acceptation of the term they should abolish the delusion at once and forever. Crafety, cunning, generous to his particular friends, benevolent and charitable to their faults, ungrateful and implacble to his enemies-we cannot refrain from saying that he is the best judge of human nature within the bounds of the Southern Confederacy.

In procuring from the Confederate authorities a safe-conduct to a point within the Hessian lines he has exhibit the most consummate skill. Absenting himself from the immediate vicinity of Knoxville-hiding at a point where he was concealed from the observation of any one save his particular friends, within easy communication with the military commanders at the Knoxville post-he succeeded in foiling the Confederate authority at every point. By a hypocritical appeal to Southern generosity against what he chose to term "mob law" he succeeded in concealing his real whereabouts just long enough to accomplish his real purposes. Time was all he wanted. Cajoling the authorities here with the idea that "he was doing nothing" his emissaries were dispatched to Richmond. By a species of diplomacy and legerdemain Secretary Benjamin is induced to believe that Brownlow forsooth is quite a harmless individual. The move was made, the blow was struck and the shackless fall from the person of Brownlow. Brownlow was triumphant and Benjamin outwitted. In fact we do not know whether to laugh or get mad with the manner in which Brownlow has wound the Confederate Government around his thumb. That Brownlow is now laughing like the king's fool in his sleeve we doubt not for a moment.

The pledge to convey Brownlow within the Hessian lines has been made by the head of the War Department of the Confederate States; and even if this promise was procuded by fraud and misrepresentation as we have heard intimated yet it must be fulfilled to the next letter. In giving Brownlow the promise the Confederate authorities have committed in our opinion what has been so often characterized as worse than a crime-a blunder. That all the authorities in this case acted in good faith we do not and will no doubt; that they have been outwitted and overreached diplomatically we can affirm with equal truth. Bronwnlow!-God forbid that we should unnecessarily magnifuly the importance of this name; but there are facts connected with the character of the man which a just and disciminating public would condemn in us did we not give them due notice. In brief Brownlow has preached at every church and school-house and made stump-speeches at every cross-road and knows every man, woman and child and their fathers and grandfathers before them in East Tennessee. As a Methodist circuit-rider, a political stump-speaker, a temperance orator and the editor of a newspaper he has been equally successful in our division of the State. Let him but once reach the confines of Kentucky with his knowledge of the geography and the population of East Tennessee and or section will soon feel the effect of his hard blows. From among his old partisan and religious sectarian parasities he will find men who will obey him with the fanatical alacrity of those who followed Peter the Hermit in the first crusade. We repeat again let us no underrate Brownlow.

AT HOME,

[Knoxville, Tenn.,] February 15, 1862.

Colonel ROBERT B. VANCE:

I am gald to learn that you are in command of this post and I hope you may be continued while it is my lot to remain here under guard in