Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee PatriotBrownlow, William Gannaway
History
Portrait and Biography of Parson Brownlow, The Tennessee Patriot
Brownlow, William Gannaway
Brownlow, William Gannaway, 1805-1877; Tennessee, East -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
But I told my wife, before I left, to prepare for execution, for, as
certain as I got North, I would not behave myself, according to Jeff.
Davis' understanding. I am now feeble, having been preaching and
discoursing for thirty-five years. I have seen the day when I could have
spoken five hours at a time; but my late imprisonment, in connection
with my typhoid fever, has broken down my constitution. When feeblest,
they doubled the guard, and pretended to think that my sickness was all
a sham, in order that more liberty would be given me, and then I could
escape. I told them that it was unnecessary, for if there was no guard
I could not run away. For I had written to Benjamin, and, if he would
not send me away in the proper manner, I would not go. I had made up my
mind to hang. I had seen my friends taken from the same prison--one or
two at a time--and hung. Sometimes the father and son on the same day.
While this was going on, they would say tauntingly, "Your turn will be
next, for you are the ringleader and cause of all this trouble." I told
them if they would give me the privilege of making a speech, one hour
long, under the gallows, that I might speak to the people and pronounce
a eulogy on the Southern Confederacy, that I would be willing to die.
And I really think I could have swung in peace. It is my intention to go
back to Knoxville and start my paper. I want to go with the army, and
once more raise the flag of the stars and stripes, and then blaze away.
They have been doing all of the hanging on one side, and I wish to
superintend it on the other. My motto is, "Grape for the masses, but
hemp for the leaders." They deserve hanging, for this is the most wicked
rebellion ever known to the world. If you had given them a President and
all the offices, there would have been no rebellion--for the "nigger" is
a mere pretext.
After thanking the brethren, he was introduced to the Ministers and
friends present, and then took his leave. During the day he visited the
Book Concern, and expressed himself highly pleased with its evident
prosperity.
BROWNLOW IN INDIANAPOLIS.
Mr. Brownlow left Cincinnati for Indianapolis (_via_ Dayton),
accompanied by Messrs. Mayor Maxwell and James Blake, Esq., of the
latter place, and General S. F. Cary and T. Buchanan Reed, of
Cincinnati. The party were greeted with one continued ovation during the
journey. At almost every station the cars were surrounded with eager
crowds, anxious to see and welcome the tried hero and patriot. Upon his
arrival in Indianapolis he became the guest of Governor Morton.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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