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Judge Humphreys, of the
Confederate District for
East Tennessee, has been holding court at
Knoxville.
The Register notices the proceedings of a late day:
By far the larger portion of the Knoxville bar came forward and took the oath to support the
Constitution and Government of the
Confederate States of America, as well as the usual oath of faithfulness administered in our courts to all practicing attorneys.
Among the gentlemen thus sworn was
Mr. John Baxter, who has been considered by the late Union party of
East Tennessee as a prominent leader among them, and who has been regarded by Southern men as one of the most violent and ultra of the opponents of Southern Rights in the
State.
During the day
John Brownlow and
W. A. G. Reed, who were in the custody of the military, were surrendered to the
Marshal, when the former, the
District Attorney having no charge of a criminal nature against him, was fully discharged; the latter was, as we understand, informally charged with some criminal conduct in circulating
Helper's infamous book; but upon his voluntarily making a statement in regard to his conduct and offering to take the oath of allegiance to the
Confederate States, he was discharged from custody upon his own recognizance for his good behavior, after taking the following oath:
‘
"I,
W. A. G. Reed, solemnly and sincerely swear that I will truly and faithfully demean myself as a good and true citizen of the
State of Tennessee and of the
Confederate States of America, and that I will be subject to the powers and authorities that are now established for the good government thereof; and that I will not abet or join the enemies of said State or of the
Confederate States by any means in any conspiracy or rebellion whatever against the authority thereof; and that I will disclose and make known to the
Legislative, Executive or Judicial authorities of said State or of the
Confederate States all treasonable plots or conspiracies which I shall know to be made or intended against the same, so help me God."
’
