Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-07-25
The Historian of the War
in Tennessee.

The Historian of the War
in Tennessee.
From a letter by Mr.. Swinton
from Knoxville to the New York
Times, we make the following ex-
tracts:
"There is in Knoxville an old
man, who to all appearance, can
with literal truth say of Tennes-
see what Louis Qnatorze used to
say of himself and France: "The
State, It's I-Letolc'estmoi." This
old man is VIM. G. Brownlow,
Doctor of Divinity and Governor
of Tennessee. Conceiving that
one touches here the fountain-head
of Tennessee politics, such as
they are, / went with a friend
on Sunday to see his Reverend
Excellency.
"He describes Brownlow as an
cold man, cadaverous and paralyt-
ic, breathing forth, like another
Saul of Tarsus, threatenings and
slaughters. Involuntary, by some
secret sally of association, there
came to my mind, as | sat beside
him, the image of Lincoln and
the thought of that divine senti-
mentof his: "Malice toward none,
charity for all" and it seemed if
one should reverse the maxim to
charity for none, and malice to-
ward ALL" one would not have
bad epitome of Brownlow, as he
shows himself these latter days"
Brownlow estimates his own
majority at $4,000. Mr.. Swinton
inquired of him about the arrest
of Hickman and thinks the prop
err mode of investigating the facts
would be by a Civil Court:
"But," he says, con mentioning
this to Gov. Brownlow, | was as
tonished to learn from him that
he had changed his mind in this
regard; and is going to substitute
a military inquisition."
Brownlow gave him but little
satisfaction upon the cause of
DISTINGUISHING proclamations.
Mr.. Swinton says:
ssHe left me, however, in mo
doubt of his determination to car
ry the election at all hazards, a
determination which one of Brown
lows champions and a Judge of
one of the Circuit Courts frankly
avowed. "We are bound" said
he, "0e are bound to carry Tie cleo
ton If ace do itthroatgh blood"
The political history of the
State is given with great candor
and accuracy, and the situation is
summed up as follows:
"And so the system was made
complete in all its parts and mem
bers, and the Capitalization of all
power lodged in Brownlow. Ifhe
had set out to devise a serious of
moves to SO intrench himself that
in spite of law, of order and of all
constitutional provisions, he could
not be dislodged by the ballot-box,
it would have been impossible to
conceive more ingeniously effect
i've scheme. For the old body poll
tic is practically erased and sub
merged; of the 10000 voters
100000 are DISTINGUISHED, and
the vote of that portion of the
people that still retains the suffrage
is practically in the pocket of a
paralytic old man who seems to
be controlled almost wholly by
the morbid passions and animosi-
ties engendered by the war. I'm
der such circumstances an cleo
ton in Tennessee will be little
more than a parody on the Napo-
leonic 1olebiscite.
Mr.. Swinton appreciates the fact
that the contest in Tennessee is
peculiar and sui generis:
"The Conservative Party, so
called, is, in fact, a temporary or
ganization, in whose ranks are
found men that differ widely up
on points of national politics,
and have united only for the pur-
pose of securing a change in the
administration of the State
change which they regard as es-
sential to the establishment of
peace and order. 1t is vain for
Brownlow to attempt to- becloud
the issue by the mad dog cry of |
"Rebel;" for no dispassionate OBJ
A. o.