Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-05
AssERIION Am FACT.

Senator Browlow has published a reply to
Mr.. Beck's late speech in the House Of
Representatives, in which he says:
He "does not reproduce, howe'er, the
cOutemporoneous statement of tie Rebel
General, \. B. Forrest, over his own sigma
ture, that he had forty thousand organized
Ku-Klux in the State, nor the confirmation
given to that statement by the acts Of the
Ku-Klux."
This is the second time Brownlow has
made this statement in regard TO Gen. For
rest. We corrected him on the previous &C.
casion, aud propose to do so again. Gen.
Forrest never made any such statement
"oyer his own signature" OF otherwise. 1t
originated with 2 strolling correspondent Of
the Cincinnati Commercial, named Wood
ward, who interviewed Gen. Forrest, in
August, 1868. In a letter published in the
UNION AND AMERICAN of sept. 10, 1868
Gen Forrest said:
"As a report of what l really said to him,
It is incorrect in many important particulars.
Ii puts statements IN my mouth which
never made, and it cOlors others 50 TO
change their meaning entirely. For instance,
I said to him in regard to the kug6lux
Khan, that IklsT nothing positively Of It's
organization, strength or objects"
here is positive denial of any Inowl-
edge of the existence or objects of the Ku-
Klux beyond the mere rUmors afoat al the
time, yet Brownlow persists in asserting
the contrary.
Now, what is BrownlOw's own record in
regard to the Ku-KIux? We copy the fol-
lowing from work published in 1865, er-
titled "The Yankee Slave Driver"
The following choice morsel is taken from
political ParsOn "BrOwulOw's WHig:"
q "'rhere is a great deal Of AboliiiOnism in !
East Tennessee, and with it a fearful in
crease Of insolenCe and hellish daring on the |
part of negroes. Negroes take more lber- |
lies in East Tennessee, and display more
insolence in their intercourse with white !
people, than anywhere we have ever been, |
and we have travelled extensively. Many Of |
the negroes can read, and they keep them !
selves posted up on the subject of the con- |
tTOversy between the North and the South, !
touching the Slavery question. They can
be heard relating matters of this sort TO 9TH
ar negroes who can't read, at auv time. To
the disgrace Of East Tennessee, we
must admit, that white men, ev-
erywhere, play cards, fight chickens, |
drink whisky, and Sabbatb-br ak 1
it with the negroes. AholitiOnist meet with /
more favor in East Tennessee than ann /
where else in the South. TIE ScoundreIs |
ill our pulpits; preside in our schools. $, Il /
us goods; marry into our families; serve Us |
as clerks aud attorneys, and figure in every |
other way. The true-hearted citizens of
East Tennessee, and property holders, ought !
TO enter into a league, and whip, black, and
ride on a rail, irrespective Of age, caUing,or
family associations, every preacher, citizen
or traveller, who dares to utter one word in
opposition to slavery,or who is found in pos
session Of an abolition document. These
are our sentiments, and We are willing and
ready to help others carry them Ous.'
Here is the first 5 digestion we lave been
able to find that was ever made in Tennes-
see toward organising Ku-Klux Kan.