Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-09-19
The two Conventions.

The grandest Convention which ever assembled
on this continent save that of l776 when ndepend-
encs was proclaimedl was the Convention of the
laval men of the South which assembled in Phila-
delpbia On the Sd inst. The official proceedings of
this Convention published in last weeks paper
In this issue we publish a lengthy and interesting
SYNOPSIS of the same in the form Of letter from
Gov Brownlow. The grand Address of the Con-
vention to the loyal millions of the Republic, the
eloquent and able speeches of such patriots Ham
ilton, Bolts and Durant, unanswerable argu-
ments against the insane and reasonable policy Of
Andrew johnson. As might be expected, the ad-
vocates of A. johnson attempt 10 parry the deadly
blow of the proceedings of this Convention against
Ny Policy" by resort 10 vulga: invective and
defamation. Conscious of criminality and pur-
pose hostile TO Freedom and Nationality, their
only defense is in SANDER and vituperation. The
chief stock in trade of the Johnsonites is denuncia
ton Of this Convention, because Fred Douglass, a
colored man, was in Philadelphia during its session.
He icas not member Of the Coarcatio, and took no
part in lis proceedings; but because he in the
city, and made an able Union speech, the cry is
heard of "nigger convention niger equality ="
and the like The people of East Tennessee will
not be longer frightened by this silly, rebel talk
We do not propose to enter into defense of the
Union party against the charge of Niger equali-
ty." We have no hesitation in declaring that we
would sooner give the negro equal rights before the
law, to being made the slaves of the traitors of the
South under the lead Of Andrew johnson.
Our purpose in this article was to draw parallel
or make a comparison between the loyal convention
Of the Sd inst, and the vile copperhead concave of
the l4th of August, which assembled to endorse
Andrew johnson. The carrion crows who talk pol
itics streets, have great deal TO say about
Fred Douglass marching arm-n-arm in Union
procession in Philadelphia with Theodore Tilton, a
Northern man who was not member of the South
ern Loyalist's Convention. Now, what spectacle
is presented the loyal Of the nation in the her
maphrodite johnson concern of the lith of August,
which the Copperheads of East Tennessee propose
endorsing to-day in this city.
We see General Dick Taylor of Louisiana, a del
egste TO this Convention. 4 wretch who in 1861,
as Colonel of regiment ordered the Union flags in
East Tennessee to be taken down before tic State
seeded. he didn't march into the convention "arm-
in-srm' with Massachusetts, but here is something
be did do There were seven Union men in Louis
lana who escaped through Dick Taylors lines and
enlisted in the sth Vermont regiment as Federal
soldiers, after which they were captured in battle
by Dick Taylor's command, tried by his court mar
tsl and sentenced to be shot TO death Dick Taylor
having the execution of the sentence, ordered them
first 10 dig their graves-one sufficient TO con-
tain four men, the other 10 contain three In these
two holes they stood up and were shot by Dick
Taylors rebels"
Is there loyal man in East Tennessee who would
not as soon see Fred Douglass the loyal black man,
invested with civil rights Dick Taylor? Is there
loyal man who will favor party which frater-
nizes with Dick Taylor because some Union men
fraternize with Fred Douglass.