Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-05-01
From the Mountains.

,
Gently returned from the forests and crags Of
Cumberland Mountain, SO long stronghold offree-
dom and an eye-sore to the JEFF. Davis power, may
have some interest to your readers in view Of the
approaching Gubernatorial contest. No one who
has Travelled through the mountain counties can for
get the simple, rough brave and earnest spirit of
the people evidenced by the alacrity wish which
they grasped their deer rifles and abandoned their
cabins to ford swollen streams and climb rugged
mountains in search Of the old flag during the war,
or the generous hospitality with which they share
with the stranger their last rations Of cornbread,
pork and venison.
A months sojourn in the various portions Of the
mountains enable me to speak with confidence of
their prospects in the coming election, and 70 be
brief they will vote as they fought slowly but sure
~ These war swept ridges recovering from
the effects of rebel mis-rule. The pillow once more
turns the furrow, and the kline fill the barn-yard,
and the pork and meal formerly hidden in the pit
and under the brushheap, for fear of rebel thieves
are restored to kitchen and smoke-house Money
is even much scarcer than year ago, as what lit
tie there was in the county has been largely drawn
out to pay for TOOLS groceries and other things of
which the country was almost entirely bare at the
conclusion Of the war; still there is manifest i'm
provement in the condition of the people during
the last twelve months.
Owing to the infreqzency and slowness of mails
and other communication in the mountains the two
great questions of the hour the enfranchisement of
the negro and the military BILL had not been so full
y discussed in thckly settled localities, but
the people viii show by their vote in August that
they see nothing unconstitutional or unwise in re-
pressing rebel violence or intimidation by the bay
onets of loyal militia, outHanking possible rebel
msiorites by the intelligent vote of loyal colored
men
As was well remarked by Judge HOul;, in one of
his spirited and stirring addresses, delivered recent
Iy to the people of Cumberland county the rebel
conservative orators, men who already in the val
ley counties, where the negro vote is large, are Ia
boring TO persuade black men that they will be
their BEST friends in the future, although they have
been their worst enemies in the past will, when
they reach the mountain counties do some most
frantic shrieking against niger equality" and
endeavOr in every manner to arouse the prejudices
of the mountain men against Sambo and the Radi-
Gals. It's of no use gentlemen, you may well
save your breath. The men of the mountains fought
too long and suffered too much ever to be drawn
into the support of the galvanized corpse of the re-
belliOn they helped to kill.
In Morgan county few leading men of some
influence are working for the Conservative cause,
but the county will be all right. Cumberland is
practically unit for the Radical cause. And as for
Scott the fact that only for few days. during the
war, did the rebel flag Goat within its borders is
sufficient guarantee as to where the county will be
found in the election. A Conservative could not
breathe long in Scott, the mountain breezes that
sweep among the groves of pine and cedar too
radically pure and clear, and bracing for rebel
lungs, asphyxia would inevitably result.
Time demonstrates the wisdom of the nomina-
ton of Gov. Brownlow. He lives in the hearts of
true Radicals spite of all jealousy and personal Bit
terness growing out of old party ties the embodi
ment of reliable and unhinchng loyalty, of vigOr
Gus progress in the cause of right and unyielding
frmness alike against the fierce assaults and the
nsidious overtures of treason. The old man res
olute will, when the mountain ballots counted,
have no cause TO fear that his friends have forgot
ten him. The most cheering feature of the poti
cal situation is the buoyant hope end confidence
which inspire the Union party and the correspond
ing detection and Generalization pervading the op
position ranks. They feel that they are fighting
lost fight and the victory of August next, bids fair
to be not like the hercely contested advance of
Grant on Richmond but more to resemble the great
triumphal pageant when Sherman marched down
to the sea. But we must not be over confident
The spirit of rebellion is an energetic and vgilant
one. The night is never too dark, the road too
rough or the torrent too high for rebel to be out
if there is any chance of beneftting his party
L. a. ill
we, realize that we are voting not simply between
Brownlow and Etheridge but TO decide whether
loyalty shall retain or conservatism welded to re-
bellion succeed in grasping the rens ofgovernment
in Tennessee The provisions of our Franchise
law unfortunately do not exclude all rebels from
the ballot-box and there are rebel portions of the
State where every effort will be made by fraud, and
If practicable, intimidation and force to keep out
loyal votes, and stuff the ballot-box with the tick
cts of disfranchised rebels. To override Conserva-
tive naaiortea in portions Of the State, loyal men
everywhere should put forth every effort see that
every ote is polled and in the language of Chief
Justice Chase, then Secretary count every ballot
bullet Let us not lose our glorious opportunity or
Kermit the result to be weakened by inaction or
overconfdence.
The Wine is a welcome though sometimes q tar
DIV visitor in the mountains. and its manly and de-
ejded course do not fail of appreciation by the
people.
In Scott county and afterwards in Campbell,
I met Captain Silas l.. Chambers, recruiting for
his company for the lst State Guard Regiment
He was in high spirits and meeting will every sue
cess in his enlistments. Descending the mountain
in coming from Scott to Campbell 8 week ago the
spring seemed to have advanced month in twenty
four hours On the mountain as yet there was no
sign Of verdure except the pines and other ever
greens while the fields and woods of the valley are
blooming with green.
Hon Horace Maynard was at Jacksboro attend
ing court and at the last of the week Gen. Joseph
A. Cooper paid his old friends brief visit
Campbell county is sound on the Radical ques-
ton as will be proyenin August. As for Anderson
II is only necessary to mention her record during
the war in the course OF which she sent more men
into the Union army than there ever we're at any
one time voters within her limits. Anderson viii
be on the right side with great emphasis during the
coming struggle Here at Clinton We feel quite
metropolitan IN consequence Of daily railroad com
municaton with Knoxville, though the only recent
internal improvements we can boast with the ex-
eension of those connected with the railroad, are
some much needed repairs TO the court house and
the closing of the whisky shops in consequence OF
the Internal Revenue Law. Bot we hope for bris-
ker times when some capitalist shall avail himself
Of the opportunities offered for profitable invest
neh' IN eoai, iron and lumber We should be GLAD 10
sse again any or all Of our Knoxville friends who
iAVored as With flying visit last New Years day
on the occasion of the celebration Of the opening Of
the road to this point when the iron horse trod for
the first time the north bank of the Clnob .nd IN