Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-12
A FIGHTING PREACHER
Some Episodes in the Stormy Career of
Parson Brownlow.
An Outspoken, Undaunted Advocate
Of the Union, He Seemed to Have
q Charmed Life.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.

From the Louisville Courier-Jourual
The position Of Tennessee In the civil war
is the most interesting chapter in the en-
tire history Of that period The state was
one of the strongholds of the old whig
party, and the distinguishing principle of
that party was undertaking loyalty to the
union. 1t Is no exaggeration 20 say that
before the firing on Fort Sumter Tennessee
was as loyal to the Union as Massachusetts.
But when, on the 18th of April. the shot
was fired that echoed round the world"
the entire situation was changed in an in
slant. like the shifting Of a panoramic
scene. The tremendous tide Of popular SEN
timent that had been setting steadily and
with resistless strength toward the union
was In one moment reversed in a mighty
oataclysm Of secession excitement that
carried everything before IL. and swept the
state into the mad and furious iaaelstrom
of the rebellion.
The legislature. In special session, having
submitted to the people an ordinance of
secession to be voted upon on the 9Th OF
June. 1861. it was carried by a majority of
$1,000 votes. This result. however, was &C
complished by middle and west Tennessee.
East Tennessee gave a majority OF $500
votes against the ordinance, and throughout
the entire succeeding struggle that section
OF the state remained as true and as loyal
to the Union were ever the swiss High
lande-s to the Little Republic or the Ado.lI-
tains." Brownlow. the wing. and johnson,
the democrat. buried all past political dill
ferences and converged all considerations
into one mighty effort TO keep the state be-
Meath the Did flag. And though the effort
failed, tnoss two men made thelr names I'M
mortal as The most heroic Characters that
ever essayed the ungracious task OF STEM
of "A asst Ten
nessee, ia proportion TO population, sent more
men into The federal army than amy other
section OF the United States, and much OF
TINS result was que 10 the unfilncning hero
ism and Impassioned zeal OF Brownlvw and
Johnson, and especially the former. OF the
INC, BroWnlow was the more extraordinary
nan IN many respects. albeit the name OF
Johnson. by the caprces OF fortune. has To
q greater oegree "LlIed the sounding trump
OF lame" though ms influence was power
ful anu ever ae,Ive, yeC johnson WAS not
actually ON the ground and eApOSed % day
ana night 10 all the lerrOrs anu nVrrOrs GA
t.iat chaotic period IN east tennessee, when
man conv1etlons, no matter on wnlcn
Side tney were enlisted, were best Cherished
10 nii4Isslf IA the secIusion VI IIs nome. n
ne vail1ed has IKE = worm more imam the
price "a powder ana ball.
A.is Reckless Audacfty.
On the other hand, the personal. living.
puissant presence of Brownsow was the
must conspicuous feature of the Whole So
uaCon-.ne one ever-raHKling IIaNrn IN
the side Of secession. Threats onIy lnten-
sIiled ms wrath, the most imminent dan
gers put plnions 10 the parued arrows OF
has insectiye, and even the very presence
OF death ItSeII ne denounced the eneInIes OF
the Lnioal WIN RECKLESS auIaNaJy that
"pulu have Challenged the adInira,son Vi
Liaiiton iil tiie oivouy Jays VI I..e Commune.
