The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-07-17
Tennessee and Brownlow.

HSUuCSS0S duV OIUWH1OW.
The New York World is photographing
Tennessee since the surrender The
reader familiar with the history of the
last two or three years will readily re-
cognize the truthfnlness of the picture
from the few glimpses furnished below:
A month or two prior to the surrender
in 1865, under the auspices of this military
government, convention of The people
was called to re-organize civil govern
mcnt; and under an amended constitu-
tion-the chief of the new features being
the formal abolition and prohibition OF
slavery-the people elected q Governor
and Legislature. Simultaneous with the
Inauguration of this government was the
surrender at Appomattox Court House,
and in the course of q few weeks, the citi-
zens of the State who had been absent in
the rebel armies, and in other ways had
become participants in the act of rebellion,
returned. The men composing this new
government were for the most part OBJ
scure and illiterate. filled in many instan-
ces with,the bad passions engendered by
four years OF neighborhood strife, and
some of them rare types Of villany during
the war Of its head. nothing need be
mentioned but his namc-Brownlow. 1t
is the synonym Of personal and political
.infamy: The wretch, before the war; was
notorious as Il political SLAM gwhanger, who
dsgraced the pulpit from which he pro
fessed to teacil. There was not decent
man in the church, or political party to
which he was attached, that did not know
hin for low-minded, impudent charla-
tan. He was then barely tolerated but
he was the hlthiest Of the scum that rose
to the surface in the civil war. The posi-
ton he has attained seems to have inten-
sified all the meaner and more malignant
qualities of his nature. 1t is very severe,
but it is really almost just to say that the
large majority of the Legislature were
fit associates and instruments OF this mis-
erabe creatures ambition and. the citi-
zens of Tennessee (Union men and rebels
alike) have been misgcverned by this
scoundrel and his faction ever since. Un-
der them, speculation Of the public funds
have. rivallcd robbery of the people by
taxation, until the State is on the verge
Of bankruptcy, and the people are impov-
erished and enervated by despair at the
wretchedness in which they wallow.-
Good men have been prescribed from Of:
fee, tyrannically thrust out, if. by chance
they were in, ctfectually excluded by u
franchise law which intends to permit
none but the myrmidons and ictainers OF
this oligarchy OF both colors to vote
Felons of the blackest dye have been par
doned, and crime opsnly advised and pa
tronized by official proclamations. This
faction utterly destitute Of political prin-
ciples, perhaps too igforunt to compre-
bend them, and certainly too deprayed to
abide them, if an opportunity were offered
to sell themselves for office, have placed
themselves under the control of-the Radi
cal leaders, who are manipulating the
Southern territory for "dccisive and
trustworthy (Republican) majorities" in
the Presidential election of next year.
They are liberally supplied with money
by the Loyal Leagues of the Northern
States, and are using it through oath
bound agencies of the same kind in that
State, and through the Freedmen's Bu-
reau. They have organized loyal
militia to harrass, Cypress and terrify the
people from the polls, and by every des-
perate and high-handed measure that po-
iiticu knavery is master Of. are sesEIns
to make sure their own tenure OF office,
and do the will of their masters at Wash
ington.