Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-10-02
ETHERIDcE.
He is Serenaded by the People of
Nashville and Makes a Speech.
He is for a Convention, and Expects
it to ReOrganize the State.
Every Nation Must RerbstuaIIy
Renew its Constitution or
Perish"

From the Nashville Union and American
of Thqrsday.l
Hon, Emerson Etheridge arrived in
the city yesterday, and stepped at the
City Hotel. About nine O'clock las
night he was serenaded by the Odd
Fellows silver band, and, in reply to
repeated calls by a large assembly,
appeared on the balcony.
John j. McCann, before introducing
Etheridge to the large number pre-
sent, spoke as follows:
FellOw-citiZens: Allow me to intro
duce to you Col. Emerson Etheridge,
a distinguished citizen of West Ten
nessee, and | hope our flture United
states Senator, and one who in the
future, as in the past, we will not only
delight in, but upon whom we will
confer additional honors. Loud
cheering
COL. ETHKRIDGE's REMARKS.
FeUor-citizeas:: No man ought to
be Indifferent to manifestations of pop
ular regard. l have long thought that
the best reward of a public servant
consists in constant rectitude of pur-
pose, and the applause of his fellow
citizens. For fifteen years before the
war | was but once j the city of Nash
vile; L was here but once during the
war, and | am here now for the third
time since its close. Each time l was
engaged in the pq~bIicseryice. know
/ look down upon a crowd nine-tenths
of whom are to me personally I'M
known, but ! know something of the
city of Nashville, of the people of
Davidson county, their love Of liberty
and of your moral and material
power. / further know that during
the war the city of Nashville
was "a beleaguered city, and
bow since then you have often
been iRsulted by ~insOlent mill
tary rule. Living as yCg have lived
for the last few years at the seat of
government, you have witnessed for
yourselves the means and appliances
by which the energies of The State
have been crippled, and your whole
population Impoverished; and you
know, residing rs you have done, in a
rich commercial city, how you have
been f6eeed to the fullest extent
which despotism could enforce. II is
not unnatural, then, that yOu should
be Joyous TO see the day So near at
hand when your government will he
in the hands of men who are
responsible to the people. Five days
rom tomorrow your State will pass
into the hands Of the chosen agents OF
the people, and at the same time the
remaining agents of misrule will
sink into their former 0bscurity.
Our late victory has been 80 signal,
our G~eliverance So complete, that ma
has lost its sting; even revenge
has sOftened into pity. Our State has !
been revolGtioniZed as thoroughly as
was England in the 18th century.
Both revolutions were in the interests
public liberty. Ours, thank heaven,
has been blOodless. And as we had
10 material aid or sympathy from
abroad, we have no selfish aliens to
'eward, no foreign debts of gratitude
% pay. Nor have we any ambitious
)retenders to threaten our future
)eace. A few parasites, it is true,
nave performed q mOurpful pilgrim
ige TO the federal capital, have knelt
Il the %foOtstOOl of power, and have
mplored the President 10 intercedein
heir behalf, but he refused to degrade
himself or insult our people by a
urther cOnnivance at the despotism
which was Matched by political harlots
n this city four or five years ago.
to the dignity of true man
Iood, he spurned thecrawling reptiles
his presence. Even his foot
refused to toss them a penny at
he door.
But our labors, responsibilities,
re not ended. 1t is often easy to
verturn a government. 1t has been
with Is. No sooner had Gen. Grant
anished to the Pacific coast that evil
enius of our people, and Gov. Senter
ad idisbanded and disarmed that
Military burlesque of the nineteenth
than our people began
} hope. Public opinion, which
ad been stified for years, became {
nee more free, once more cOncen-
'ated. These things attained, the
'ork was DONE Intelligence, wealth, s
umbers, emulation, and the love of
berty were arrayed against igno- !
lnce, envy, and a few remaining off, .
al representatives of a tyrannicaI :
lie. The only wonder is that onr
fumph was not more cOmpIete
ven now we cannot but feel sad that +
} many ofour freeborn fellow-citizens
/ n portion of the State were found
citing in the interests of oppression.
urely these hardy mountaineers will
long turn their backs upon the
'aehers and doctrines which have I
lade them what they are.
1t Is believed by many that the Ia
DIS of the incoming Legislature will
2 beset with difficulties. ! tell YOU >
ankly II need not be so. 1t is true =
4. L..
JSo. A.,