Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-07
The Colfax Letter.

The letter of Gov. Brownlow to Speaker Colfax.
having been alluded TO in the telegrsphc dispatches
from Washington, and the Governor having been
represented as in opposition to the Tennessee dele
CATION taking their seats in Congress he has sent
here, for publication copy of the letter to Mr..
Colfax:
NASHVILLE, Jan. Is 1866
The Hon. SehlyLer Collar:
DEAR Sra: Your lettsr of the 9Th inst uos re-
eeived last evening, and am glad to have an op-
portuny to set myself right as it regards the ad-
noisslen OF the Tennessee delegation % their seats
You understand incorrectly, and represent meprop-
er1y i ana decidedly IN favor Of admitting the Tea
nessee delegation, and have expressed myself to
In all my private and published letters as well az in
| my messages to the Legislature.
tennessee occupies different and better position
than any of the States that participated in the
seifieni and her Representatives should not be
placed on the Same footing with those of Virgins
the Careiinas, Alabama Georgia, Florida, Missk-
sipp, &c. Tennessee amended her Constitution, de-
eared her slaves free elected loyal Governor and
Legislature under the administration of the lament
Cd Lincoln; and as a tribute TO his memory the
sssse ought TO be restored 10 the Union. The Ten
nssee eeiegates whole, are loyal, can take the
neRzspsd oath, and would, if in their seats add to
tie strength of the Union party. Tennessee was
allowed TO furnish the candidate for the Vice Pres
idency on the Republican ticket, and now furnishes
the PRESIDENT Tennessee continued to be partially
represented In both branches Of Congress for two
years after the war was commenced, aud she fur
nlshed In all 81, e09 soldiers for the Union armies
The Tennessee Representative ought to be admit-
ted as an act of justice 10 the loyal Tennessesaus
who stood by the country all through the rebellion
as tribute to the joint labors of Messrs. Lincoln
and johnson in restoring the State TO the Unien.-
Finally they ought to be admitted as a means Of
preventing rupture between Congress and tbs
President, which, for the sake of the country ough
to be avoided The President ought to be satisfied
with the admission Of the Tennessee delegation K
their seats, and have no doubt would be-
Standing upon different footing altogether, il
does not follow that If the Tennessesans are admit
ted, the Representatives from other States lately
rebellion must come in also. Not man South O
Tennessee should be admitted until those States man
est less of the spirit of rebellion, and elect NOR
loyal set of men, and men who can take the Con
gressional test OATH which few of those elected cal
If the removal of the Federal troop. from Ten
nesses must necessarily follow upon the adm ssioAo
our Congressional delegation to their seats, VIII,
then, and in that case, the loyal men of Tennesse
beg to be without representatives in Congress Blu
our members can be admitted, and military fore
retained sufficient to govern and control the rebel
lious. tell you, and through you all whom it ma,
concern, that without law to disfranehise rebels
and force to carry out the provisions of that law
terrible state of affairs is bound to follow Upio,
men will be driven from the State forced to sacri
Ace what they have, and seek homes elsewhere. AM
yet Tennessee is in much better condition than an
of the other revolted States, and affords stronge
loyal population.
Those who suppose the South is reconstructed
and that her people cheerfuy accept the results o
the war; are fearfully deceived. The whole Soutl
is full of the spirit of the rebellion, and the peopl
are growing more bitter and insolent every dav.-
Rebel newspapers are spnngng up all over tn
South, and speaking ouSfn terms of bitterness an,
reproach against the Government of the United
States. These papers lead the people, and at tn
same time reflect their sentiments and feelings o
the tscen-ons papers in Tennessee fourteen are de
cidedly rebel, outspoken and undisguised, some o
them pretending to scquesce in the existing state
affairs. In all the vacancies occurring in our Leg
islature even with franchise law in force witt
few exceptions, rebels invariably returned an(
In some instances rebel officers limping from wound
received in battle, fighting against the United State
forces And yet, tell you that Tennessee is in
better condition than any other revolted State
Others will give you more favorable account;
cannot in Justice TO myself and the truth. thinl
1 know the Southern people. 1 have lived fifty
eight years in the South of choice and two at tn
North Of necessity.
have the honor to be, very truly, etc,
W. q. BRowELoW,
Governor etc.