Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-18
NASHVILLE AS SEEN BY A STRANGER.

The following letter from Nashville to the Boston
Posi- was, ne suess written BY JOIN G. SAKE. Al
tbOagh some Of its descriptions, and particularly
that Of our State Capitol are familiar to our city
readers they win yet perhaps be interested in seeiUg
how Nashville appears to an intelligent stranger:
NASHVILLE, TENN, Maroh 81, 1858.
The attractions Of Nashville, to a stranger, con-
sis mainly of its commanding site, its magnificent
State House. and in the extreme beauty and interest
Of the country Immediately surrounding it,-and
rendered famous by Historical end Heroic Associa-
tons. The Capitol Of Tennessee, situated in the
heart Of the city, is q very imposing piece Of
chitecure and is probably the finest State House in
America From very full description Of it, pub
Hshed BY Mr.. Dardis, the Janitor, gather some
facts in addition to those which are obvious to the
mere looker-on. Il is situated on a hill rising in
every direction to the height Of 1917 feet above the
level Of the Cumberland river four feet of its crest
being removed and leaving plateau of solid lime
stone for the construction Of the building. You
look down upon the city beneath you feet, and the
prospect beyond, on alt sides, presents distant
amphitheatre Of mountain ranges In plan and
elevation, the design and whole character Of the
architecture is essentially Greeian consisting Of
Dorc basement, supporting, its four fronts, por-
ticos Of the Ionic order, taken from the example of
the Erecheum at Athens. In the centre Of the
building rises tower above the roof to the height
Of SOfeet, the supersructure Of which is after the
order Of the Choragic monument of Lysorstes at
Athens. The whole structure is composed Of fossil
lated limestone, heWn and Ohiseled frcm quarries
in the nsighborhOodof Nashville; blocks Of stone
weighing from six to ten tons. The various cham
bers halls and pOrticos arehed throughout. The
rafters of the roof are OF wrought iron, covered
with copper. OF the interior, have only space to
say that it is in all respects worthy OF the external
appearance, aud even more striking for beauty,
strength, and spendor Of finish snd effect. l am
told that the entire cost vas little less than mil
lion of dollars.
The State University occupies a large and finely
situated building, and is, especially in the medical
department, in a very high state Of prosperity.
Here also is the seat Of the great Book Concern Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and is in
deed the financial and business centre of that de-
nomination since their separation from the northern
church. l visited the publishing House." and by
courtesy of DR.. .Sehon, was shown through all its
departments, from the press room in the basement,
to the stereotype rooms in the upper loft 1t is
immense affair, and reminds me Of the Harpers
establi shment in New York.
In very despair to do justice to the beautiful
scenery around Nashville, will foregO the attempt,
and content myself with brief account Of the IA
nous plantation, or rather stock farm, owned by
General Harding few miles out of the city, and
covering an of about four thousand acres of
land. It was delightful drive, and under the es-
cOrt Of your friend Major Eastman, Of the Union
and american, and accompanied by II. E Walker,
Esq, a jolly screen Mountain Boy" one of the
editors of the Banner and Wing, was well bestowed
and Gas happy a clam at high tide" We we're
warmly received by the General who personally
attended us in our rambles about the farm. Gen.
| Harding, you know, has long been notable for
| the rearing and running of thoroughbred horses
some fine specimens Of which we saw and, among
others, the renowned gray mare Gamma" now in
her tWentythird year, and with the prettiest colt
by her side that ever gamboed in a ten acre lot.
But the great attraction Of the farm is a park mile
square in extent in which we saw heterogeneous,
but apparently "happy family" consisting of I'M
counted deer, elks by the dozen, river OK from
India, l belieVe,) and a herd Of twenty buffalOes.
These animals are not kept as a mere matter Of
fancy, but among those of the same family, the
owner is trying experiments in crossing. His most
successful and useful experiment, however, is in
crossing the Cashmere with the common goat, pro-
duLing wool worth from So to IS per pound and
Of quality and neness not visibly inferior to that
Of the full-blOOded Cashmere. send you samples
herein for your inspection. Gen. Harding informs
me that this new branch of American enterprise,
is succeeding well, and is destined to be Of
great profit to the south. At the conclusion Of our
stroll about the farm, sat down in the Generals
princey mansion TO a sumptuous dinner after
which, with many thanks to hospitable host for
his courtesy, returned to the city to attend
lecture before the Mechanics Association, by one
Of your New England men, who is too nearly re-
lated to Mrs. Rambler 10 allow me to speak of him
further with propriety.
