The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-02-24
KNOXVILLE CORRESPONDENCE.
KNOXVILLE, Feb. 10, 1851.

epistle. l thank you for your complimentary
notice Of my former letter, IN the Post of til,
ioth instant, and assure you it will afford
me much pleasure to become regular cor,
respondent. 1t is agreeable to occupy any
space in public notice when that notice is
complimentary; and have heard several
compliments paid TO myself on the streets Of
this metropolis since my former letterappcar.
cd. have been asked repeatedly whether
knew the author, and always replied in the
negative, because am sure, very sure, that
do not know myself Who does know him
self! Good resolutions broken-high and
noble resolves neutrality-suspicious. blind
folding the conscience and leading the poor
captive heart whithersoevcr they will-the
perpetual growth and decay of opinions and
principles which the human soul, like some
vast world, is subjected to rs it progresses
through the various seasons of joy and sor-
row, prosperity and adversely, security and
mptatiOn-thcse, these, in every mans his
tory, form mighty scroll upon which he
reads humiliating consciousness of his IT,
norance of himself Noscc tcipsum is an i'm
possibility.
This is the Sabbath day. The sound Of
the bell of the "Sccond" Church floats on
the dull still air far away to me. | sit and
write in quiet little room, in the most re-
mote suburbs of Knoxville, and realize the
line Of Byron
ain solitude when we are least alone"
That bell, ANA this day, bring around me The
shadowy forms of the loved and lost, who
come and commune with me only when
am alone. The great poet makes the wan.
dcring shade of IIamlct's father start from
the interview with IIoratio and Marcclus,
Like guilty thing
Upon fearful summons
when "thc cock crew. But it is not the
dawn of day, or the twilight grey" of even.
ing, or the gaudy glare of noon, or that SOL
cmn hour
"Of Nights black arch the keystone"
which banishcs from me the blcst and bless.
ing images Of the loved and lost. 1t is the
presence of my kind. Hence this retreat,
whittier wend my evening steps, and here
remain with my God and the beautiful memo.
rics Of the Past, until the Iabors and the du-
ties Of the next day call me back to the busy
throng of the town and the returning paroy- .
ysm of the moncy.fcvcr. ! thank God for
these rcmissions from this fever, in which the
vital cnery les of the soul have some time to
react; and may it never assume the typhoid
type of aged avarice, or the consuming force
If the monomania, or money.mania, which
las prematnrcIy sent some of our most pro.
nincnt citizens into the land of half cracked
kulls. could mention names; but YOU
NOW.
But am dull am prolix am-God
Inows what but must quit this strain.-
This dull sky, covered with one uniform con-
.nva Of ivnacn. colorcd cloud, .na All. I..,,..
chill, stagnant air, have crcpt {" into my heart
and into my brain" This same concavitv of
cloud shuts down over the town as close
md as heavy rs a huge up turned skillet;
md the imprisoned eyes look in vain and long
Tor the great Smoky Mountain on the South.
md the lovely Cumberland to the North,
which on clear day are visible from my
.hosen retreat.
A session of the Circuit Court has lust
ended here which has created decided sen.
'ation. 1t seems that n great deal of cock
lighting, and card.playing, had come to the
of our faithful and vigilant town
police, which they reported TO the Court,
and the result is several hundred indictments
for gaming. TO Messrs. Stacks and RYAN
The thanks Of the public are certainly due for
their excrtions in supprcssing these corrupt
ing practices. Many very respectable
young men, understand were enrarcd in
it. had not time to attend the sitting of
the Court except one afternoon. | went then
ut the instance Of friend who informed me
that criminal case Of more than ordinary
interest was on hand, and that his maiden
speech was to be made by young attorney
named Clark. A dense throny of spectators
filled the Courtroom when ] entered. and
the examination Of witnesses was progress
ing. MIR. Clark, who was assisted by the
and able Maj. J. c. Ramsey, was
pointed out to me. lie appeared of slight
and delicate frame, as Pluarch tells us both
Demonsthenes and Cicero were, but his keen.
piercing eye and classic profile indicated, with
inerring certainty, the minds "impcrial pow
RS that sat cnthroncd Within lie at lenptb
Osc to speak, and with luminous diction
nd cogcncy of argument which never saw
quaIled in Il maiden .sroeeh, he most sue
essfully indicated the prisoners innocencv
If the foul charge imputed to him. The pri
'oncr--a poor detected creature of that I'M. |
fortunate race which the wrath of God vet
Dursues into all the ends Of the earth. lat |
east presume he is Jew, for his name is |
Israeli began to look up timidy rs the first
tremulOus sentences of Mr.. Clark fell mu- |
sically on his ear; and then as the speakers
voice assumed Il holder tone and his eloqucncc
scared loiticr flight, he gazed with increas.
ING JOY until the tears strcamed down his |
checks in the utmost profusion. Nor were
others unaffected; the handkerchicfs of the
Jury were in rcquisiton. and it is said that the
Judge upon the bench, and even the llinty.
heaIted Attorney General wnro sonn snn