Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-21
OPEN LETTER no Gov. RKOwNLOw

OArAN RI AEA NO Gov. RkOWNLOW.
TO His Ercelieacy, William g.. BroiUaI6av.
GopeTTor, Of the State of Teanesses.-SIR /:
| had the honor, few days since, of en-
joying frank and somewhat extended in
terVIew at my own residence in this CITY.
with your son, Col. ]. B. Brownlow, and
OF receiving from his lips certain explana-
lions and assurances touching the present
condition oil civil affairs in Tennessee. and
In relation to your own future policy. which
tended, assure you, greatly 10 relieve nv
mind from the anxiety and solicitude with
which il had been previously burdened
and 70 revive my hope of an early and
happy restoration Of repose and happiness
among a popHlstion which has been lone
divided and distracted. The particulars Of
TINS interview ] need not now detail, as
Colonel Brownlow has doubtless, ere this
made them known TO you, which he
promised me to do. The fact that
communication somewhat similar
to the present one, addressed toyou in your
official character by me, several months
since, was kindly and courteousIv received
and responded to, encourages me to hope
for an equally favorable result of the present
experiment on your patience and liberalitv.
For reasons which / am sure YOU will not
fail to appreciate, ] prefer this mode of adj
dressing you, through the public newspa-
pers, to troubling you with letters through
the mail, which might possibly awaken
suspicious in the minds of some that no.
lltical negotiations were going on which
did no! coVet the inspection of the popular
eye. 81.
l observe that in your recent proclama-
ton, converting the General Assembly of
the State, in. special session, on Monday,
the 18th instant, you base your action in
tits matter upon the following constitution
al provision; -....-.... ...'r ...-. ...'
The Governor may, on an extraordi- |
nary occasion, convene the General AS
sembly by proclamation, and shall state to !
them, when assembled, the purposes for |
which they shall have been convened; but
hey shalt enter on no Legislature business er.
'ept that for Whieh they shall hare been
.peciqtiy called together" li ..ss.-r. r.. |
La the concluding portion of Your said |
proclamation you state, that on the dav
'pecitied therein, you "wilI make known 10 !!
hem (the members of The General As |
embly) the purposes for which thew have
been called together @
Isnppose il to be your opinion. and IT
Tlil doubtless be the opinion also of many
u the members of the General Assembly.
hat 1t viii not be proper for them to do
nything whatever in their Legislative
haraeter TO which their attention ehall not
ave been especially called by yourself in
our expected message of next Monday. !
Is in this view of the subject that ven
lre 20 make known to your ExceIlencv in
his mode, that memorials of a most co,irte.
US, respectful and cOnciiidt0rv character. are
this moment being subscribed in the
arous counties OF the State addressed
the General Assembly, urging upon
rat body the Immediate call by them of
State Convention for the purpose of 40
nending the present Constitution of Ten
essee as to relieve from Acknowledgement
lat large portion Of our white population
oW lncapacitated thereby from voting in
val elections. 1t is my earnest hope that /
bur Excelleney will, in your forthcoming |
essage, invite the attention of the General | !
ssembiy TO this grave and interesting :
after, in such form as you shall deem S
eorous and proper, il being quite evident 8
at in this good work your Exeellency. as G
e Governor of the State, will have to take il
talttdtipe, aud as your we'll known in
ence with the General Assembly will |
IKE Your recommendation Of the greatest
portance to those soliciting relief. -
l have heard with the highest satisfac.
n recently, through channels deemed by
entirely reliable, that you had some =
le ago definitely made up your mindto
to the General Assembly. at .
November session thereof, the adoption \,
a resolution calling into existence a =
tie Convention for the purpose named. | (
5rieVes me to be compelled in honestv 10 | 1
;, that.in my judgment, whatever ia done !
this subject, in order to be done with ! 4
desired effect, should be done "A an :.
lier period than late ia the approaebino .
umn. Let me add, that I feel The fnlIssi 7
Eaenee that If you conclude to recom- a
40 the. immediate call Of convention 1
lour message OF next Monday, this set
yours, foilOEed up as 4 cannot doubt IL
be, by legislative acquieseence, will be
etlEely ainstramental in eonsummatingl
noble york Of public deliverance within
nextslx'y days, and that, as esuIts natur.
arising theretrom, all existing excite All
! and lll-ieellng connected with mast psr
licts wall disappear az once; the an | ~
lchlng Presidential election be can | can
ed az most peaceful and orderly man
general Aniiy aud concord be restorsa |
ng ail classes Of our citizens and that
aerous, law-abiding, aud patriotic peo- 70
be raised By this Just, enlightened and m STu
policy, from their present in
able state OF wretehedness and degra.
N, will be heard throughout oar CO.. ~
nue5ing The Language Of mingled jubi-
10 not believe that there is aupht IN / CLat
past history as a people, to prevent thei I
IaalIea OF full and perfect reconcile ~
, such as has been described. A
raj Grant said on an interesting occa-
Lei Us hGte peace - Can any No |
benefit be expected TO accrue from the 10
y continuance Of our present relations
hkindness and hostility? Are not -,
le great Interests Of the State suffsriue ~
and hourly from want of concord and
smong us2 Would not all Of ma he
happy, more prosperous, and in a bet h
onoltion TO serve our country. five
be once more restored to pesee and RAG
2 Would not you yourself have
nattering prospect Of future public
ness n' opened before you, if you could lgly
" honorably aud conspicaonsiy ip. NQ'
entail 70 terminating dissension and
~ Consider for moment what A
De The advice Of such men a. Clay. =
err and va. kf.~sz. t41As