Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-05-01
Shoot Down the Negroes.
Confession In Court.

The following official record published in the
Nashville Dispatch, of October 4th 1865, Copper
head organ shows the character of Etherdge in its
true light, and the platform on which he stood,
scarcely seventeen months since, and eight months
after the loyal people OF Tennessee had established
State Government under W. 6. Brownlow.
From the Nashville Dispatch, Oct. =, 1865.
We have already announced that the trial of Hon.
Emerson Etberidge is in progress at Columbus,
Kentucky. The following is a COPY of the charges
and specifications under which he is being tried 1:
CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS FREFERREp AGAINST
EMERSON ETHERIDGE, CITIZEN OF THE STATE
OF TENNESSEE
Charge 1. Encouraging resistance 10 the enforce
ment Of the laws.
Specification l. In this, that on or about the LIST
day Of July 1865, at the town of Dresden Weak
ley county, Tenn, Emerson Btheridge citizen of
the State Of Tennessee present al a public as
sembly and acted and united with other disloyal
men in publishing and adopting the following trea-
sonable and insurrectionary resolutions, to-wit
AND, WHEREAS, during the early part Of the
present year, (ls65), few desperate political and
pecuniary adventurers," (meanng thereby the loyal
and lawful constitutional convention of the State of
Tennessee), "assembled mainly from the military
camps in and out Of the State OF Tennessee met in
the city of Nashville and inside the Notifications
which had been erected by the Federal Govern
ment profssscdly for the purpose of maintaining
and eaforc'ng the laws; and whereas, said persons
so assembled, fraudulenty and without the knowl-
edge and consent of Of the peo-
pie Of said State then and there proceeded to sub
vert and abolish the most important provisions Of
the Constitution of the State, (incuding the main
provisions Of the Bill Of Rights, which except
cd out Of the general powers Of envnrnpn4n.l.
whoreas William G. BrownlOw since that tune nAs
usurped the Office of Governor Of said state, AnI
senators and Representatives in the Legislature
and claiming 10 be the General Assembly OF said
State have declared themselves permanent DOoy
mil October 1867; although the constitution anu
- g soid state in full force fer more than thirty
ers nroyide for an election for Governor and Leg
T,l.tnre the first Thursday in August 1881 anoi
whereas. said pretended Legislature have pTomul-
GATED certain illegal, unconstitutional IeFoiu.on-
srv and desnotic DEGREES in the form oil statutory
Ioy,s and its uembers are now Boosting that tney
can successfully invoke the military power Oh 1no
Tnied States 10 enforce these pretended laws upon
the loyal people Of the State without tneir conseh'
in opposition 10 their wishes and IN pAlPaDi %
ton Of the laws Of the United otates anu 'he N'0
Of Tennessee; therefore
Resolved That the persons composing ael9 sei.l
constituted convention ana Legisseure5 ouo sal~
Brownlow in the judgment OF the Union men oOii-
,osing this meeting are scarcely less trcUsoha0'e
oIt,;o,ar,, and lawless than we're the organized
authors and instigstors Of the rebellion aao tnat
bonld tho Federal Government use the army, placed
nder It's control for the sole purpose OF suPpressine
tbo ebellion ia aid Of these USupers ioho hGUe s'0
1Ssy az ,rertLro,c Of the constitution and tdt7
~ ~ Ctafs then and in that event, the fe1efa
Government will have met bold rebellion py
oowardly usurpation, and will have sahcuneo W
treason Of the rebels by the dastardy despotsm IN
Tbs said Emerson Etheridge and his disloysl as
sostes thereby endeavoring TO bring reproaeh lpoi
the State and national Government TO create anlonl
tho people rebelous and revolutionary spiri9 an'
70 invite them 10 armed resistance 10 tne en'"'0
s.C;scston In this that at the time and plac
bersin below written, Emerson Btherldge, cltlze
of the State of Tennessee, did write and FORWARD
communication of which the following Is an e1trae
to-wt: - m NJ,
Fso Union City-These things alone Jaw, oioe
ETC. ETC. can bring us Gn Old td'h'oHed Fe ,,
Jtly and when that period does come we w VA =
sure, be much happier than we now sre Win no -
but force and no semblance of civil governmen
State or Federal, but usurpation enforced oy u
bsyOnets Of negroes
uEMERsoE ETHERIDeE.'
Charge II. Incising sedtion and lnsurrecIion.
Snsciscation l. In this that Emerson Etheridg
citizen Of Tennessee, when addressing AZ ..
semblv Of citizens at Trenton, tennessee On the 81
dav az July, 1865, made use Of ineendiary ana
esnmatory language in words substantially as K
lows, to-wit; -, -, .,,,;r
.dbvt be nresent bogus Legislature, meaning thei
~ AZ lolal and lawful Legislature Of the State
.nnesseel come around 10 collect taxes, shoot the
49, INIT dop't tell any one told you 10 do IT.
Specification 2 In this that Emerson btherlul
citizen. when engaged in haranguing a mass me
inc of the citizens at Trenton, tennessee on
IA aav Of July ls65, made use Of ineendiary
disloysl language in words substantially as ioii0'
to-wit: ~ -,
aThe negroes are nc more free than they W.
forty wears ago and If any one goes about me COZ
~ toilioq them that they are free, shoot him 3
these negro troops commanded by low ana oegf
ca white men. going through the country ougnt
he shot down The said Emerson Etherlogetn e
by publicly melting and urging the people 70 sri
resistance 10 law, 10 renewed acts OF bottiHy "
government, and attempting TO bring disgrace up
the United States army. -,
Specification 3. In this, that Emerson Ethere
citizen, while violently harranguing large pno
assembly at Trenton Tennessee July Sd, 1882 ma
use of language in substance as follows
aJef Davis is q mean man, but can prove q
BrovnloW and johnson (meaning thereby w.
R-ovvnloyy. the honorable Governor Of Tenness
snS bis FYcellency Andrew johnson, President
4be Trpitad Sstesl are still meaner than he Is Ju
IA MS master for thirty pieces Of silver, but 10
son has sold himself for green backs, and Line
fneanins thereby the late President OF the Uni
Ststes) has deceived me (Btheridge) and he'd 10 n
The said Ftheridge thus attempting % incte
neople Of Tennessee 20 re-inauguTate revolution
bo6dshcd endeavoring 10 hold up 70 inianly
Chief Magistrate Of the nation, and even insult
the memory Of Abraham Lincoln, the laie lam
ed President u r IhSksIo
R-evet Lieut. Colonel Judge Advocate OF the
itary Division Of Tenn