Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-28

John S. Toof, III; W. y. Brown, III; j..
J. Busby, LIZ; w. Z. Galbreath, H.
Treasurer-W. w. Scheduled, III.
From which it appears the following are
/ the officers elected:
President-Thomas A. Nelson.
Vice Presidents-Jas. Elder, W. r.
Moore, G.. L. Dennison, F. 5. Davis. Benz.
Eisman.
Committee of Appeals-T. B. billiard,
Napoleon Hill, n. Corona, ]. j. Busby,
Jno. S. TOof, w. n. Brown, W. B. Gal
breath.
j. P. PRESCOTT,
GEO. MELLERSH
D. G. TRADER,
Mr.. ". H. Cherry then delivered the
! following address:
/ Gentlemen of the Chamber Of Com
merce :
About to retire from the position which,
by your kindness and partiality Ihaye
accepted during a portion ofthe past COM
4 mercial year, 1 tender to you as a Cham
Der, and as individuals, sincere thanks
| and gratitude for the patient forbearance
and support rendered me in the discharge
of the duties devolving on The presiding
| officer of your body. Inexperienced and
unaccustomed to the duties Of a presiding
! officer, your uniform blindness n indul-
gence nave been the more highly appre-
| ciated, and I assure you our relations now
to terminate viii ever be remembered by
me with pleasure.
Though the year has quickly passed
away, we have witnessed many important
events in our commercial history, great
enterprises and Improvements Of various
kinds, nave been started or consuInmsted.
Looking around US we see almost every
civilized nation srousing themselves,
reaching out, graspiug and putting in ae-
tive operation numberless improvements
in agriculture, mechanism, commerce.,
finance and political economy. On our
own continent these rapid changes
and developments have indeed become
wonderful. Had my able predecessor,
with his clean head and far-seeing ideas,
on retiring from the Presidency OF this
Chamber, predicted that we should have
Witnessed the grand achievements of the
present year, We would have been slow 20
believe aad most likely regarded him as
chimerical or ahead of the times. When
our country, but a short time sinos. rested
from the unfortunate sectional strife that
had well nigh Frustrated Us as a nation, |
he who had told US that before the close of
this year We should witness the continent
SPAWNED by iron rails, and Wheeling loco
motives speeding from h Atlantic TO the
Pacific, with long trains Of cars hlied with
wondering and delighted passengers, in
side OF seven GAYS. lLinA 50 SOON AIG ElsN-
ern nations, with their teeuling millions,
would be brought as it were to our very
doors, IN this Mississippi Valley, would
have been regarded as a dreamer or
prophet without reason for his faith.
Who of the founders Of thi5 Chamber, 1
constituting Is they did the ablest and
most intelligent of our community, inag-
ined that before the expiration Of the year
1869, the cotton spinner of Manchester,
England, would give his order TO the
Memphis broker for his hundre or thou
sand bales, and hgys for answer the SAME
day inside of twPnty-fCuF hours, "Order
received; cotton bought aHd shipped"
BUT the proofs of these rapid changes and
adYanceInents are around US on every
hand. We cannO: escape them II we
would. Indea5, il may be truly said our
lots have been cast Ia the most eventful
period Of time that has existed for eigh-
teen hundred years. IL then, We would
prove ourselves worthy OF b period,
eaual TO the duties required Of Us. we
must keep pace with this progression.
Our own section, u immediate vicinity,
bears witness of the sHFg If nOt rapid
march Of Improvement in all that is TO
mako US a great people. -Four years since,
paralyZed, weakened, yea, stricken down
as a commercial community, b attempt
~ Yesuscitation gave promise of rapid
realization. But 2 ex pected Universities
of various kinds. with most iniqutous
heavy tax on urleading staple, becloudd
our financial and commercial h0Fizou.
Many of the best and nOblest in our midst
who had braved danger in every
furm-Were filled with despair. The fu-
looked gloomy. Many of as good
and true as could be found in any land,
before ardent and successful, were
compelled to submit andhend 70 the storm
at the expiration Of two years,
orFH annnfffaw At fhfg nnunr m arafal nnnfnr !
aided by the unsettled political state of
affairs OF this and our adjoining sister
seemed fOrbidding in the extreme.
Commerce and capital Of our more 6rtu-
nate neighboring cities, north and east,
were distrusttul of US, and TO the casual
observer IL looked as though a series of
wears must elapse ere we regain our feet.
But behold the happy change in two other
short years. Kind Providence having
smiled on our land, the husbaudInan has
been richly rewarded in his labOrs, bring
ing the sure result Of activity and
profit in all the avenues of trade
commerce. Confidence restored,
improvements going forward, new
enterprises being started, diStrust
dependency giving way, Old
and young, full ofhope INC glad with soy ,
Of the future greatness of This section and
our own beautiful city; and AVE we not
sause thus 10 feel. When on this continent ,
any other shall we hnd position supe-
rior II equal 10 ours-if we but reach
'orth and avail ourselves Of the advan-
n blessings furnished us by ma
.ure7 Situated on the banks OF this great
inland sea, the only eligible site with the
proper surroundings for a large city from ,
he Balize TO the Ohio; midway, as 1t were, I,
between the tropics and the ice-bouDd
limits; nearly central on Z
be line destined TO be the great :
E-Ar~a- rwaT4fn~ Hkr eHluw-ofn-a - H. :
East and West; surrounded on every side 1
With the most fertile and abundant yield :
soil in the world; with numerous nav- :
gable rivers, ready for transportation of :
hese products TO Us; with a country over y
which railways may be easily and eheaply =
constructed; with a healtbful, genial eli !,
nate; with our hills and valleys already !,
with intelligent, industrious, ;
citizens; withlspace and soil i'm =
contiguous, North, East, South =
md West, capable Of sustaining addition !
j millions. Will this anticipated great u
be realizedI Ianswer, Ii must be 50. 2
What history can point to a people who
ullY adapted themselves to the great un- '
'idden changes in their agricultural, COM ;
n%ercisl, financial, and l may add, social Il
Onoitlon, as We hayeT These facts tell us
'lainly that we cannot, il we would, re- 7
main AS we are. We must move forward. .
( Il city, having these advantages and I
fails TO respond to the sd L
aneement demanded Of rs, we will be q
eft far behind, and with all our advan- 81
ages, must content ourselves to sec 9TH p
n, less favored by location, turning all q
nese vast resources and natural riches q
rom US. But this must not be. Memphis
lerchants, capitalists, property-holders. D,
lechanics, labOrers, all classes, must
rouse to effOrt-not in any wild, unreal B
prOiects-nOt by show Of HbeEality
-ithout q purpose, bat make proper Sc Il
,ctions, and put forth strength and deter d
Then progress will be sure, Il
nd, by and by, rapid, until we shall have m
onsummated all the projected improve
tents now talked OF, and many others of eC
i'll greater magnitude not yet put forward.
win not weary you by reeiting b adj b
expected from each Of the I'M
Srtant euterDriaas now agitakod and dis n