The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-14


On Thursday nieht last the meeting
at Masonic Hall, which we were prevent
ed from hearing and reporting yesterday
morning, concluded the proceedings of
the great Union Convention. Thomas
Buchanan Read, the poet, opened the
meeting by the recitation of two or three
Of his thrilling patriotic poems, and Hon.
r w Thompson and Hon. Sam. Gallo
way continued them with speeches that
raised pitch of enthusiasm such as was
never before witnessed in any meeting in
this State. Every sentence was cheered,
and what is better every sentence deserv-
ed it. The audience had become so full
Of the occasion, and the glorious cause
that had created il, that they threw of
all The reserve and GOODNESS of manhood
and shouted with delight like boys. At
the close Of Galoway's speech, which
was one Of his very best, and that is say
ing great deal, a scene occurred which
put fitting climax on the enthusiasm,
and closed most gracefully and imposing
ly the extraordinary spectacle of the day.
Governor Wright, who had come over
from the State House meeting and miraC-
]
came forward and said that venerable
gentleman in the audience wished
to see our distinguished guest, Governor
/ johnson, having come a long dis
lance to enjoy that pleasure, and desired
| 80 far" Governor johnson raised at
! this remark and came forward on the
| platform amid tempest of cheering, con-
tinusd till any lungs less inspired by en-
thusiasm would have given out, and
said she did not arise 20 make a speech,
but I, make an apology for not making
one. II would be readily perceived that
his voice was in no condition to say
anything, but he must take advantage Of
the opportunity TO declare that this was
the proudsst and happiest day of his
life. He then alluded to the extraOrdi-
nary changes produced by our great ma
tional struggle, men of lifelong contrar-
tiles of opinion finding themselves side
by side, ard former enemies made friends
by the power of great common cause,
and said that it afforded him unspeak-
able satisfaction TO meet here two dis g..
tinguished gentlemen with whom he had
always differed in politics, (Thompson
and Galloway, Jas well as the distinguish
ed gentleman with whom he had always
politically agreed Governor Wright
Their hearts now beat in unison for the
great cause in which all were engaged.
In conclusion of this glorious days pro
ceedings, he asked the satisfaction of
taking the two distinguished gentlemen,
his former opponents, by the hand, in
the presence of this immense assembly"
As the Governor made this last remark he
stepped forward and grasping with one
hand hand of Mr.. Thompson, and with
the other that of Mr.. Galloway, the three
stood for moment overpowered by their
feelings then, as ifsby common i'm :
pulse, threw their arms round each other,
and the audience, worked up to a pitch
of feeling hardly less intense than that
of the dis inguished gentlemen, broke
into shouts and cries of joy, cheers, and
stormy applause, very generally moist
ened with tears, too, which actually
shook the building. Such another scene
was never witnessed in a political meet
ing. 1t was a natural, irrepressible out
burst of feeling, and made many wet
eye among the sturdy patriots, who were
little used to the "melting mood" The
iron old Andy johnson, who had faced
rebel pistols, and endured rebel perseeu-
ton, had seen his property destroyed,
and his family turned into the streets
without tear, crying like boy with the
delight of an occasion so grateful TO his
patriotic soul, was sight to remember
for life time. For many minutes the
audience was a wild sea of joyful com
motion, utterly indescribable, which only
subsidized on the announcement of the
prOpriety of providing means to distrib-
ute the report of the speeches and pro-
ceedings of the meeting among the sol
diers and the people