"PARSON" BROWNLOW IS ORDERED TO SEIZE REBEL PROPERTY SALMON P. CHASE (1808 - 1873) American politician, Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury who originated a national banking system. Important war-date D.S., 7pp. legal folio, Washington, Apr. 11, 1863, an appointment of William G. "Parson" Brownlow to serve as a Treasury Agent! The document commissions Brownlow a "Special Agent of the Treasury Department " to act on its behalf pursuant to acts passed by Congress: "...for the prevention of frauds in insurrectionary districts...receive and collect abandoned or captured property, including all Cotton, Tobacco, and other Merchandise and property seized under Military of naval Orders... ". The document also sets forth detailed instructions for receiving such property, the issuance of receipts, and so on. Interestingly, it also notes: "...You will...encourage the abandonment of cotton...their claims...will be favorably considered if they do nothing voluntarily to aid the rebellion... ". Boldly signed by Chase at conclusion. Also included is a Feb. 8, 1865 Treasury Department letter to Brownlow, 2pp. 4to., which restates Brownlow's complaints that: "...Out of eleven hundred bills of indictment there have been no convictions... " with presiding judges apparently always ruling in favor of those whose property had been confiscated by the vindictive Brownlow! Two pieces, very good. WILLIAM G. "PARSON" BROWNLOW (1805-1877) was one of the more colorful political leaders during the Civil War. He was an active voice in East Tennessee during the war and went on to become Governor of Tennessee during the Reconstruction period. He was then elected a U. S. Senator, serving one term. Pro-slavery but violently against secession, Brownlow used his Whig newspaper to lead the East Tennessee "Rebellion" against the Confederacy in 1861. Brownlow stirred up so much trouble that he was arrested and jailed. Fearful of making him a martyr, Confederate authorities escorted Brownlow out of the area and turned him loose. He went on to the North and became widely known through his speeches attacking the Confederacy. In 1863, Brownlow returned to Knoxville and revived his paper, at the same time serving as an arm of Yankee justice. $800-1,200