Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-05-02
THE KNOXVILLE WHIG
Knoxville, Tenn, May 2, 1866.
From the Nashville Press and Times
Seven JOnahS Overheard.

DCbCH JOHduS
Babylon has fallen, and so have seven more bolt
ers, alias Little Rebels" The Committee on Elec-
tions yesterday reported on the cases of Walker,
Poston, Brandon, Bedsoe, Wynne, Simmons and
Faulkner and recommended their admission to seats
in the House by a majority of one 4 minority re-
port made characerzing the course of the bolt
revolutionary and subversive of the State Gov
ernment, and recommending their rejection. Messrs.
Mullins and Raulston led off in the morning against
the majority report, and excorated the boilers in
vigorous terms. They denounced them seditiOn-
lists and rebels who unfit TO participate in the
legislation Of Tennessee.
Mr.. Brown of Madison, new member followed
in an ingenious and rather sophistical speech, in
which he said that he would examine the right Of
the House to reject the boilers legal question:
Boiling ofense by either law or Constitu-
zion. If the boilers came with proper credentials
the House could net 90 behind them, and if JEFF.
Davis himself had been elected 10 this Legislature
according to law and had offered the proper creden-
tials, he would have had right TO his seat. He de-
MED that the boers had stopped the wheels of
government, because there were eighty-four men,
bers belonging TO the House. and ffty-siX made a
quorum, while there were but twenty-one boilers
Mr. Mullins arose and asked if the House had not
been reduced by sickness, death and other causes
when boiling occurred, so that the boiling left the
House without a quorum. The member from Mad
ison was silent. Nr Num- new member from
Haywood made few vigorous remarks in reply to
the member from Madison. He said the HOuse had
perfect right TO protect itself from dsorganizaton
1t would be poor miserable body if it had not
The member from Madison said that Walker, PostOn
and other boilers could not be refused seats because
there was no clause in the Constitution which eI-
pressly said that they must not have seats. He IL
lustrated this point by anecdote of a topper who
told temperance lecturer that he could find moth
ing in the Bible TO prevent him from drinking liquor.
The topper presently tumbled into ditch, and cried
ustiy to the Temperance lecturer for help, but the
latter replied that be could find nothing in his Bible
which commanded him to pull him ont of the ditch.
It said that the boilers exercised constitution
al right but there ceuld be constitutional right
10 commit a wrong The example OF the thirteen
boltors, headed by Andrew johnson, was often quo
ted. He believed that act was wrong at the time,
and he reiterated his opinion now. But the Presi-
dent few days ago told the House that it had the
right TO kick man out If it did not want him, and
he preferred 10 act according to the Presidents
ripper Judgment and repel the disorganizers from
this hall. Let the counties which camor for repre-
sentation elect loyal men who will represent them
by consulting first the interest OF the General Gov
ernment; secondly, the interest of the State, and
thirdly, the interest of their respective counties.
Mr.. Smith, of Hardeman, followed in brief and
earnest speech, in which he made scathlng exposi-
ton of the course of several of the rebel organs of
Memphis, which had cordially sustained the boilers.
Every apostle of treason camored for the admission
Of the boilers.
Mr. Arnell said that he accepted the legal issue
made by the member from Madison. The election
wholly null and void on account of the violation of
the registration law. 1t not true that the boilers
resigned designations was a withdrawal for good
and sufficient reason but the boilers resigned for the
avowcd purpose of breaking up the Legislature
They violated the law of majorities which was at
the foundation of this Government They violated
the solemn contract which they had made with the
people to come here and legslste for the State Mr..
Arnell then read from Cushings work on parlia-
mentary law, showing that there were various per-
bod
quenty held sufficient to warrant the exclusion of
members, such dueng, bribery and other ofreR-
ses
What ofense was greater than an attempt TO break
up the Government? Revolution and secession
we're greater crimes than dueling or bribery. This
revolution of the boltcrs had cost the State some
fifty thousand dollars. No man resign and be
reelected for avowed revolutionary purposes, and
be received, if the House respects itself. Several
members called for the previous question at the con-
clusion of Mr.. Arnells remarks but it was voted
down. Mr.. Wines followed in few remarks, Sc
verey censuring the conduct of the boilers. Mr..
Martin new member from Jackson made an ear
nest appeal to the members TO bury the tomahawk
and admit, the boilers He thought they had no
right to exclude them. The rebellion was very
blOodless one.
Mr.. Shepherd new member from Hawkins said
that the big rebellion of 1861 the member from
Madison called if, the "nlGgnifcolst rebellion" did
not commence with bloodshed. This House would
do well TO arrest this little rebellion and punish IFS
prime movers before it resulted in bloodshed. The
vote taken on the majority report of the Com
mittee Elections accepting the boltersl which
was rejected by 10 to Is. The minority report ire
iecting the bolters) then passed by the same
vote, and seven members namely, Mcssrs Walker
Poston, Brandon Bledsoe, Wynne, Simmons and
Faulkner, were tossed overheard like so many Lu-
cifcrs to Fly dangling through the realms of peace
Never did factonists place themselves in a more
ridiculous and pitful attitude than the boilers have
done. They played their part with much cunning
and audscity for while but like all trcksters they
have fallen into their own trap, and now laugh
ing stock for the plain, honest patriotic, and God
fearing men who have outwitted them. The course
of the boilers has consolidated powerful moral
sentiment both in the State and out of it against
them and for the State Government, and the end is
not yet The boilers will find themselves in greater
odium year hence than they are now. Without
shadow of justification for their wicked course thew
had nearly involved the State in open civil war
when the cool heads and steady hands of the Gov
crnor and his friends smote them to the earth The
stumbling blocks of legislation being out of the
way the Legislature can now proceed TO regular
business. We heartily congratulate the people on
their auspcious deliverence from the plots Of the
factionists The Legislature is backed by the moral
sentiment Of the whole nation.