Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-07
Union and American
WEDNESDAY,, FEBRUARYy7. 1866.
Reading Matter ON Each Pag,
GENERAL ROBERT rHArToN

4
ofthe life and character of this distinguished
man, taken from the Memphis Commercial
Its reference, however, was principally te
those incidents in his history preceding the
recent unhappy civil war. Major GEO. A.
| HowARD recently delivered, before large
and intelligent audience, at Lebanon, Tenn.
a beautiful Grafton upon the life and public
services of Gen. HATToN, from which we
extract the following:
What more can say of his noble quail.
ties of heart, Of his love for his home, his
family and his devotion to his people. AS
citizen of our community, and deyoui
and exemplary member of one of our
churches, he was universally beloved and
esteemed. His unseliish, considerate tenn
per, his hospitality, his extreme fondness
for children, and his ardent affections, alike
fitted him to enjoy domestic life, and to be
what he ever waists sun and centre His
sympathies with the unfortunate were such
as might be expected from man whose
sensibilities were so acute and tender. He
had the heart of a child; the sight or tale
of grief and misery melted him to tears,
while its relief, if within his power, called
forth all the characteristic energies of his
soul. He had all the elements of greatness,
and all the ambition to become great. But
the orb that burned so brightly has disap-
peared, and forever-with his fire un-
quenched, his aspirations unsatisfed, the
harvest of wealth and of power still un-
gathered-the reaper, in the pride of his
manhood, has been struck down by the only
enemy that could conquer him, and now
lies as low as the undistinguished dead to
teach us what shadows we are and what
shadows we pursue. But his highest and
best praise is your deep conviction of his
merits. His fame, indeed, is safe-it is
treasured up beyond the reach of accident.
Although no sculptured monument should
rise to his memory, nor engraved stone bear
record of his deeds, yet will their remem-
brance be as lasting as the land he honored.
While the youth of Tennessee should inn
itate his noble qualities and take courage
from his career, they may note the high
proof it affords, that by perseverance and
energy the avenues to honor are open to all.
And now begins what may be considered
the most distinguished portion of the career
Of this remarkable man. From the halls of
the American Congress he stepped to the
arena of the sword, distinguishing himself
no less in the one than in the other. The
session Of the Both Congress was In a dav of
wild political excitement, which has left a
memory which will not soon be forgotten
by even the younger members of this as
sembly. The underlined rumor of war was
in the land, defiance was hurled from one
end of the Union to the other, while
dreams Of blood brooded in the hearts Of
men.
The minds Of all men were unqniet in that
fearful transition. The great problem of
was again about to be SUBJ
mitted to the severest test. The engendered
hate of three quarters Of century of con-
dicting interest and opinion was fast culmi- |
mating in an open conflict between people |
who had inherited a common glory from the !
past, and had ere while basked in the sum |
shine Of a prosperity which they little ap-
preciated. Trained in the school of true |
and with n mind highly |
rained for one so young, General Hatton |
ooked with establishment in the beginning |
If his Congressional career, at the madness
If the maturer men, who were plotting on
sither side, to destroy from the very founda-
ion the inherent rights of thirty millions of
lappy and prosperous people. Naturally of
IN ardent and impulsive Temperament, many
we're surprised that they did no. lead him to
spouse the cause of the extremists of his
'wn section, but the serene lessons of his
arly manhood had so tempered these quail
les of his mind, that he stood there amid
lder men, calm, temperate, deliberate. a
historical picture of noble courage and wis
om, worthy of place alongside the great
st men Of any age.
In vain hecounseled forbearance and mag
animity on the part Of the party in power.
n vain he urged his brethren Of the extreme
outh to cling, in their hour Of peril TO their
hartered rights; in vain he called upon the
zen of his own views and position 10 stand
efween the mad parties already combatanis.
The waters were out, and the foods were
sst washing away the crumbling Foundation
n which they stood. In the agony of his
reat heart he warned them "that while We
blamed our liberties in one revolution we
lay lose them in another Full well he
new that we were few in number and must
and alone, full well be knew that the pro-
Used aid from other people would never
lme, full well he knew that the country OF
is own people would be the arena for con-
nding armies, that her plains would be
ISOLATE, her towns and villages sacked and 4
ven 10 the flames, and that mourning
I'd sorrow would be in our land. Had |
ese counsels prevailed and our noble !
representative had governed and controlled
is nation 10 that fearful hour, how many | I
e there now who would rise up TO bless !
these evil times. One Of his last letters /
ON Washington was addressed TO his
rmer preeeptor, that distinguished scholar :
I'd gentleman, DR.. n. Lawrence Lindsey,
'precating the impending struggle, but even
the course that he wci.ld 7
Irsue when the storm broke upon our land.
e had made his last effort in behalf Of con-
Iiation and compromise. He had dis
arged the high fruef committed to him, c
d returningnow TO his constituents, he told o
em that the fair temple which had been
e theme Of song and story, and the admira-
IN Of the world was Just crumbling to 6
cay. The conflict had already begun. u