Maryville Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 1867-187?, 1870-02-26
The BaCkwOOds Gathering.

|
sentation Of the commemoration of
the inestip'able blessings Of a free
government, a custom faithfully OBJ
served in many States until a few
years past by the old pioneers, is
the production of q worthy citizen
of Blornt county, who has recent
ly come among us ):
The clear sun Of q summer morn.
ing had risen; the notes of the bu>
gle and the roll Of the drum awoke
the echoes Of the wood and the
sleeping soldiery, The tents are
soon struck-the early drill is per-.
formed and the morning meal is
eaten arms and uniform are put in
their best condition, and all is ready
for the grand display.
Not TO battlefield, reader, are
you to bc now introduced; nor TO
the pomp and circumstance Of war
no human bodies, prostrate in death,
nor garments rolled in blood" shall
offend your sight. 1t is q peaceful
scene. The people Of q western
State meet to celebrate the hun
dredth year since its first settle
ments. Loyalty was then undoubt-
ed, and actual, shocking war, such
as we have lately known, was seen
even dimly in the distance, by few
if any. .1.s g. 81,
Such gatherings we find occurring
in every age. 1t is natural and
right to meet and recount the story
Of the past. The first settlers Of
any land, if good, deserve special
honor ; and their descendants dc
well TO rehcarse their fortitude,
virtue, their dangers and .deliyeraa-
4 y. - y
ces. Thus sssScas9s asa. .recaIled 10
gratitude and led to initiate the OK
ample Of their fathers. ? a2' a1''l
| On the morning alluded to, in
that beautiful woodland pasture, the
birds seemed to hush their early
song and listen to the serains Of
martial music; the fat OK and the
young untamcd horse forgot to eat
as they stood gazing through the
trees, in wonder at the intruder:
on their rich domain. The trees
are full of foliage---the maple, hicko
ry and chesnut, form a canopy ex
cluding the rays Of the ascending
sun. ta ..a
A spacious platform is erected il
the shade from which the orator,
shall discourse. In front of this, ex
tending up that gently rising slope,
seats are placed to accommodate
the advancing host; and there, at a
little distance, under those wide
spreading elms, you may sec
long lines of trenches, filled with
burning Goals, over which the vari.
GUS victims are suspended, in pre-
paration for the public feast. Anc
now, rs the morning advances, The
people come-they fill every roaC
and lane-from every farm house,
village, town and city in the State,
they come. People Of all ages AND
condition; in carriages ofall descrip.
tions and on foot, they come, &c
take part, on this joyful day, in the
celebration of the centenary of their
native State as each company en-.
ters and takes the place assigned it
the music from the full band-the
shouts Of the people and the roar Of
cannon announce and welcome its
arrival.
There now, on the platform you
see the Judges Of the land in simple
dignity, seated together ; and there
the military Of every grade in rich,
and dazzling uniform there, too,
the lawyers, their briefs and clients
for the time forgotten. Here are
officers of colleges and schools, en-
loying the scene, Ladies', children,
soldiers, and men of all classes occu
py the seats prepared and carria
ges, drawn up in the rear encircles
the vast area, contains the beauty of
the State, and the stars and stripes