Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-07
PARsoN BRoWNLoW.
His Health-His Opinions as to the Next
Presidential EIeCtiOn--Hs Says the Reb-
ell Spirit is Still Rampant
The Radical Party in TeHHessee-The Ku
KluN.
BrOwnIOw' Estimate of Andy Johnson
The Old Sinner as Bitter as Ever.
Fram the New York Tribure.1


From the New York Tribune.1
KNOXVILLE, July 25.-Leaving the
bustling business street of Knoxville,
and descending a steep hill through
an old and somewhat dilapidated
quarter Of the town, IcrOssed a bridge
and found myself in a narrow street
running through a thinly settled SUBJ
Urb, inhabited chiefly by mechanics
and other humble folks. Patches of
corn and potatoes occupied more of
the street front than the modest
houses of the dWellers in the suburb.
At little distance from the bridge l
came 10 a plain, old-fashiOned white
wooden house, standing full upon the
street, with a huge outside chimney
rising like a monument at each gable
end, and a bit of yard at the side.
Seeing the name of "BrOWnlOW" up
on the door, | mounted the steps that
led from the sidewalk to the little
wooden porch that, hood like, shell
tered the low doorway, and rang the
bell, a little doubtful whether the
place was really the residence of a
United States Senator from Tenne5-
see. / was shown into a neat, low
ceiled paTlOr, where q liie-siZed pOr-
trait Of the Senator upon the wall, and
bust in plaster upon the side table,
solved all the remaining doubts. The
Senator soon appeared and led the
way across the hall to his bedroom,
where he reclined, during our
conversation, upon a large lounge,
prOpped up with pillows He
was much emaciated, and his hands
and feet shook constantly with the
palsy, with which he has been afflict-
ed for two years past, but he looked
better than he did in the Senate in
the spring, and said he thought he
was gaining slowly, and expected to
be in his seat again when Congress
meets. His long suffering from disease
has not changed his face much. His
hair is but little touched with gray,
his eyes are az keen as ever, and his
thin face has lost none OF its old eX-
preston of courage and indOmitable
resolution. Talking Of his illness,
and of his inability to speak or take
any active part in the proceedings of
the Senate, he said: 81 can do moth
ing more than vote. The rebels here
in Tennessee would be glad to have
me die, but 1 will disappOint them
and live out my term, TO keep worse
man from getting my seat" As he
said this in the low tone, scarcely
above whisper, in which he habitu-
ally talked, there was an expression
Of determination in his calm gray
eyes and about his firm mouth that
convinced me that, feeble as he looked,
and apparently upon the brink of the
grave, the power OF his tremendous |
will would keep him alive until he |
was willing to die, and l thought of |
the saying of the old German philOsO- |
pher: "We do not yield to death ut |
terly, only through the weakness of
our feeble wills"
The conversation naturally ran up
on politics. The Senator expressed |
the belief that the questions of the |
war are not yet definitely settled, as |
many suppose, and will not be until |
after the next Presidential election. |
He said: The leading men in the |
South still look upon the separation of |
the South from the Union as a hope
ful probability. The devil is In them,
and they will get up another rebellion /
If they see any chance of success.
They exult in private over the redue-
3
gress fOOlishly cut down to sc. 600 men,
and they boast Of having arms enough
to organize an army at any time.
Davis, TOmbs and Stephens express
the sentiments of the masses Of the
Southern people," What do you
think Is the plan of these Southern
leaders, - / asked? "TO try to accom-
plish at the ballOt-bOE and by legisla-
ha "a fn IL in
field" he replied. ITO get control of
the national goyernmentbv tbe aid of
the Democratic party, to destroy
all the work of reconstruction, and
during the administration of a DEM
ocratic President to reOrganiZ the
Southern COniederacy, after long and
careful preparation" Senator Brown
low went on 10 say that he had always
believed the rebellion had ended two
years too soon. Ii would have been
better for the future peace OF the
country if the war had continued un-
til public opinion had demanded the
hanging of the leading rebels. He
was no believer in general amnesty,
for the reason that he knew there was
no sincerity ia the prOfessed willing
ness of the Southern leaders to accept |
the situation, and give an honest sup
port to the government. They hated |
the Union as bitterly as ever, and
we're just as ready to destroy it. There
would be, he thought, desperate con-
test at the next Presidential election.
The Democrats expected to carry the
South solid, and to get enough Of the J
Northern States to bring them out
ahead. ''This contest, /" he said, twill |
be the last chance OF the ebel-DemO-
cratic party. They know this, and I
will stop at nothing to succeed. Woe ]
10 the country if they win. Good-by j
10 peace and tranquility. We can {
whip them if we have harmony in !
our party, and il our people do not
play the fool in the National COnven-
ion by quarreling about candidates" +
de believed that General Grant would i
be renOminated. The Republicans in
inclined to Grant, he said,
1ut would heartily support whoever
night be the nominee OF the COnven-
ion. Grant would, no doubt, get the Z
yOte of Tennessee, and probably of all }
he Southern States in the COnVen- J.
ion. The Senator expressed strong !
lopes OF carrying Tennessee for the I
candidate for Presi-
lent next year. II harmony pre- j
railed among the Republicans,
le was sure the State could Z
,e redeemed from the Democrats. !
here is still considerable feeling y
mong the Republicans who support Z
d Stokes at the last GubernatOrial
lection, against those who voted for q
enter, whom they are disposed to z
rOscribe for their course in that cam :
aign. This trouble, he believed, !
Ouid be healed. The Senter men !
Yere as good Republicans as any in
be State.
Speaking Of Tennesses politics, Mr..
.rOWnlOW said that the Legislature
let in October, and would try to
the State so to make
i the Congress districts Democratic.
hey could not do this with the First
district, but they might with May b
ards District-the Second. The 81
democrats hated Maynard, and en- %,
led him his talents and his consistent | Ia
9cord. be spoke In high terms of Il
Ir. Maynard's ability, integrity and al
sefulneSs as a representative. The gC
legislature would, no doubt. instruct | 1i
inn (BrownlOW) how to vote in the | h
enate, but he should pay no atten- n
on, he declared, to their action, snd
lould reply that he did not acknowl. &
ige the right Of traitors 70 instruct
im.
l inquired whether he thought the lC
.u-KluX had an organized existence e!
! Tennessee. lie replied that they u
ad not in East Tennessee, except at u
chattanooga. The Republicans were y