The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-03-02
"sENAToR" BRowNLOw.

Among those who will for the first time
take q seat in the United States senate on
the 4th, none we are satisfied, will be more
sarprised to find himself there than BrownloV
Of Tennessee. 0fAll the very nobodies and
disreputabO characters which revolutionary
agitations have cast up from the bottom o.
society and Roated into high places, Brown
low is, in some respects at least, the mos
remarkable For probably quarter of a
century prior to the war be edited and pub
lished a paper at Knoxville in East Tonnes
see, modestly called by himself Brownlow'
Wing. The only merit, his paper was eve
credited with even by the respectable mem
bers of his own party, was sort of sIedge
hammer vigor. 1t was nothing unless "
controversy, and in controversy nothIg p1
less giving forth perfect vocaD' u ~
lngsgate Of the eoarsest eb','''I',
great delight as an editor, ed which he HIM
self evidently thodght 'As '''""'e 80
No. % r,t ,ogsiber almost interminaoIe
L.. ,r 5.,anciatory epithets, classified
49, rg.,nous euphonies, aud hurl them
=, Js opponents thrice a week. AS an sd
,ocate of the divinity Of slavery he would
not admit ofA riyslship, and being icens-
ed preacher of the Methodist Church he felt
himself authorized to speak advisedly on the
question. He was persistent and untlrlng
propogandst Of slavery, and would travel a
lhourand miles and pay his own expenses
any time to discuss the question with any.
body who had SO little respect for himself as
TO meet him Many will remember
bis pilgrimage to Philadelphia, few
years before the war to meet All Abolitonist
preacher in the discussion Of his favorIte
theme, slavery. The subject soon resolved
itself into single point-the comparative
capabilities of the dispulants to abuse each
other and the two peoples whom they assum.
ed to represent, and in this contest Of course
Brownlow bore of the palm Of victory.
In the beginning Of the war the confeder.
ate authorities we're guilty of the crime and
indiscretion of incarcerating Brewnlow on
the charge that he was dangerous and Sc.
ditious character, which invested him for a
short time after his release with that sort Of
cheap glory with which persecution always
invests any person or cause. Being natu-
rally vain and conceited, aud gostiug on
public notorety, no matter how cheap or
dlsreputable, he came through the lines and
made tour through the Northern States,
gave exhibitions Of himself as a martyr to
loyalty, and clnptied the walls of his ready
wrath upon the heads of his persecutors.-
After the abdcation Of Andrew johnson az
Military Governor of Tennessee, the state
was handed over by the military power, tC
an ohgarchy of soalawaRs and carpet-bag
gers, who proceeded to organize what the,
termed "civiW government, Of whicI
Brownlow WAS the head. This olgarch
proceeded Immediately to disfranchise ev,
rybody but themselves and their dupes, an
thus secured what they intended should b
perpetual lease Of power. Since that tim
Brownlow, as Governor Of that state, la
done all that wicked ingenuity could d
wise to matreat, Cypress and insult the pc
pie Of Tennessee, aid was finally rewarde
for his success in misgoyeruing the eta
with seat in the Senate Of the Unit
States. Fortunately, however, for the cou
try, for his party and for his own reputatic
the mahgnity Of his nature has render
him incapable Of inaicting upon the SEN
speeches, and he will sit there bias,
bough of RadicalSm His long bony ar
and gawky figure will probably seldom d
play themselves above the senatorial uph
stery. The party Of which he is a memb,
and whose most direfal policy he will cage
ly support, will soon come to regard h
name as a "noteless blot" on the rolls
the Senate,