Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-06

rHr uprANDs OF rgygp.asrr

TIE UPLANDs OF TENaE aSEE.
Want Of communication has hithertos shut out
great portion Of most beautiful eoun &y from the
knowledge of the world. While It's nei'sShbOrs en-
listed under the banner Of progress, an i marched
steadily onward in the work Of improve usRt, it
NAMED stationary, its beauties and advs atagcs
known. The Inhabitants were content 10 walk in
the steps Of their forefathers unheeding the great
blessings scattered around them. For ye Crs sleep
as deep as that Of Rip Van Wrinkle SCENE to cover
the land; men followed the same mode Of fife that
had satisfied their ancestors, ever AID anoa grum-
bling that their lives had not fallen in pleas
ant places, where the earth would yield subsistence
without any labor. Forests as dense as those in
which the red man r0amed surrounded the log cab
ins, varied only by small fields Of badly titled
ground The blossoms Of spring withersd and died,
harvests succeeded, without any stirring event to
mark their flight. This was its condition when
family from the busy world came sounds Of active
life. They reverberated in the smiling valleys and
were msrrily echoed from peak to peak The com
munity began to shake off the lethargy which had
so long held them prisoners; a few energetic men,
seeing the advantages the country possessed welded
their Influence and put in motion the ball Of prog
ress. Onward it rolled until now the mountain dis
trcts of Tennessee are beginning to excite interest
in all who love the beautiful and are pointed to
the most suitable places fer the location of prOmi
n0nt institutions.
Follow the course Of the Chattanooga railroad
the rich valleys and lowlands mark the great ascent
until you approach the first bench of the mountains:
here the vast extent Of table land, which stretches
further than the eye can reach is at first uninviting
and mOnotOnOus but this is only the entrance to the
interesting country beyond. Proceed on the Man
chester and 8IcMinnyille road for few miles, and
new features diversity the landscape gentle undula
ions more luxurious vegetation, with here and there
a glimpse Of the blue peaks of the Cumberland in
the back ground. Around the little town of Man
chester flows a stream whose limpid waters murmur
over shining pebbles and moss grown rocks, until,
rs if weary of its peaceful course it rushes wildly
on, breaking int numerous cascades leaping and
dancing gaily and then dashing over falls of no
small Importance, when, its fury being spent, it
gides silently away, and seems once more willing to
be caressed by the shrubs and vines which battle
their beauties in its cool waters All that nature
can give is contributed to render this spot one Of
the loveiest Of Gods creation. There the tall oaks
bend to and fro; there the coral wOod-bine and
snowy swinger mingle their blossoms; wood ane-
mones and starry clusters Of violets, sparkle like
jewels in the verdure at their roots and the grape
vine climbs in gnarled and fantastic shapes around
the trunks of trees throwing its flexible tendrils
over its branches as if striving to draw them into
closer cOmpanionship.
Long, long ago, when some other race than ours
inhabited this favored locality, perehance before
Columbus gazed on the shores Of the new world q
fertilization was erected here of which we have,not
the slightest tradition The story may have been
handed down for many generations, but it is now
lost and we left in vain conjecture to its orr
| GIN we only know its walls must have withstOod
the storms of many years. for upon them large trees
are growing monuments of its antiquity.
This is the place to which we would direct the at
tention of those learned men who contemplate es-
tablishing on some mountain elevation, an institu
ton of learning which viii shed its light throughout
the world. Where can be found one more suitable
It has climate unsurpassed for its health and al
abundance Of the purest freestone water. Springs
too, of tried medicinal virtues burst forth in many
places from beds of slate and contribute to render
it more attractive. Surrounding it lie rich and
fertile hills, teening with various productions, fol
which this is the nearest market. We would not
seek to underrae the claims of other locations bu
only wish to turn attention to this. Twice, it hs:
been surveyed by an order Of the Federal govern
ment and pronounced suitable for the establishment
of an United States ArmOry, and was rejected only
on account of the want of proper facilities for in.
tercourse with other parts of the country This OBJ
lection has now been removed few hours ride
brings US to the metropolis of our State, and iron
bands connect it with the great chain of roads
which is spread like network over Georgia and the
CarOlinas Large tracts of land which have been
known only as the barrens of Tennessee, have been
tried and proved equally productive with careful
culture, to the valleys below. Time would fail were
it attempted, to give a minute description of the
blessings God has showered here, and it would re-
quire far more experienced pen to faithfully pOr-
tray its 1ovelness; it will compare favorably with
other points, and if examination is made before
determining the location of the college, the object
of this sketch viii be accomplished.