Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-03-27
The Traitors, Outlaws, VagabOnds and
SCOundrels OF McMinn County.

In our last paper we stated that on the night of
the 18th inst, so-called Conservative meeting was
held in Athens, McMiAn county. The orator of the
occasion was q sCoUEDEEL and VILLAIN by the
name OF r. Mitchell Edwards, of Bradley county.
This meeting was moro reasonable and revolution
airy than any ever yet held in East Tennessee. In
our last Issue we commented in terms of severity
upon the author of the sentiments uttered at this
meeting and those who applauded him.
This preliminary statement we make for the in
formation of large number of persons who have
subscribed for the WIG during the past week. Since
the publication Of our last paper, we have received
full report Of the proceedings of this meeting from
entirely reliable sources. From the information re
had last week we felt authorized to denounce this
Athens asssmblage as INFAMOUS. From the infor-
nation we nom have we feel authorized 20 denounce
il as the most infamous exhibition of treason and
scoundrelism which has ever disgraced East Tennes
This is strong language, but it is not written
in passion or without mature elaboration. We
propose, in this article, to give statement OF the
dongs of this reasonable assemblage and the char
acter of its chief actors and feel confident that
every loyal man, who understands the facts, will
this .jayhat0ki1g Athens conclave.
CHARACTER OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MEETING.
This Athens mob was composed of original seces-
sionists and pretended Union men, the latter class
being the majority and that class Of Unionists who
supported Mcclellan and the Chicago platform,
(which declared the war for the suppression of re-
bellion A FAILURE) and denounced Lincoln and
every measure he adopted for the salvation Of the
country. The pretended Unionists Of the assem-
blage, who posed the major part of it, are in
anitey meaner than the other part and to-day moro
malignant in their hostility to loyal men than the
original secessonists. They are more dangerous to
the peace of the country than the rebels and should
therefore, be more despised than any other class.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE MEETING.
The individual who occupied this disgraceful po-
stion, was A. Blizzard prominent lawyer of East
Tennessee. Blizzard has heretofore been classed as
a decent Conservative; that is, a decent and law
abiding citizen. Nobody will thus class him here
after. In the last Presidential election, he was
Elector of this Congressional District on the Nc
Cellan ticket. He has been, and now is, on terms
of intimacy with his Accidency A. johnson, and
the drunken Senator from Tennessee, David 7. Pat
ltu SuO ldJbcI uo udS De6u
vately corresponding and through his (Blizzard's)
influence with Patterson, loyal man Whose father
had been murdered by the rebels was removed from
the Office of Post Master at Athens because he en-
dorsed the action of Congress. Billiards. loyalty
~ oozed out at the ends of his fingers when the
emancipation proclamation was Issued. To save
from emancipation an ashy little negro he would
start on BIondin's rope across the Niagara.
By High Lord Chancellor Blizzard, R. NJ Ed |
wards was introduced to the motley crew" as the
orator of the occasion.
THE ORATOR.
Edwards is lawyer by profession. He has been |
an Oficeb holder, having served in the Rebel Legis-
ature. He came to this city in 1862, and endeav-
pred to obtain command of o rebel regiment. Re-
garding him as an unreliable, unprincipled scoun-
irel, the rebels tabooed him, and refused to make
him Colonel. Failing to get into the rebel army as
Colonel, he went to Nashville, and Andrew John
son gave him authority TO recruit a regiment for the
Union army. At this time the loyalists were leav-
ng East Tennessee in large numbers, and soon Ed
wards Agents had nearly raised a regiment In
Justice to the brave and noble patriots who enlisted
We will state they were unacquanted with the char
'NNoA Vi euO VILLAIN WIN AOiu INC 10 re-
,ruit their regiment So base and infamous scoun-
lrol did Edwards prove himself to be, that Andrew
Johnson denounced him and refused to permit him
o be commissioned and mustered. President John
on frequently publicly denounced him. and nipped
n the bud his military aspirations.
Disappointed, soured, the scoundrel returned to
lis home, denOuncing Lincoln and the administra-
ion of the Government, and formed a law partner
hip with an ex-oficer of the rebel army.
THE SPEECH.
Having devoted as much space to giving biog-
Apply Of the unmtigated villain we deem proper,
We herewith give the material portion of his har-
Ingue.
Edwards urged the rebels to "resist the Military
oil, to wrench the guns from the hands of the mi
tits, and he would lead them" To "pay no atten-
ion TO the franchise law that L. wholly disregard
t. He denounced the Radical members of the
as THIEVES and vAGABoNDs"
These vile utterances were heartily spplautled by
be traitors, outlaws, vagsbonds and scounirels "
the Conservative ~ party who were present
Immediately after delivering this speech, the seon,,,
rel, Ed'0ards, left on the cars for his home But
or this he might have been roughly handled BY the
Union men, There were but half dozen lovalists
resent.
On learning (the morning after the speech was |
eivered) the character Of the seditious harangue.
he indignation manifested by the loyasts was such
nat the CoPperhesds denounced it, No one believes
hey were honest in their denuncaton. The sane
zen who denounced it on Saturday received it Oh
ridsy night with great applause. None of tbs
arty denounced it at the time. No resolution was
Introduced condemnDg Edwards reasonable utter. :
noes, and in denouncing them now, after applaud
g them, they are insincere-THEY LIE. The low c
lists Of McMinn are greatly in the majority and '
ecause of this, and their manifest indignation the
o2perheads concluded it safe and prudent to fegn .
Of Edwards reasonable utterances I
In conclusion, we have to say we rejoice that the
Of McMinn have shown their hands
10 regret that their hearts are bent on rebellion.
1t since such is the case we are glad to know it
ForewAr7ad is forearmedn We can no,O make our
ranger. as l0'derstandiagly
We c Jude with this prediction: When the =
ug Of ar comes the outlaws of McMinn will
annihiiRted, and they will have some other leader
an their orator of the 18th, who prohered to :,
lead them in rebellion and treason. We saw
Is because Mitch. Edwards is a LIAR vAaABoyp -
COWARD and a sCoUNDREL.
al
The Result i'm New Hampshire. 5
The first State election held this year. and the first
&c the passage Of the congressional reconstruction