Year: 1877

DnA n We " Us . HAO w " LO ~ -


HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPAI-


CAL FALsEH0ODS.


Whatever may be said OF VIM. G.
Brownlow as he was in the pul pit, in
the sanctum or as politician, his per-
sonal honesty was never questioned,
his boundless generosity never doubt
ed, and in private life his truthfulness
was never suspected. He was per-
sonally the most generous Of men, and
most devoted and tenacious In his at
tachments, and the very poor in East
Tennessee never knew such q friend.
When Knoxville was once ravsged by
cholera there was no hut of poverty
and wretchedness that did not have
Its pale watcher by the bedside of the
plague-stricken in the person o: the
violent, fighting parson. When Brown
lows Wing was the most successful
newspaper in money-making in the
South, the editor and proprietor, who
rallied out so bitterly against his parti-
san enemies, gave money to the poor
and helpless everywhere until he was
himself always impoverished. Bitterly
as he was denounced and fercely as
he was hated as a party leader, it was
never safe, where Brownlow, tine man
and private citizen, was personally
known, to denounce his name or deeds.
His friends were not exclusively of his
own church or party, and Brownlow's
grave will be bedewed with tears by
the whole population of Knoxville.
His widow is as gentle and amiable
and practical as the infammable parson
was full of enthusiasm and violent as
q preacher, editor and party leader.
In fact, Brownlow never came before
the footlights save as q tragedian.
Behind the scenes the very
Brownlow himself was as kindly
and generous and gentle as became the
husband of such wife. Now that he
is dead the public will learn tor the
first time, long as Brownlow has been
conspicuous, that there were two
Brownlows as different from one an
other as light from darkness. The
press and people of East Tennessee will
now tell how very little they knew Of
the private citizen, the friend and
philanthropist, who only knew the
preacher, the fiery editor and furious
party-leader. Brownlow, when in
good health, was an admirable story
teller. AS a fireside colloquist he was
simply peerless. Here was ever illus
trated all that was admirable in his
many sided character. He knew per
sonally all the party-leaders Of his
time. He was an acute listener and
observer and his sketches of great men
were inlmitable. AS a Methodist, as
an editor, as 8 stump speaker, he was
irresistible in the midst of his ad-
herents Of mountains and valleys, and
when we remember that he was Whig,
and Andrew johnson, his neighbor at
Greenville, a Democrat, both omnIpo-
tent, each in his own party, it Is not
amazing that these two d after them
into Unionism the great body of the
people of the mountainous districts of
three CO. er ninous States. The conduct
of these non-slaveholding populations
caused Greeley to believe that slave
holders were peculiarly the seces-
sionists of the South, and Greeley's
history, so-called, is entitled ''The
SHAREHOLDERS Rebellion" In point of
fact slaveholdlng populations were
most hostile to secession, and each great
slaveholding county of the South, un-
less some potent and extraordinary
party leader lived in its midst, sent
Unionists or ''co-operationists" or
'submissionists," as then called in
derison, to seeding State conventions.
1t was the ''copperas breeches Democ-
racy," and not ''broadcloth Wings"
that were rampant for war. But the
story is told that men holding a pecu


liar species Of property, most insecure
when the stability of government was
least, gave paternity and approval to
secessionism. Greeley has fastened the
absurd assertion on the pages of his
book; the world believes the lie, and
there is no remedy, while it is only true
that Brownlow and johnson gave the
assertion Verisimilitude through the
conduct of East Tennessee, as shaped
by their moral power. 1t may be
proper to state that despite the violence
Of partisanship and Of antagon-
isms which Brownlow ever excited
and countless as were his oppor-
tunlties to gather wealth, his per-
sonal integrity was never questioned,
and through the varied fortunes of
long and active life, he occupied the
modest home on Cumberland street, in
Knoxville, where he breathed his last.