“On Saturday evening, Mr. Perez Dickinson, for the last thirty years a successful merchant of Knoxville, returned from the North whither he had gone with a written permit from Governor Harris, to attend to business connected with the two firms of which he is a member. On Monday morning he was arrested upon a warrant based upon an affidavit by Attorney Ramsey, setting forth that said Dickinson was born in the State of Massachusetts, and that he had been to the North and held intercourse with the Northern people. This was the charge, and this affidavit was all the proof offered against him. His Honor Judge Humphreys, bore testimony to the good character and high standing of Mr. Dickinson, and proposed to him that he should at once and without any investigation (by the court), take an oath of allegiance and fidelity to the Confederate States. Mr. Dickinson rose and responded in a brief address--spoke of his coming here when a boy some thirty years ago--of his being an orderly and law-abiding citizen--of his all being here, and of the bones of his mother, sisters and brother being here--denied that he had held any intercourse with the people of the North in violation of his parole to Governor Harris, and declined, under the circumstances of compulsion surrounding him, to take the oath. His Honor then instructed him that he would have to give a bond of ten thousand dollars for his good behavior during the few days allotted him to remain in the State.” The reputable merchant refused to give the bond, and was prepared to depart. Notwithstanding that refusal, the Judge, upon advice of political friends, permitted him to remain. Arraignment of prisoners before the Judge sometimes rested on no foundation whatever. Rev. W. H. Duggan, a Methodist minister, of McMinn County, was charged in the indictment with having prayed for the United States Government: but the evidence showed that the praying had been done before Tennessee seceded from the Union. The manner in which he was treated was described at the time in the _Whig_ newspaper, under the eyes of the authorities. It illustrated the condition of things in the region: “Some twenty-five persons, citizens of McMinn County, were brought before Judge Humphreys on Monday, about twenty of whom were released on the ground that there was nothing against them. The truth is, they had voted the Union ticket and they had voted for years against certain men: and this explained their arrest. They were taxed with small fees to pay costs and required to take the oath, although they had committed no offense. The other five were retained for further hearing and sent into camps under a military escort for the night. Among these was Rev. W. Duggan, a member of the Holston Annual Conference, and the preacher in charge of the Athens Circuit, ... a man of truth and integrity.