The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-03-01
AN ADDRESS,
AN ADDRESS,,
Delivered before the Eromathesean Soc,ety.
Hi,vassss College, at its first meeting IN
the new College building; Feb. l2, 80.
BY d. NJ. KEY,
TFnbIshcd by Request |

TuDlsneu ny Ncquest.
As our discussion this evening is the
commencement Of literary exercises in our
new and beautiful edifice, it has been re-
Iured of me to make, in obedience to Gus
tom, whose rule is omnipolent, a few re-
marks in dedication of our temple Of sci>
ence.
This is, emphalical'y, an age Of progress.
A perfect eo-aheadism is the order of the
day. The Nineteenth Century is but half
spread out on the great cycles of the past;
yet, within iis,relgn, the conquests OF sci
ence, invention, and every other depart.
ment of the empire Of genius, have awoke
the world from the deep and sombre slum-
Der Of ages; and infused an energy and vi
tali,y into all the widely ramilied machine
ry of human operations.
The iron manacIes OF despotism, under
the ponderous weigh, Of which, nations
had toiled and groaned for many long cen.
turies, have been loosened; and man has
stood out, boldly and triumphan,ly, against
his oppressors, in the defence OF the rights
vested in him BY natures God. The op.
pressive vesllges Of feudalsm have disap-
peared amid the crash Of the earthquake
shock of popular vengeance. If the Aus>
trian serf and Russian boor have been una>
BILE TO PROSTATE the power Ol tyranny, they
have, nevertheless, made great advance
ments in the establishment Of human free.
dom. Our own government has suddenly
loomeI up into the erandest and lc',es,
position in the scale Of nations; and her
influence is GAs in the daikes, corners Of
the earth, and the smallest isles that rest
on the bosom Of the ocean. Even the DO,
ninlon Of the Ottoman Porte, has felt the
power Of the march Of mind; and the Mus
sulman has discovered that he has wrongs
10 avenge, and rights 10 maintain.
Nor have the triumphs Of religion. in the
last half century been less astounding
Thousands oflhe altars ofpagan supers,i-
tion, reeking with the blood Of human VIC
Tins. have crumbled a, the approach Of the
herald Of truth. The bloody crescent is no
longer borne aloft, amid the smoke Of
battles fought 10 drive men into an &C.
knowedsemeht OF The divinity of the COM
mission of the prophet of Mecca. The
imperious and doema.ic absurdiues of the
middle ages. have been swept off by the
whirlwnJ; and the sun OF christianity, ri-
ding in cloudless splendor, up the moral
frmanent, and tlin.ing its heavenly light
abroad upon the earth, already nears the
zenith and the christian may soon behold
the nascent beams OF mIllennial day glory,
breaking through the rilted clouds which
have wrapped world in gloom and the
solitude Of night.
The application OF steam TO machinery.
has worked revolution in commerce, and
manufactures; while the spirit of inven-
lion and enterprise has propelled the car
Of improvement with amazing velocity in
every other department of human labor.
Tremendous results-ave. we might say,
almos, miraculous results, have followed
in the train of the last fifty years. II some
man who expired, as the death knell Of the
eighteenth century rung out on the earth.
from the great Ieli of iime-if such one
| say, cousd rise from the dead, such have
been the mighty changes which have been
wrought. he would thibk himself in anolh-
er and better World.
In these vast accomplishments, literature
always the friend of liberty and of man,
has exercised an overwhelming influence.
Like Prome,heus Of old, i, has brough,
down the fire from heaven, to light up the
dark pathway of mortals. As some lofty
beacon, planted on the oceans beach. filings
its light amid the darkness and gloom OF
night, warning the mariner o! the dangers
he approaches; SO the angel form of SCI
ence, stands in colossal grandeur, bathed
in eternal sunlight. pointing its finger TO
the rocks and shoals in the ocean Of ages,
upon which governments havr been
wrecked, and with prophetic eye. penclra-
ting The darkness Of the future, marks out
the safe track for nations and men TO pur-
sue. Ii has no. been many ages since the |
wreaths OF science adorned the brOws Of the
rich and great alone; but now, thank |
Heaven, in our country the blessings Of
knowledge are within the grasp of all and,
in the language OF one of Tennessee's uo-
ble sons, ",he poor boy. clad in rags.
with no other dwelling than log cabin.
with a clap-board roof, may attain the
proudest heights Of human greatness, and
sit down in the Presidential chair" Who
were our Franklins. our Shermans, and
our Jacksous. but men who, in their youth.
struggled 10 the lowest wales of adversely !!
Who knows but IN the crowd | now al
dress, may sit some young man who, like
Demosihenes, shall arouse the nation from
its slumber, and turn the tide Of its ven-
geance against the tyrant-or like Wash
incton, lead its legions 10 battle and TO vic.
tory or like Luther, stand the bold and
ineyincible champion Of ruth. and preach
the everlasting Gospel in fearless defiance
Of the hosts Of ignorance and heresy.
NAV not live TO see the day, but doubt
not that before me sits some youth whose
influence snail be fell, and whose name
will shine on the bright escutcheon Of his
country.
But in our republic. distinction and in
huence are not gained without toll. IL
demands an unialtering resolution; an un-
bending fxedness Of purpose; and an un-