Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-08-21

The people Of Dancyville, which, as al
of our well informed readers are aware, L
a little burgh in HAYWOOD county, neal
the dividing line between Fayette ane
Haywood, delighted at our late suceess
gave a barbecue on Thursday last day be-
fore Yesterday to show their JOY. Eve
rvbOdy was invited, and to add zest tC
their 0penarmed and Openhearted hospi-
tality, Il was announced that EmmersOn
Etheudge would be present and deliver
one Of his soul stirring addresses. The
consequence was that half the population
within radius OF ten miles. vas present.
men women and children, black and
white. and all the balance would have at
tended had it not been for the extreme
heat and the dustiness of some of the
roads. r.
The speakers stand was at the focus OF
an inverted cone or rather a sort Of fun
mel, which formed a natural mphitheater
as perfect as the hand of man could have
fashioned, II was completely embOwered
in trees and bushes, and the sun, whose
rays were intensely and ferOciOusly
scorching, was shut out, not only from
the stand but from the seats Of the listen
ers.
The crowd commenced to gather about
. O'Clock, and by the time that Emerson
Etheridge, the great gun of the day, ar
rived, numbered at least one thousand
persons-which, considering that Dancey-
Vile is ten miles from the railroad, is a
big crowd. Mr.. ETHERIDGE, accompan-
led by Mr.. T. J. Latham, of this city, ar
rived on the ground from Brownsville at
II O'Clock. He was immediately escorted
TO the stand, which was already occupied
by the Brownsville Brass Band, who, un-
der the able and efficient leadership OF
Professor Miller, had been keeping the at
tendant multitude charmed with their
music for an hour or more.
On ascending the stand Mr. Etheridge
took a seat, and Squire Ragland. calling
the crowd to order, bade them heartfelt
and Joyous welcome to the festive meet
ing-one dictated by no desire to eXult
over our late opponents, but rather one OF
mutual congratulatiOn over the glorious
resuits0fthere recent election. ''0urp political
sum- said he, - has just arisen after 8
long night Of darkness, aud its glorious
ravs are chasing to their holes the bats
and cormoranJs, vermin and lice, which
have gathered during the gloom. You
viii see them. no more, for they have fed
to the bourne from whence they viii
never return.
The Squire at the conclusion Of his re-
MARKS introduced
Mr.. ETHERIDGE,
who immediately took the stand. As he
spoke for nearly two hours, and as his re-
marks were most diffusive in their char
acter, We viii only attempt full synop-
sis Of them.
After returning thanks for the honor of
the inyitatiOn, which even after a refusal
was persistently forced upon him, Mr..
Etheridge said that it was then nine years
since be had addressed the people of Hay
wood county. These years, said he, fur
nish practical craftsmanship its
most difficult problem, and add to the
worlds history its most sublime pages.
ANY review of this time should be from
the standpoint most free from prejudices
and passion, and should be made with the
sole purpose Of perpetuating that truth
which alone is the fair and lawful aim OF
all impartial inquiry, and which gives US
that provision that enables US to know
the truth and avoid the error which lies
beyond. These years, long and weary
though they have been, have given us the
best Of teachers-eNperience and we
have witnessed events which Will seem
fabulous TO posterity and shared in the
hardships which are naturally attendant
upon the overthrow Of old established
systems of government. We stand. said
the speaker, to-day on an initial point in
new era,-a point upon the outer verge
Of two great historical cycles, one in
which a completed past viii short
lv be recorded, the other the
beginning of a great and glorious future.
The question Tor Us TO deeids-is, what
shall we carry with us in bidding adieu 10
the past to which we have 50 long adj
hered2 Shall we cling only to the dog
mas and teachings of The new apostles. or
shall we follow the teaching of that great
est oE the Apostles, and hold fast only 10
that whichis good I, as far as [ am con-
cerned, would avail myself Of the sZam-
pies and lights afforded us by history, and
cling to those well established principles
which have proved Fundamentally neces-
sary. at every step in the worlds pro-
gress. In all ages man has eTinced the
greatest posi- be solicitude for the safety
and existence OF his form Of govern ment
from the rudest fetichism to the most
polished civilization. Why all these san
culinary wars aud waste of human life
With all of them we are no nearer
the truth, or the goal Of perfection
than Aristotle was two thousand years
ago. 1t is not because all theories oi
government are erroneous. This cannot
be. No, IL is because mankind have
failed to recognize the fact that govern
ment is a progressive science, and that
what is best for one generation, will moi
suit another and later period with an
other characterof surroundings, and with
difleFsnt ideas. Ideas cavern the world
and ideas are Influenced by what
surrounds them, consequently al
communities lett TO themselves
viii settle down upon that
principal Of government best suited to
them and their wants. No teaching OF
history y trgcr than that a form of gov
ernment, or system of religion forced
upon people. or sustained by the sword
becomes odious. History IS fun Of ex-
amples 10 prove this, The ancient repub-
lies tried the experiment, and with what
result? Nothing now is known OF
them except that they were
a failure and that the descendants
of the men whom they wished to subdue.
have built up great Governments on the
soil that was once the abode of their op-
pressor. Russia with her mighty power
has tried the experiment, and to-day the
slumbers of Nesuvius are not more illu-
soTy than the quiet that now feigns ia
Warsaw. Unhappy Ireland, which for
tIyQ centuries has been under the iron heel
Of the oppressor-her people have never
forgotten that they were hishmen, the
descendants OF pelts. Persecution has
scattered them throughout the world, but
under all circumstances they have clung
TO their country and their religion with