Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-04

ed sine die yesterday. The session has beer
a long one, and great deal Of bushes;
has been acted upon, large proportion o.
which was of a private or local character
but we feel authorised to say that the mem
berS have ''done the State some service,
for quite number of very important laws
were passed within the last week or tel
days previous to the adjournment
At few minutes after ten o'clock, the
members of the Senate repaired to the Rep
resentative Hall, when Mr. CAvITr moved
that the House Of Representatives adjourn
sine die, in accordance with a resolution
adopted some days since. Mr.. Speaker
Brown then pronounced the following val
ediCtory address
Gentlemen of tie House of Representatives.:
could not fail to be deeply gratfed at the very
hatterng testimonials you have given, of your ap.
probation of my course as Presiding Officer of this
House, and | shall cherish this proof of your
kindness among the most sacred "reminiscences Of
this body. Next to the consciousness OF faithful
discharge Of duty, the appreciation Of others is the
only reward public man in this country can re-
ceive.
But while feel that I have been impartial and
faithful, candor compes me to admit that | owe
this need of your praise rather to your generosity
than to any peculiar merit or efficiency nv part.
Accept, then, gentlemen, the assurance of my
grateful acknowledgements.
We have arrived at last, after q long and laoori-
Gus session, to the period OF final separation. We
are about to return to our homes and families and
constituents, and merge the official character We
have borne in the ranks Of private life The thought
doubtless inspires joyous antcpations in the bosom
of every one But such reflections cannot be I'M
mingled on this occasion. We shall never all meet
again! In a few years the grave will have closed over
many of the living forms before me, animated
as they are with health and hope and expectation.
Age and youth, and the prime of manhood, have
mingled together in this Hail. in the noble work OF
serving the State. Some will return TO these seats;
others will rise to higher stations and others will
find in private life, that serene happiness which
does not belong to the field of politics.
We may be compared to actors on the stage.
Each has performed his part The curtain is about
to drop. The audience will soon depart The
lights will be extingushed, and silence will reign,
where for FIVE months have been heard the busy
hum OF ces, and the earnest appeal in behalf Of
favorte views. Such is man, and such is human
society.
But, gentlemen, let us remember that the duties
of patriotism do not terminate with our as
Representatives We will carry them it'll Us into
our retirement, and to the last moment Of our lives
with all the vigor and force with which we felt
them here, under oath, beneath this spreading can
opy, and with all the responsibilities Of the State
upon US
Whatever may be our different views Of public
policy We can have but one aim-the honor and
glory of our country. And as We have enjoyed the
popular confidence, we have peculiar responsible
ty towards every public emergency. Clouds and
darkness may hover over our beloved State as they
DO often over the pathway of the individual man.
And shall we not be the first 10 meet the crisis!
Remember that our institutions rest not like this
Capitol, upon massive pillars of granite, that defy
the assaults both of nature and man but upon vir.
tue and intelligence. No mailed legiOns guard our
outposts, nor frowning battements the access that
leads TO the temple. But Virtuous devotion and
an enlightened comprehension are the guardian
angels, whose bright swords ever CLEAN over our
Eden and have thus far preserved il n all its bloom
and in all its beauty. And wO betde the times that
shall install new sentiments in their stead
The obligations of patriotism are not limited to
the battlefield, but are everywhere and upon all
classes aud conditions. The dying soldier points
amid his ebbng strength, to the colors that float
over his head and for this he is immortalized in
story and in song But the psins-taking civilian
the professional man-the patriarch at the head OF
lis tribe, who studies to comprehend the true heo-
~ OF our institutions, and incucates the ma1ims
OF truth and justice, OF fidelity aud honor, pc rforms
no part 10 the field of the public service.
These duties are memorable in their demands and
they appeal to every man, public and private, eve
rywhere and at all times. They follow old age
down the stream Of life and invoke its counsels
even TO the verge Of the ocean OF time. They chal
lenge the first homage of ardent youth and claim
its loitiest aspirations. But they call with special
emphasis upon the prime OF life, with all its iacu-
ties in full maturity, and mOnopOze its allegiance
No talents however brilliant, or stations, however
exalted, alone ensure immortality. Virtue
must mngle in the array and lead the vanguard
it alone can write the destiny of men among the
stars, or gid his pathway along down the vale Of
life, or shed bright halo around the chambers of
the tomb.
Among the consultations which soOthe the last
hours Of ev ry honest man, none is superior TO the
reflections that he has contributed his share n the
support OF this great structure of human freedom.
And no earthly hope, is so sublime as that, which,
Confding in the inherent strength Of our system
contemplates this government when century after
century shall have rolled away still towering among
the nations of the world IN all its majesty aud in all
its glory the seat oil civilization aud the arts as
changed-its stars undimmed-and marching Oh
ward in its great missiou-the regeneration OF mani
And who among US is not animated by an ardent
desire that Tennessee shall form a bright point in
such q picture? To ensure il requires your aid
and mine and that of every man in the State. The
public faith has been pledged from time to time, for
the accomplishment Of great and important UNDER
takings, and the obg alton arising from IT, is bind
ing upon you and me, upon our honor and our
l,g md srtHf
the last cent and to the last moment cf our lives
And he is net patriot, who would slight or evade
il upon the plea that be did not concur in ts crea.
tion or dissented from its policy. de deserves the
brand Of Cain, who would stir up disafiecton, or
SOW the seeds Of reputation No ST. te could live
through the storm of obloquy that would concen-
trate upon il for disregardiug its pghted faith.
have no sympathy with that code Of morals which
tolerate standard IN public life and political action,
different from that which belongs TO private rela-
tons Justice and truth and honor alone can save
States and render them great aud glorious they
slone can rave men, and elevate them 10 the true
dignity OF human nature.
In casting our eyes forward, We can anticipate
the time, when the public works nov projected,
shall have been completed our mountain barriers
scaled our rivers bridged our forests subdued, and
the Whoe train OF industrial pursuits ia full opera-
ton. Such results will give strength aud influence
TO the state, promote lnuNld0al "eAlth ahu AFFORD
employment to labor. Aud | am happy in the
conviction that the measures we have adopted will
be found ample to meet all the public engagements
No holder OF our tonds need 90 indulge in the
slightest apprehension. And We have . fund in
reserve, upon which 10 draft has ever been pro-
tested, the stern honor OF the people OF Tennes
see. We may indulge the fond hope, that with the
VSst physical Developments in prospect, the policy
OF the State will be marked ny the same uuiAterng
loyalty to the Union that has al~ays distinguished
her-turning neither to the right the left, bot