The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-10

ago. Suddenly some one slipped up IN the
dark behind him and struck him on the
head with a croWbar. The skull was frac-
tured, and the partial paralysis from
which he suffered In the latter years OF
his life was attributed TO this cause.
From these Incidents e may be inferred
that even 50 able an editor as Browniow
was not universally beloved by hts readers.
As additional evidence OF this fact. news
was once brought 10 Jonesbor0 that a dep
utation OF citizens had started for the
town from Sullivan county TO assasslnate
him. Brownlow's friends resolved not to
inform him Of the plot. but to guard his
house on the night in question and make
things interesting for the would-b,s assas-
SIN when he should arrive. 1t happened
that the assassin came earlier than was
expected. and the only guard who had
then arrived was lying under a rose bush
on the opposite side of the house II was
after supper, and BrownlOw was sitting
at table writing. while his wife was
cleaning on the supper dishes. The first
ne knew OF the matter was when he heard
pistol shot just outside the window
and bullet came whizzing through. bare
~ grazing his forehead. Seizing his ever
ready pistol, he rushed out Of doors and
fired at man jumping over high board
fence. Next morning Il was reported that
certain man had slipped and broken his
leg on the pavement the night before
The limb was carefully dressed by a phy-
stefan, who refused to talk about the mat
ter. but Brownlow always claimed 10
know what had become of the bullet fired
from his pistol
Brownlow's political career began lust
before he left Jonesboro. In lS43 he was
the whig candidate for congress, his DEM
oeratic opponent being Andrew johnson.
The campaign was one OF the most heated
known N
which Is saying a good deal Brownlow
printed in his paper one article entitled
'tifteen Reasons Why Andrew johnson
Should Not BE Sent to Congress" So
well did these reasons please him that he
had them printed as handbills and scat
tered broadcast all over the district One
reason adduced was that Johnson's can
vass was not conducted for the purpose
of gaining votes, but merely for the pur-
pose OF getting among the country peo-
pie such a profusion of good things to eat
and drink as he was too stingy to fur
nish for himself at home. Another was
that on certain specified Sunday after
noon, In a certain specified barn, johnson
played game OF poker with a certain
specified negro, and thereby lost a gallon
and a half OF whisky To add to the in
fanny of the transaction, Il was alleged
that the future President OF the United
States actually refused to pay for the
WHISKY ne ioStl IL might seem as III such
charges ought to have killed the chances
OF any candidate, but they did not. john
son was elected by a considerable ma
iority.
In 1874, Brownlow transferred the Wing
from Jonesboro to Knoxville He had
been successful In working up a large cir
culation, in getting shot once, in getting
shot at an indefinite number OF times
and In raising more excitement, all In a
perfectly moral way than any other ten
men who ever lived In Jonesburo; but he
had not succeeded In making money His
press and household goods were shipped
down the river on fiatboat and his
horses were spirited out OF town by his
printers at night In order TO avoid a pos
sible encounter with the sheriff His
subsequent career may be cited as illus
tration of the fact that a man may have
the ability to become governor Of a great
state, and then to represent that state in
the United States Senate: to get himself
known In one half OF the great nation as
the incarnation OF all that Is good, and
the other half as the Incarnation of all
that is evil; that he may have the ability
to do all this and a great deal more, and
yet not have the kind of ability needed
to make money by editing a newspaper
in a little country town.