Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-09
OR Young Men-.The Future Of Ten
nnagRp-

Uessee.
To the Editors Of the UEion and Dispatch:
TO saw that the future ofTennessee de-
ponds upon her young men, is to utter
what is true Of every country in a gems
eral sense Old men in the course Of
things soon pass from the stage of active
life, and the young take their places. But
the saying is emphatieally true as regards
Tennessee, as well as the whole South, at
this time. The late disastrous conflict
broke the spirits Of most Of us who had
PISSED the meridian Of life before we We're
subjected to its dreadful trials. II has
LEFT ms not only bereft Of many Of the
loved ones that clustered in our affec-
tons, but impoverished, by being deprived
Of the accommodations of years of toll
And while it is unmanly and unbecoinlng
to waste, even, our few remaining days
in useless regrets over the unalterable
past il is too much to expect in aged
men, that energy, activity and enterprise,
necessary to recuperate and develop the
great resources Of this country. The
task emphatically belongs to the young
men They can accomplish 1t If they
ioiH The future belongs to them, aud it
is not too much to say that they can
make that future what they choose.
And allow me to say that in my opinion
the young Of Tennessee have already in
o great degree, performed the most difh-
cult part Of this task, by conquering and
subduiug their prejudices and former
opinions as they have nobly done They
exhibited an high order Of courage in the
evidence Of hardships and tolls, and IN
facing danger upon the battle field in
obedience to their convictions, but an
higher order still when they acquiesced
in the decision against them and returned
10 the peaceful walks Of life, and in good
faith to the conduct Of quiet citizens
obedient 70 law II has often been said
and truly too, that he is a much drawer
man who subdues himself than he who
triumphs over others even amid the smoke
and tempest Of the battlefield This the
Young men Of Tennessee, and / may say
Of the whole South, have already nobly
done. and that, too, under circumstances
peculiarly trying Such conduct may
well challenge the ndmiratiou of the
civilized world, for we search in vain for
its parallel, in the annals Of history. As
an old man whose sympathizers were al
on the other side, affords me pleasure TO
bear this humble testimony to conduct so
honorable and SO noble. $1,000.
What Is now 10 be done. to make the
future Of Tennessee more prosperous
than the past ever was, is comparatively
easy. But is to be done BY Young men
with strong arms, clear heads, willing
minds and courageous hearts The soil
is 81 be titled, our inexhaustible minerals
are to be mined, our forests are 70 be
subdued and made profitable, railroads
are 70 be bailt, so that all the rich pro
duc60ns Of the most remote sections Of
the State may find market factories
must be erected, 70 manufacture not only
what we need Cor home consumption, but
Cor expectation our immense water
power, now running % waste all ever the
State, must be turned 10 profit All this
can be done by oar own young men, u
they wih bat 60 at it with the energy and
courage which they have shown they
POSSESS.
Bat You must DO it yourselves, Young
men. You need not wait FOR others. Ii
Is true there Is room enough Cor a million
and more Of hands than are here now.
and ifany win come TO AID yau. welcome
all who come for an honest pun ose. but
remember the future Of Tennessee is in
your hands. and you can make what YOU
choose. Certain men, accidentally, Cor
the time, in high places, have falsely
slandered you, by stating that yon an,
hostile 10 Industrious immierants lie
ell this pass the falsehoOd viii reeoi
upon the heads Of its pepared authors
sooner or later hoRR ASoN.