 In March 1840, Brownlow accused Haynes of an assassination attempt after an unknown assailant fired two shots at him; Haynes suggested Brownlow fabricated the entire incident.A few weeks later, Brownlow attacked Haynes with a cane, igniting a brawl that ended with Haynes drawing a pistol and shooting Brownlow in the thigh.In 1841, Haynes was hired as editor of the "Tennessee Sentinel", a pro-Democratic Party newspaper that had been published by his brother-in-law, Lawson Gifford, since 1835.