VOLUME 2. MESSAGE OP Governor Brownlow to the ture of Tennessee. SECESSION. is an abomination that 1 can not too strongly Qondeinn. and one that you cannot legislate against with too much sevority. What has it done for our coun try in the space of four years? It has plunged our country into civil war, par alyzed our commerce, destroyed our agri cultural pursuits, suspended the whole trade and business of our country, les sened the value of our property, destroy- j ed many of the pursuits of life, and has | involved the Soui.li iu irretrievable bank- j ruptcyand mi". ITS DEVASTATION. What has it done for Tennessee? It J fin- formed odious and unconstitutional military leagues' passed m*itary feills*w*» l inaugurated a system of oppressive tnxa- j tiou. without consulting the people, and j then, in mockery of a free election, Ins j •required them by their votes to sanction , its usurpation, at the point of the buyo- j net. under the penalty of imprisonment and death. It hai offered a premium for crime, iu ordering the discharge of cul prits from prison on condition that they , would enter the rebel army, and in recom- | mending the judges to hold no courts for the trial of offenders. It has stained our statute book with the rej udiation of hon est Northern debts, and lias palpably vio lated the Constitution, by attempting, through its unlawful extension, to do away with the right v' suffrage. It his passed laws making it treason to say or do , anything in favor of the Government of J the United .Status, or against the so call- j ed Confederate Slates. It has prostrated | and overthrown the freedom ol speech : and of the press; it lias involved the j whole South in a war whose success is | now proven t/> be utterly hopeless, and which, ere nnoihe year r< Us round, must lead to the ruin ot the common people.— Its bigoted murderous and intolerarttspir- j it has subjected the people of Tennessee ! to many grievances < )ur people have j been arrested and imprisoned ; our homes have been rudely entered and shamefully j pillaged : our families have been subject ed to insults, our women and children have been tied up and scourged, or shot by a ruffian soldiery; our towns have been pillaged ,* our citizens have been j robbed of their horses, mules, grain and I lyeat. and many of them assassinated and murdered. Hundreds, yes, thousands of our young men, middle aged and old mcn,liavc been driven from our State, and compelled to enter the Federal aimy, in strange regi ments, and their bones now lie bleaching upon the many battle-fields of the South and West, and all this because oup peo ple were true to the traditions of their fathers, and refused to worship rebel gods. And to thf honor of the people be it known, that more regiments to-day swell the nuuiucr of the armies of the I nioii than there are li¥iug traitors in the ranks of the enemy. • THE V N ION MARTYRS. In this proud capital of llic "\ oluntecr State," there have been thousands of I n ion refugees, men, women and children, broken-hearted, naked and starving, a great many are here still. They have fled from the wicked aud murderous guerril las, after being robbed of everything they possessed. They have lived in camps or tents, by fires in the woods, have dragged out a miserable existence for a time, and died amoug strangers, llund reds have suffered from actual want of necessary food,shelter while many residences iu this ffbe/Zious riti/ ' have been occupied by ihe families ot those who were fighting against their country, or being rittseu ri.bc/.i and lmm< fruitvrt , have fie.l within th rebel lints. These families have remained here pro tected, an I have yielded an over-ruling social influence. Many of them are wealthy, and live in ease and comfort.— They have busied themselves in giving information to the enemy, in carrying w delicacies to rebel prisoners who have ' been coufiued here for their crimes ai|d treasof. And it is suited upon undoubt ed authority, u,'jd the fact is notorious in this capital, that the. disloyal families never contributed in the slightest degree to the relief of the poor aud distressed Union women and children or disabled soldiers thrown upon this population by the operations of the war. I state these facts, which may have the appearauce of a personal aud local character, that you may know how to shape your course when personal and local legislation is called for. AMENDMENT TO THE £QNSTJTU TION. I have the honor to submit to the G«n- i eral Assembly of the State of Tennessee, p copy ot a joint resolution of Congress, { AMERICAN CITIZEN. ' passed by of two-thirds of each ! house, entitled "A resolution submitting to the Legislatures of the several States a proposition to amend the Constitution of the United States," which is in the ) following words: " Resolved, by the Senate and Howtc of Representative* ot the United States in Congress Assembled , (two-thirds of both houses concurring therein,) That the fol lowing article be proposed to the Legis latures of the several States as uu amend ment to the Constitution of the United I States, which, when ratified by the Leg islatures of throe-fourths of said States, shall be valid to all intents and purposes. | as a part of said Constitution, namely : ARTICLE XIII. '• Section 1. Ne-ther slavery nor invol untary servitude, except as a punishment I tor £)iuie v whercyf the party shall