Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-17
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AR.
RANGENENT

justine thing.
THE BLACKBURN.BROwN AR.
RANGEMENT,
Gov. Brownlow publishes the follow
ing card in his paper at Knoxville.
THE BLACKBURN BBIEN DISCLOSURE
For political effect, and prompted by
malice, Just before the late election, the
Rebel papers of Tennessee gave a wide
circulation to ridiculous story brought
out upon criminal trial in De Kslb
county, in this State. The story is SUBJ
stantially this A Mr.. Blackburn, wit
ness before the court, being Intercepted
by NJ. NJ. Brien, Esq, testified that he
had an agreement with me to the effect
that he was to arrest men charged with
crimes and bring them to the neighbor-
hood of Nashville, and was privately to
pay him a reward in each case, he d.
7iding the profits with me.
Now, it so happens that the books Of
the Comptroller and Treasurer show that |
never ordered the payment of a reward |
in any case except when the parties had !
been regularly advertised by proclama-
ton, and in no case was this man, Black
burn, paid any reward. The whole
story is fabrication, and / am induced
to contradict it by seeing the story at
tributed to Comptroller Blackburn. The
Blackburn who is reported to have made
this statement is OF DeKalb county, and,
in the late war, was member of Stokes
cavalry. The disclosure is said to have
been brought out by questions asked the
witness by NJ. III. Brien, ESQ. Previous
to the holding Of that court, NJ. M. Brien
applied to me by letter to appoint him
Judge of the Supreme Court, in lieu Of
II. Ii. Harrison, resigned. His applica-
ton was followed up by communica-
ton in his favor and endorsing his quail
tications, reputably endorsed by w. B.
Stokes and others. | thought proper not
to make the appointment. Had | COM
miSsioncd Mr.. Brien, l have no doubt
those questions would never have been
asked of Blackburn, and this terrible dis
closure would never have come to light !
So far as am concerned, neither want
the advocacy.or friendship of any man or
set Of men who believe me capable Of any
such conduct las is attributed to me by
this Blackburn Brien revelation.
w. G. BRowyLOw.
| Knoxville, Nov. Ii, 1868.
This is an explicit denial of sworn
statement Of Col. Blackburn. The pub
lie will be curious to see what Blackburn
has to say now. He stated deliberately
under OATH that he and Gov. Brownlow
had a private arrangement by which he
was to arrest men charged with crime,
and that BrOwnlow was to pay him
large reward, $500, we believe, in each
case,) and that they were to divide this
money. Judge Brien, Col. Blackburn,
and the Judge before whom he testified
are all Radicals and have been warm
supporters Of the BrownlOw despotism,
and when Blackburn made the state
ment under oath as to his private ar
rangement with Gov: Brownlow, it very
naturally created considerable sensa-
ton. Col. Blackburn was pet Of the
/ 4tdulCLlS1 dIiu uaI DCCH dPpOAAibSO "a
Colonel in the loyal militia" by Gov.
Brownlow, and the public were at loss
for a motive he could have in "fabricat-
ing" and swearing to a story duplicating
the Governor that had belriended him in
a dishonest transaction. This denial by
Brownlow Of sworn statemon Of one of
his pets, shows the character of men he
selects to DO his dirty work. 1t is per-
fectly legitimate that such men should
turn upon and worry him even worse
than he had them worry his political op-
/ poncntS It will be seen that Brownlow
attributes these disclosures to the fact
that he thought proper not to make the
appointment Of Suprsme Judge, solicited
by Judge Brien, notwithstanding he was
"reputably endorsed by W. B. Stokes
and others" This is very unkind, not
to say ungratcful, on the part Of Gov.
BrOwnlow. He has had no more faith
ful supporter in bis harshest acts Of des-
potism than Judge Brien. When on the
bench the Judge sustained him in every
usurpatiOn. Whatever laws were passed
by the Governors parliament were en-
forced from the bench in the spirit Of the
Governors views. And when Brownlow
was laboring to fasten upon Nashville a
carpet-bag Mayor and other city officials,
when his loyal militia" under COM
mand ofthis self. Col. Blackburn, by
| force of arms, ousted the old officials, who
desired to contest the right of the carpet
baggers to the offices under the
farce called an election, and indicted the
new claimants into Office, Judge Bren
made haste to serve the Governor by
swearing them in. The officer designated
by the charter to swear a newly elected
Mayor and members Of the City Council,
refuse to do it because the validity of
their election was questioned and it was
desired to test the matter before the
courts. Judge lBrien knew these facts,
aud he further knew that the courts were
open to Mayor Alden and his City CouD-
Gil, and that they were not open to the
party resisting their claim, yet when the !
militia in compliance with Governor
Brownlow's wishes, if not his orders,
summarily ousted the old officials, Judge
Bren did not question this act Of usur-
patton, but FASTENED to swear in the new |
Mayor and his City Council. We have
referred to this matter to show with what
alacrity Judge Brien gave the force of
law to the behests Of Gov. Brownlow, and
furtEcrto show the ingratitude ofthe Gov
ernor for these signal services. Now that
Judge Brien is simply q lawyer, and in
tie practice of his profession draws out
from a witness, a trusted and honored
supporter of the Brownlow deSpotiSm, a
statement most damaging to the charac-
ter and standing OF the Governor if true,