Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-01
Knoxville, Tenn, April |, 1868.



One by one at irregular intervals, the rebels who
fed from Tennessee upon the approach Of the cid
flag and the gallant boys in blue, are gradually re-
turning TO their old homes Their spirit, then and
now, deserves our attention. When they left
generally betvreen two days-they swore vehement
IN that they would never live here again; that
nothing could induce them 10 live under the Lin
COLI Government. They swOre that they would 60
South. and II pursued BY the Yankee armies they
would quit tho country altogether going in colonies,
some 10 Mexico and some 10 Brazil
Having failed in all their hopes and schemes. and
worn themselves out in the South, they are now
coming back, with what spirit think you, reader /?
with subrsitsion and decent sense Of humility ?
Far from IT, Most Of them, We regret to say, are
returning among US 70 engage in their former dirty
habits and disloyal teachings and practice.
For men who took the rebel side in the rebellion
and fed South, but who now return and acknovl-
edge their error and 60 about their business as men
ought TO do, we have high respect not 10 say re-
gard But Cor those still disloyaI, unrepentent IN
principled rebels, who come back threatening ven
geance to loyal men ana displaying the most brazen
impotence, we have unutterable contempt.
Some Of them on these streets, in 1861. when
Judge Picens was arrested and marched of 10 iail
because Re was loyal 10 the old Gag, exclaimed in
the presence of rebel soldiers, Shoot the damned
old traitor and quarter him. Others Of them reg
ularly attended meetings in RRmseys Law Office,
where they discussed the manner in which the Sc
rior editor Of this paper should be disposed Of
Some we're for hanging him, others were for send
ing him South and conhning him until the war
a l.. ,qo1 "A
him over to the tender merces of the rebel soldiers.
These same vile wretches, cowardly misecrants and
murdereTs at hesrt, now have the impudence 70
walk these streets in open day, denouncing Con-
gress ana The Radical party, and dilusing long and
learnedlT about the Constitution and its violation
They abuse the negroes without stint for adhern
10 the Radical party; and all who condescend to
receive negro votes fall under the venom of their
poisonous tongues. These bad men may feel them
selves very secure in this Infamous conduct; but
they should have care and rot presume too far in
this reckless abuse of better men than themselves
There is a limit even 10 criminal hardihood-a
point beyond which escape and retribution are alike
impossible.
Another and still meaner class Of those return
ing renegades, are The preachers, who prayed and
pfehcueQ IN lhNoI OF IeDeliiohl VINO INDUCED the
sons Of their too conhding members to go into the
rebel army, where they became demcrazed lost
their lvc and in many instances, il is to be feared
their souls In the great day Of accounts the blood
OF these young men will call out in thunder tones for
the condemnation aud punishment of these rev.
erened hypocrites-those wolves in sleeps clothing
To these reverend seducers and corruptes will their
victims attribute their career 10 rebellion their pre-
mature death and their final damnaton. These
vile and shameless men were accustomed to get
upon their knees and roll their bleared eyes towards
heaven, calling upon God to sink the Lincoln ships
al sea, and send defeat 70 tho Linceln forces on
land until their bones should bleach upon Southern
battIc-neIds In all
Now these apostate, hypocritical preachers come
back and push themselves into neighborhoods where
they ara not wanted, and commence their exercises
with the infamous, bstering lie that they took no
part in the late febellionthat their Church is
political. Yes, they come back claiming to exer-
else PASTORAL authority ever the hocks they had
desosted and scattered by their mad folly denounc
ing better men than they as negro-equality men"
Radicals" "Church-thieves," and "horse-thieves"
These recreant ministers should hide their faces in
utter confusion for their atrocous crimes. They
would do so II their moral natures were not leprous
with unrepentant treason. God knows them, and
honest, loyal men loathe them.
SENIOR EDITOR.