ApTopOS Of lectures, Nashville has certainly no
occasion to depend on "inported" speakers, how
ever she may choose to honor them by occasional
invitations for she has within her own limits, many
distinguished scholars and no lack of eloquent men
gentlemen whom l hear highly commended as
writer and speaker is Mr.. Rains one of the editors
Of the Banner and Wing, young Tennessean, ed
ucated at Yale College, who adds to fine talents the
charm Of a thorough and elegant scholarship. Asa
IN t0ni has haa
brilliant. Ndcts Virtuts! A visit to the " Hermit
age" in this fue verna weather. over an excellent
road, with good horses and capital companions I
must set down the most delightful incident of my
weeks sojOurn in Tennessee. This classic ground
has been made so familiar to the public by engraV
ings and written descriptions that have warrant
for repeating the picture. l will give you instead
my conversation with Hannah" the mulatto ser
want who, in the absence Of the family escorted US
to the tomb Of the ilustriOus warrior and statesman
whose mausoeum we had come to see. Chew long
have you lived here, Hannah" d" / was raised here,
master" "Aud so you knew the general well.'
eyes, master,-and when he died AL said we had
lost father as well as a master" The words we're
spoken with unaffected emotion, and were very
simple and touching.
Let write it down here, that, while the tomb of
Washington goes a begging for guardian the burial
place Of Jackson, to the perpetual praise and honor
Of Tennessee, is the property of the State; which,
not long ago, purchased the Hermitage, that the
sacred spot might be her own peculiar care in all
time to come. By the kind invitation Of Major
Eastman an attached personal friend and conidante
of James Polk l visited the tomb Of the Pres
ident and was introduced TO Mrs. Polk The mon
ument is in all respects handsome and appr pirate
structure; but its most striking feature is the in
scripJiOn. 1t was written, l am told, by Mr. Ban
croft and is model of good TASTE terseness and
comprehensiveness-a history in a single paragraph.
We spent delightful hour with Mrs Polk, of whom
nj " hat hAIv has nar1o 4
many know she is one of the most sensible, grace
full and elegant women in America. Certainly no
woman in Tennessee is held in the hearts of the !
people with much love and reverence and it is a
remarkable and fitting token of the public re-
gard that annually on the first day of the new year.
both Houses Of the Legislature formally adjourn,
and proceed in body to pay their respects to Mrs
Polk. Long may she live as an example to Ameri- |
can women, and an ornament, more beautiful than |
the crown jewels Of palace, to the elegant mansion
in which she presides.
(FrOm the New York Evening Post
OBITUARY.
General J. Addison Thomas, late Assistant Secre. |
tary Of State, died in Paris on the Goth ultimo.-
About the lst of March he was attacked with what |
he thought to be an intermittent fever, but which
proved to be the jaundice, with slight congestion
Of the top ofthe right lung, accOmpaniedby typhoid
fever. On the 18th he was prOnouu ced convalescent
but q swelling Of the parotid gland set in and he
fapldly grew worse. Dr. rousseau, who attended |
him, said that ne had never known but three cases
Of the kind, and that recovery was doubtful His
apprehensiOns proved to be well founded. He died
in great suffering on the Doth.
General Thomas was born in Maury county, Ten
nessee. He graduated at West Point in 1884, and
held the post Of Commandant of the Ca
iets at the Academy, with the rank of captain
lie subsequently studied law in this city, having
resigned his commission in the army for that pur-
pose, and became partner in the law firm of Kent,
Davies & Thomas, OfWhich he continued a member,
We believe, until its dissolution. Upon the break
ng out Of the Mexican war, he raised regiment Of
but 1t was not accepted by the govern
nent and he lost the opportunity which the coca
lion promised of Distinguishing himself in the mill
airy profession.
When Mr.. Marcy became Secretary Of State un-
Ter President Pierce, he appointed General Thomas
counsel for the American claimants nnder the In ;
ernational Commission appointed to settle the dis
,uted claims between England and the u States
The General afterwards published q Report of the
arguments made before the Commissioners, and Of
he decisions, which were highly creditable 10 all
DartIas asneciallv tn hip,saIF IT,