have j been duly convicted, shall exist within ! tlie United States, or any place subject j to their jurisdiction. I ''Section 2. Congress shall have pow j or to enforce this article by appropriate j ' legislul ion. " Approved Fenriwry 1, 1865." The slavery question here conies up in a form hitherto not discussed in our pol i itics. It is not a questi ti as to the right ' of Congress to exlude slavery froin the Territories, to legislate upon the matter themselves, noV does it involve the dis cussion of any doubtful powers, but is the shnplp proposition to amend the Con stitution of the United States in the man ner prescribed oy that sacred instrument ! so as to strike down the monster, institu | tion which has embroiled the Govern j ment for half a century, and culminated | in the most wieked, uncalled for and bloody | war known to the history of the civilized | world. LET IT HE RATIFIED. I Slavery, secured to the people of the South more permanently by the Constitu ! tiou of the I nitpd States, and by the j laws enated in pursuance thereof" than ! any species if property claimed by them j—not even excepting their land*—tvill I now perish by the war which it brought j about to enlarge its power and perpetuate j its existence. Let us do our part in this great work by ratifying the action of Con gress, and carrying out the wishes of our people. After the ratification by the pco plo of oar State of our Amended Consti j tutiou, embracing the same proposition, and after your election to the General As sembly on this platform, and by the same people. I have not considered an elabor ate argument in favor of the proposition submitted by Congress at all necessary. I may bo allowed to say. however, that to prohibit slavery in a State requires a change in the State Constitution. Pregnant as we find slavery to be of all sorts of polit ical mischief, it is uot to be got rid of, under the Constitution, in any other than a constitutional manner. And, while the sooner this can bo done tlio better, it does not appear in what part of the Constitu tion of the United States the power ol regulating it at all, in times of peace, is to be found. Fortunately for the future happiness of the country, the Constitu tion has provided a way iu which the people can reiyedy the great evil, with out any questionable exercise of power, and that is by amending the Constitution jnst as < Congress has, proposed. Slavery was so far made the subject of constitutional cognizance by the jieople ol the United States, when they adopted the Articles of Confederation, that it found u place in the compromises of that instru ment, both iff fixing the ration ol repre seutalion and the apportionment of direct taxes; aud also iu rcquitiugthe people ol a free State to surrender so much id' this sovereignty as not to have the right to piotect the slave that sought refuge from bondage—it would seem 100 late iu the day to question the right of the people to adopt amendipentg to that instrument, in regard to thus or other subjects embraced in its provisions. It becomes us, there fine, to approach thb subject with an en lightened statesmanship, and with a de gree of moral courage that is not afarid to do right, appealing to the ultimate judgment of mankind to vindicate our action. It is iu this way, and in no other, that a Uniterm rule cau be provided, aud an eud put thereby, in all time to come, to a possibility of reviving that which has ■ beeu the fatal cause of all the mischief in the country. To insist upon exclu ding slavery fruin a State, by amending her Constitution, before recoguizing her again as within the pale of the Union, would look awkward, and fall beloy the dignity of political sagacity. ( Our State lutsshown her hand aud placed herself square upon the record; and i flat'er myself that her representatives here as sembled are ready for' a measure which shall forever exclude slavery from the United States. "Let us have Faith that Righfmakes Might; and in that Faith let us, the end,dare to do our My as we understand it'-'—A.. Lincoln BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, MAY 13/1865. PROTECTION TO FREED MEN. Some legislation is necessary for the protection, government and oontrol of the emancipated slaves among us. When this war is over a portion of those who fought to perpetuate slavery will show the emancipated slaves no quarter, and espe cially that class of slaves who have been rudeand violent toward their former own ers. What the character of this legisla tion should he, I leave the good sense, prudence and reflection of the members of the General Assembly to determine. It is certainly proper and right fiir the Legislature of tne State of Tennessee to determine to what extent this state shall be overrun with the emancipated slaves of other States. If their presence in any State is a blessing, they should be distri buted; if an evil, is but just that we should he taxed only with our own share of tfiein. i aid, myself, the advneat* of providing for them a seperafe ami appro priate amount of territory,' and settling them down permanently as a nation of 1 freeduie'i. In this case, as in most oth j ers, it will probably be well to guard against exceptive legislation. The ne gro h;ts had no agency himself in bring* mg on our troubles, and does not merit unkind treatment at our hands. WAR ON GUERRI 1.1.AH. • The attention of the