The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-07-07
COMMUNICATED
Incidents Of Travel.

Mr.. EDIroR Leaving Knoxville on
the 4 o'clock, P. m. train, Thursday, June
30th, we arrived at Clinton, at 5 o'clock,
one hour thereafter. This village un-
doubtedly suffered much by the war. 1t
has, however, commenced the process of
recuperation. There are a dozen or more
new and respectable looking buildings,
which seem to be the growth of the past
year or two. In addition, there are o mum.
Der of recently erected small houses, or
cabins, such as attend the growth of all
towns since the war, and principally in
habited by cOlOred people. Taking the
old and new, altogether, Clinton presents
not an entirely bad appearance. 1t has
some five hundred in population three
dry goods stores; one drug store; three
blacksmith shops; two wagon-makers
shops; three churches, one Methodist, one
Baptist and one colored Methodist three
schools, two white and one colored, and
eight lawyers. 1t also, has five liquor
shops! AT one time these places of spir-
ilual enjoyment had we'll nigh asserted
their dominion over a majority of the male
inhabitants But now a great change ex-
lists. There is a temperance organization
here regularly kept up, and which is said
to have been, and still is, doing much
good! We have conversed with many who
are familiar with the history of this vii
lagc, and have been informed by them,
that the moral status of Clinton is a
hundred per cent. better thpn formerly.
May it continue to move forward
Having to stop over at Clinton for the
night, to await conveyance to the Springs.
whittier we are going, we sauntered on ton
company seated in one corner of the "Col-
orod Institute" a well proportional and
conveniently constructed building in which
a colored school was being taught.
1t was the Closing exercises of the con-
%clusion of the school, Thursday evening
being the last night of the exhibition.
We reached the house early, procured o
favorable seat and prepared for observa.
ton. The crowd was small at our arrival
however, it was very soon increased, and
by 8 o'clock the building was crowded
Soon after taking our seat, we observed
five gentlemen entering the hall, among
whom we recognized l.. G. Houk, and were
told that his companions consisted Of JAS
N. Ray, NJ. V. Boren, NJ. T. Adkins and
a young Mr.. Taylor. Ray and Adkins
are lawyers, Boren a grocery keeper, and
Taylor a Step-son of the Hon. James A
Doughty, of whom we will add few words
directly. This party took seats in the
rear of the building near a window, and
quietly looked on the assembling crowd,
which, as it increased, began more and
more to present the appearance of "Ja-
cob's CATTLE" being "ring streaked and
striped" composed as it was of white and
black, promiscuously seated together. We
should guess the fifteenth amendment had
few enemies in this assemblage. Just be-
fore the curtain was raised, and the com,
mencement exercises announced, an old'
like gentleman entered the house, leaning
upon a stick and accompanied by a tall.
slender looking fellow, whose appearance
was that Of a man about thirty yedrs 81
age. They both advanced to the front
tier Of seats, which were seemingly well
filled with colored ladies and gentlemen,
and pausing for a moment, made move
ments as though they we're going behind
the curtain, but suddenly seated them
selves, by pressing down upon the seat
next TO the trent, which they did by a