va ef tne Confederate armies nao pUsses-
al m .Syk lll "a I'm
was SUBJ asa,eu ny lac secessIOn auInor. lies,
he Iaa ep Tie ssars AaId str.prs Oser mas res
lu-i.ce aIiu uareI ,i.e arlica sOi1ISry 10 mo-
lest IL Ine pages OF mas paper, lac IAnoN-
Niiie w ms, Ia.I4y bristie1, nol villy wan the
niost avOwea aloI sentiment, Dut VITA me
nercesl oenCncIatICn OF the cUnIeIeraey, m
the ueIeiisS vi NHISn the southern as.-.,es
We're Thea anu theie prSsenI Nnen warIeI
by me military ad.nvritIes tnal must
sop sucI IaIs, he repneu
am Ior my counuy and on the side OF
the s~nerai government: and IN eNers con-
test, ei1aer at sea OF land, 4 shall reJolce IA
the Triumph VI lie government TROOPS la Mt
ing uia1eI me STARS and stripes. q s.laII COn-
,ihoe 10 uenounce seeessio:i saIr1 concern
ed Ia al, tnousn an powers VI nS.i anu
the eonIeuS.acy snvLIu toe quartered al ln,
DOORS COiiie ~nas may, lIGOGgG "a
we, IN pace or ws-r, no -Iliy power
snali Keep IIie from oenouncms Ine enemies
OF lay IVuatry uHli nay IolssGe anu ben
slIaIi De pAralyzeu IN oeatn. a cvses l.S
iii.ner noii-r tIan 10 dle sGcn a noiy
cause, anu your urulal svluIery, lnerer orc
aas no teIIO.s Lor ME. Ins.nA NrOu 80 can
~ no usOre tna.n ALL ne, anu on h.y dead
body tneIe whI arse oI aoIe ae-
.e..aers Vl tLlIs Jnloa. once destroyed tins
Union can never reconslructei and SO
iar as 1 am Concerned, neilner the sa,rs oI
ieI nor the cOn.ederacy snail prevail
.Ae-ins, Al. -FOUR I.,I...s..On tu~J 4 misnt
dstSilpt 10 es~2pe as really abusing. n-s-
GG.,e .-Oali ". .at! 10 yOu na.ler ,N,-rse.I
,l.At ISGr aiIaly Of InGgs. tE.e,es a..d rUI-
i.4aS as s.F2 teirOrs rae. IL a. yOa
NeiI Nf-tiea-en. that snouid ue ,ninNn.s oI
SsSs.js, lGi as sure you 1--we Sae uay ~
coIiIl44s Mae.i yOs anu .ii like you ~Iii call
On tiiese IA '~lits.lis 10 Ie,ll OH you and hue
you iroIa tae WRATH 10 come. IN cuncias.un
perm. nie ~ say that the " hig VIA be
issued as usual and 1 shah be .,.easvl ~
nave a copy OF AZ, with my Compliments
-eAVered at your headquarters"
Noa-C om Dat1 scored.
There were m Knoxville, as elsewhere
a Iarse number OF men who symoathize1
win the cenIederacy. but who had not the
courage TO ennst Ina the army asd hight fer
,heir convictions. For all such Characters
DrJwniow had nothing but contempt. \. hen
me confederate army took possessavn OF the
ely numDcr Of these men tried to Incite
me soldiers 10 Kali browniow. Ailunng TO
this attenps he Illuminated the following
.u.iOt4s tLuuegDolt
These unIullgaled towards God -forsa X an
scoundreis, neiI-aeserving yIiiasns BACK
he arled assass.ns ana mGrdeIers, seek to IN
Iuee stran ers IN the army - Ighe I'D their
qGaGrels anu fs1t ia tiles which the, them
ewes are Too cowaroIy TO Esnt FOR years
We have heid up these unprmcipled qas-
~ 9us. dishonest. lying. ssinunng scounurels
ana revolving ny pOcrIteS TO the scorn con-
tempt and hatred Of honest men; and.
InooSh We have passed ana repasseu them
ody ny Gay, IL LeNer occurreu ~ the foath-
some Villains that they ought to resent IL
unlii an opportunity Offered to hide behind
inIuriateo troops, made drunk for the oc-
Oaston. some oI these wnite-livered cow
arus i've by lying ana swindllng; others are
cioaains tneir Qecelt, adultery and nuraer-
Gus acts OF baseEess in one or another of
me churches: and others OF them are act
ais lor pay as the tools OF men of position
| and property. Ihe equals OF many or the
| men IN honor are in the penitenIlary; the
| saperiors OF all OF them In morals ana piety
ere an heil."
The Parsons Prayer.
AS is well known. Brownlow was a Meth
| odist preacher. very devout man withaL
who believed that one should stop cussin'
| long enough occasionally to wrestle with
the Lord in prayer and invoke those means
| Of grace without which a sinner would have
| a tough time of il in this wicked world.
| Thoroughly imbued with the notion that the
Lord could knock the confederacy into in
discriminate flinders If he wanted to- and
4 FaG 4