The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-08-27
rror no Union

Nashville is the dearest place on earth |
10 me, was the remark Of an intimate
friend Of mine the other day, as We sat
oonversing about the good old times Of
long ago, when both of as were identified
as citizens Of the once beautiful capital
Of Tennessee, and felt proud Of our con-
nection with 50 noble State. While l
could not but respond amen! 80 the sen
timent, felt that the glory which once
rested upon your city had departed, ana
the beauty which made IL so attractive
i other years, was thing Of tie past
Those who left Nashville while it was at
the zenith Of its greatness, and when
natures ornaments of wooded bills en-
closed its every side, and rested as
garland Of resplendent green around the
rock founded capital, are alone able to
judge of the mighty changes which
single year has wrought in the appear
ance of the place. Well do we remem-
Der the bright and beautiful day in April,
when our back was turned TO the Cum
berland, after stay Of years among the
good people of Tennessee, and our future
home was moved thousand miles nearer
the rising Of the sun. Well do we re-
member the scenes Of beauty which
greeted our eyes on every side ct that
stage of springs progress, and the lovely
dress n which she had made her debut
upon the stage of 1852 The impressions
made upon our mind on the quiet April
day, will never be forgotten. Infinitely
more pleasant were they than those
which have so lately pressed their weight
upon our heart. Approaching the village
of Edgefleld, some few months ago, on a
flying visit to the "City of Rocks, we
were at once struck with the wonderful
changes Time and War had wrought. In
vain locke we for the old "landmarkS."
Far away to the left, as we neared the
bridge which crosses the river, we looked
intently for the groves of beautiful trees
that once made College and ST. Cloud
bills so attractive, and that adorned the
whole Southern border of Nashville. But
no trees were TO be seen-All was as bare
as the "dead lever of the prairie. Sad
iy and YEARLY we traced our steps TO
each well remembered spot where hours
of idleness were spent in other days;
but no vestige remained TO tell of their
former loveliness; and even the grand
capitol itself, where many moonlight
night found us gazing up a. the stars and
thinking of our future lot, was so chang
ed, that we wandered through its spaci-
GUS halls with a hurried tread; for ii
seemed as though there fingered still a.
round It's massive walls The echoing voices
of those who had lifted themselves into
prominent positions only that the mock
cry of their greatness and fall might be
warning to generation yet to come
There was one scene there, which men,
CRY wildly brought M from the past
\ connected with the capitol and the his
tory of the present revolution, which we
shall not soon forget. II was the occasion
of Mr.. W. L. Yahcey's famous speech
Standing upon the tOpmost step on the
east side of the building, surrounded by
q host Of his bosom friends, and partially
intoxicated, an Ex-Governor of certain
J State occasionally interrupted the speak.
) err by denials of the assertions made
The speech concluded, cries were hearC
for the Ex-Governor, and soon the crowC
: were pressing down to the court house
, TO listen to the white haired master O
: eloquence. In little while he mounted
a stand, and commenced his TRADE O
I abuse against Yancey applying every
3 coarse epithet imaginable to the apostle
, of secession, and charging him with be
. ing traitor of the deepest dye Will
! the rest, we shouted our approval of tn,
: sUnion sentiments the Governor tina
: night announced, though mortified at th,
: coarseness Of the language used. w,
little thought, as we listened to him
; what changes few weeks or month";
were to make in him. He who thus de-
clared William L. Yancy to be an arch
. traitor, and eulogized the Union {,
> the heavens, was the principal instru
I ment in the hands of the rebe
. leaders in dragging Tennessee from be-
, moorings TO the old Government out int,
the dreadful storm Of . rebellion which
. has beaten upon her so heavily that sh,
D Is now bat wreck Of her former sell
aud is lying upon the dry dock" o
the Union for repairs. That same ex
: Governor occupied position side by
. side with the man whom he had vilified
: in the rebel Congress, and lent the Who'll,
! power of his pen and voice in the worl
, Of National destruction. What RECORD
1 for the descendants Of Henry s. Foot,
! to contemplated
Thus might we call up similar in.
stances Of the mental weakness of thos,
who were once looked up to as lights il
Tennessee. The Union speeches Of al
; Andrew Ewing, Neill s. Brown, a Johr
Bell, and hosts of others, had scarcely
done eohoing in the public ear befOr'
these woFsbippers of the old flag los
their first love, and were found among