The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-10
PARSON, EDITOR, FIGHTER.
STORIES OF PARsON BROwNLOW,s
CAREER AT JONESBORO.

Jonesboro. Tenn. Correspondence New
York Sun.
There are many people In this town who
remember the lively days when two Meth
odist preacher edited opposition papers
FOR its benefit. Thes men were William G.
Brownlow. afterward governor OF the
state and Landon c. Haynes.
Brownlow Is better known to fame as
Parson' Brownlow than by any other Ii
tie. He had engaged in regular work as
minister from 1926 to 1896, and was a local
preacher all the rest of his life. His career
as editor and politician was such that he
seems TO have feared that his clerical char
acter would be lost sight of, and so in his
autobiography he set down the following
facts:
Il have never been arraigned in the
church for any immortality. l have never
played card. / never was a profane
swearer. / never tasted a dram of liquor
l never had a cigar or a chew of
tobacco in my mouth, 1 never was in at
tendance at theater. I never courted
but one woman, and her 1 married"
II will be seen that he gives himself a
pretty clear moral character; moreover, il
is doubtful If any one could be found to
question any of his statements, unless II
be the one in regard to profane swear
ing and II such epithets as God forsaken
scoundrels" and 'bell-deserving Williams"
are not classed as profanity. Brownlow
could clear himself of even this accusa-
ton. His contemporary Haynes was
only a trifle less fortunate in ministerial
standing. IL is true that Haynes quar-
terly conference had taken his license
away on account of some slight irregular
ity against him; but after it had investiga-
tied matters more fully IL offered to restore
the license, and would have done so had
not Haynes himself refused to take it.
The Jonesboro people were aware of the
I'D. -H.Hl
this was fortunate, for they certainly
could never have inferred It from their
editorial columns.
Brownlow, who edited the Wing, was as
fearless as a wildcat, about as pugna-
cious, and a master of the art of invective
and vituperation. Haynes, who edited
the Democrat, is considered by many the
most eloquent man the state of Tonnes
see ever produced. If his editorial col
umns were hardly as strong as Brown
lows, the spell of his personal magnet
ism was greater, so that the two were
pretty well matched.
For two perfectly moral editors they
managed to keep things around the old
town lively. Their meeting at the court
house on one occasion is still referred to
by old citizens as an illustration of this
fact. There had been a political meeting
of some kind in the building, and both ed
itors attended. After IL was over Haynes
had just reached the foot of the stair
way, when Brownlow Appeared at the
top and shouted some uncomplimentary
remark at him. Haines replied, and then
Brownlow shouted something still more
unoomplmentaryI Then a little group
Of excited partisans began to gather
around each and the war of words began
in earnest. For over an hour II went on
the atmosphere being thick with con-
versational birthstone. The speaker of
the day has been forgotten long ago, but
many men still describe this conversation-
al battle as surprising anything else
they ever heard. Brownlows invective
was like a sweeping whirlwind and
Haynes reply would come swift and de-
structive as a flash of lightning Each
of the combatants had the habit of stick
ing his tongue out while speaking and
licking his lips snake fashion. 1t was not
a momentous battle between two prin-
ciples by any means; IL was merely per-
sonal encounter between two giants, each
in blind fury hurting masses of words
at each other, as the giants of old hurled
masses of earth and stone. Strange to
say, according to the testimony of those
who heard it, not a word of actual pro-
family was used by either speaker. The
whole scene may be cited as an illustra-
ton of what may be achieved by artists
in the use of vigorous English without re-
sorting to profanity.
on the occasion referred to, hostilities
stopped with words. but such was not al
ways the case. Haynes printed some
thing that reflected on BrownIow's wife
and Brownlow thought that was carrying
things too far The next morning he came
down the street with a big pistol in one
hand and a heavy walking cane in the
other. As he turned the corner he sud
denly came face to face with Haynes
Are you armed?" asked the Wing ed
itor.
mo" replied the Democrat man.
Brownlow then changed his pistol to
his left hand and his cane to his right
He was just on the point of giving his
opponent a tremendous Gaming, but he was
not quick enough While Brownlow was
changing his weapons Haynes pulled
pistol from his own pocket and shot
Brownow in the thigh. Brownlow fired,
but missed his aim Haynes had told a
fb in denying that he was armed. but ne
had saved himself from a thrashlng.
Haynes was generally mild in his ed1-
torial utterances, and hence was rarely
involved in any difficulty except with
BrownIow. The later was as impartial
in unpleasantness as is a chestnut burr
and had more personal difficulties than
an ordinary man would know what TO do
with The normal condition of his INTEL
lectual weather was that Of a tornado.
One of his most serious affairs occurred
while an annual conference Of his church
was in session at Jonesboro. One night
during the session he invited eight or ten
Of the visiting preachers to take supper
with him. After supper, just as they were
all getting ready to start for church.
he astonished his ministerial brethren bg
putting a large pistol under his cloak
and taking a sword cane in his hand
why. Brother Brownlow" exclaimed
one. "Can It be possible that a minister
of the gospel needs such weapons as
these?"
mo" answered Brownlow. 1.-THE minis
ter doesn't need them, but the editor
does"
AS a further safeguard. Brownlow in
structed one of his printers. J. b. r. Lyon.
now editor of the Greenville Republican.
10 wax a few steps behind him. Thus pro-
tected the party sailed forth into the
darkness on the way TO church every
thing went well. and at the conclusion OF
the service. Mr.. Lyon. who was a young
man at that time went home with a young
lady. Brownlow walked arm IN arm with
the Rev Mr.. Catlett. well known Metho-
dist minister, who died only few months
N &isA WI Il. l .S..... <.. 81. Il $780,.