Year: 1868

the present BIuuHtlOn.


A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial
has lately had an interview with Colonel John
B. Brownlow, the son OF Governor Brownlow,
and Junior editor of the Knoxville Wing, and
obtained from him a full staten ent OF the
views of the Governor on the present situation
In tennessee. Young Browniow saia maine mat ne
ews. AS to the Ku-klux Klan he answered
to o question of the correspondent


"He Governor BroWnlOWl regards IL as having
been originated by leading Rebel politicians for
the purpose, by the numerous assassinations
already made, OF forcing the immediate enfran-
chisement of the Rebels, by inJimdating men,
bers OF the Legislature and to carry the State,
regards 1t as a military, as well as a political
organization, and has evidence that at their
meeting they drill for hours, as the same men
did while in the Confederate army. Their pur-
poses, as shown by evidence in his possession,
are the distranchisement OF the blacks, and the
expulsion from the Stale of all Northern men
who fought in the Union army, who are not
now in sympathy with the Democratic p rty."
As to the intention OF the Rebels TO overthrow
the state Government, the Colonel said:-


THE leaders OF the entire party, with scarcely
an exception, in this State are openly proclal m.
ing o purpose to overthrow the State Govern.
ment In case of Democratic success He not
only believes that 1t is the purpose OF the great
mass OF those who were In the Rebellion to over
throw all the Southern STATE Governments, but
their purpose is also 10 dissolve the Union and
establish The Southern Confederacy, as proposed
in 1861. The leaders and more Intelligent OF
them do not now proclaim such purpose with
reference to the General Government, because
they fear the great power of the North but such
purpose as the establishment of a confederacy
is cn9rlSQeu Dy JneIn now as aruenJly as AT any
period during the war. He thinks that If the
Government we're involved in a foreign war
these people would raise at once the standard
of revolt, as they boast that they eau now
iS6l-62."


He believed that Generals Cheatham, Brown,
and Maury, and some others, were sincere in
their professions of a desire to have peace and
order restored. He had not the same opinion OF
Forrest: was determined to enforce the Fran
chise laws at all hazards; had no information of
an important scheme to import negroes from





such a thing should be attempted would crush
IL as cheerfully as he would disperse Ku-
Klux Klan.


We give below the conclusion of the CONVEX
sation:-


State as they now are, will the Governor call
out the miliLtR?


ties. where life and property are insecure: For
the past two weeks things have been Quieting
down, and. should order and quiet continue,
entirely upon the people themsel YES. He does
not wish TO have any militia. and will only do
heavily taxed that it is to the interest of all
parties not to have militia force"


"Would the Governor rather have Federal
troops to aid in enfercing the law. or does he
prefer the State forces?"


boss the lSa he
would execute in good faith any promise he
might make to carry out the franchise law, and
"That he does not know. If The President
should leave General Thomas in command of





dence of the honesty of his Intentions, but. II
he should remove Thomas, and send Gordon
Gran ger, or some such man, to take command,
the Governor would consider 1t an intention to
vic ate any promise, and to try to carry the
State for the Democratic party.


"Will the Governor make any effort to pre-
serve order without calling out the militia, even
II the bill now becomes q law?"


HE will. 1t is his Intention to appeal to all
the people, by proclamation, to obey The laws,
and to assist in maintaining order. He Is re-
solved not TO call out the militia only as last
resort"