements made by Brownlow, in re-
gard 20 the Freedmen's Bureau bill having
been submitted by Gems Howard and Fisk
to the President, and having received his
cordial approval, hae been taken by him
from the New York Tribune and told TO
the loyal people Of East Tennessee with no
other aim than TO destroy the confidence they
cherish towards their chosen leader. This
statement has been publicly and privately
denied by Maj. Gen. Howard, and is untrue
in every particular. From the fact that
Gen. Fisk is in charge Of the Freedmen's
Bureau, and is necessarily thrown much in
contact with the Governor of Tennessee, the
lattcr's statements in regard to the conver-
sation, convey the impression that General
Fisk was his authority for the secrets thus
impaired TO the public Gen. Fisk ewes it
10 himself and to the President to contra
dict the statement, as Maj. Gen. Howard has
done in Washington, and l have no doubt,
when his attention is called TO the matter,
he will unhesitatmgly do so.
The resignation Of the twenty-one mem
bers of the Tennessee Legislature, to which
the Governor Of Tennessee refers, was the
result Of his own intrigues and was the only
means left 10 them for frustrating the
schemes of legislation 10 which ] have al
ready referred, and which constitute an es-
sential feature in Brownlow's plan for Sc
curing the possession of power in Tennessee.
Many of these members, now resigning,
have as loyal a record as any man in Ten
nessee or elsewhere, and have been certainly
actuated by no personal motives in their
course. Yet these men are rebels" be-
cause they are not willing TO sacrifice prin-
ciples and honesty at the altar OF political
preferment.
The plans (which have thus exposed) to
subject the people of Tennessee to the rule
of these Adventures are so startling in their
details, and so unparalleled in political his
tory as to appear beyord belief TO those un-
acquainted with the truth; but ! am not
only confident Of the truth of all that l
have asserted, but Of the fact that the peo-
pie of Tennessee know these things and will
act accordingly.
would have been glad to have been
able TO state the case with more mildness,
but could not have done so and at the
same time been consistent with the truth.
Many OF your German population will
probably look TO Tennessee "a new and
profitable field OF industry and enterprise,
and the nets are already set TO ensnare them
into n support Of the Radical faction in the
accomplishment Of their own ends but |
trust all such will look calmly at the mat
ter Tor themselves, and not suffer them
selves 20 be mislcd by the interested mis-
representations Of those men who have
determined to "rule or ruin one Of the
iairest States in the Union.