Legislature is ear nestly called to the subject of the ro ving bandit of guerrillas, and squads of robbers and murderers who frequent those counties and portions of counties re mote frmnour military forces. The dep redations and murderspotnnii,ted by them a>e of such frequent occurrence as to have created a general feeling qf iusecu rity among our citizens, causing hund reds to saernfiee their properly and aban don their homes and the graves of their parents and,loved mies, seeki g new homes, among strangers iu the Northwes tern States. INritt:AS)lii> bEVEUITIT OF THE I.A\\\ The criminal laws of Tennessee prior to the rebellion were equal to the de mands of justice and the wants of socie ty, but the}'are now inadequate iu both these cases. The corruption of the rebel j lion have exhibited themselves in every quarter, and the effects of the same have been to demoralize all classes of society more or 'ess, calling for more stringent enactments, so as to meet the numerous eases arising in ojir country. I advise that horse-stealing, house-breaking and highway robberies be punished with death. Let the proof in all such cases bo clear and unquestionable, and then leWlhe offenders Ikj hung, even for the first offense. This character of a law will close out all those acts of perfidy which now reuder life aud property in secure, more or less in all counties of the State ; and when the necessary reform is had. a future Legislature can repeal or amind the statute. Such a law may look to others as a bloody act, but it can never affect injuriously au honest man or a law-abiding citizen. Aud you, gentle men, should feel no concern for the op posite class of men but to punish aud re lorm them. * * * * * * AMENDMENT OF STATE CONSBITUTIO.V. 'J he recent amendment to tho State Constitution abolishing slavery will re quire some changes in the revenue laws The item of slaves wid no longer appear in the list of taxablas. he cen-ns of 180'J show* there were in the State about JJS.OUO slaves. The issessor's return l show that 180,425 were reported for tax ation. Their average value hatl steadily Increased from 8413 72 ie lß4li to §**o 40. It is a significant fact that the next year, the first year ot the war, the aver age fell to isti, taxes at the low rate of seven cunts upon the one hundred dob lars to which our State taxation was re ; duced iu 18t)H, the slaves* averaging a little the rise of sixty-two cents each, a.iuouuting to SBJ,OUU iu the aggregiate. The slaves had no property. Hping emaucipaLed. they will now be subject to a poll-tax.—.Many of them will soon ac quire taxable property far beyond their personal value as slaves. ****** COMMON SCHOOLS. The common school system will, in this connection, demand your attention. The lund appropriated for the purpose has beeu squandered by the bad men aud i dishonest fuuetuaries who fled on the ap proach of the old, flag. What shall be done to replace tjiis great loss ? At no : period iu the history ot the State has the - young and risiug generation appealed so affectionately for legislative aid. Precti : cally denied all scholastic advantages du : ring the last four years, aud deprived, as thousands have been, of their natural protectors, if they are not poua provided I for it will be too late for them. Indeed, not a tew have already passed beyond i the age to atteud school, hopelessly i Ulc erate. ****** THE NATIONAL BANK. The National Bank System is believed on many accounts to be preferable.— This would give us a circulatim current all over the country, and subject our bank ing to more correct principles of finance. Other States are adopting the National Hanking system, and I recommend the same to the Legislature of Tennessee. — Such an institution eould be used profita bly as the fiscal of the State, and if you can secure the means, one in each of the other graud divisions of the State would work to advantage. ELECTIVE FRANCHISE. The qualifications of voters, an 1 other limitations of the elective franchise, have been entrusted to you by the people This delicate responsibility will devolve uprtn you a heavy task, and merits your j whuk: attention. \ should be some attitionul limitations prescribe!, few wiil don}'. Many persons in the State, by every act of which they were capable, have disfranchised themselves. Probably ihoy neither expect nor desire the privilege ol again voting, and would not exercise it if granted them. Many others have committed acts deserving dis franchisement, who nevertheless will re sist it, and strive for every civil right they enjuyid before the war. and before trea son had involved the State in so much suffering. While J would not recom mend you to give way te the impulse of vengence any more than to the appeals of sympathy and pity, I would urge onto guard the ballot-box faithfully and effect ually against the approach of treason, Tin matter in what character it may come. — The loyal people j manu factured all locomotives, cars and rail road stock, all telegraph sire and sp;ar< a;us, all rebel uniforms and gray cloth tor manufacturing them, and all spiritu ous liqouis, arc to be deemed contraband of war. Third—The commanding General of the military division has authority to make gUt-h exceptions to trade hereby au tlidhtfcd as iu his opinion circumstances . may tequiro. j By order of Maj. Gen. HALLI'CK. (Approved. By order of Sec y of, War.