Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-25
FROM EAST TENNESSEE.
EfizabethtOn--Ats Surroundings.
The Bench and Bar-Thc Crops,
To the Editors Of the Union and American.

Eiizabethton--ats SurrOundings.-
Tho Bench and Bar-The Crops,
To the Editors Of the Union and American:
ELIzABETHToN, Tenn, July 20, ISL
For beauty of situation this ancient vii
lage, the county site of Soil" Garter,
may challenge comparison with any other
city OF town in the State, or indeed the
Union. 1t is located On an Island, sur.
rounded by two streams of the Doe
River, diverging about half mile above
the Courthouse, which stands about the
middle of the town, and emptying half
mile below into the Watauga, on whose
banks was made the first white settle
ment within the limits of the
State. Linn Mountain terminates alb
ruptly in steep bluff, just at the out
skirts of the town, along the base of
which flows the eastern stream of the
two above mentioned, and this is the only
mountain in the immediate vicinity of
the town. For half dozen miles above,
and as many below, extends the fertile
valley of the Watauga, varying in width
from one to two miles, with rich allu-
vial soil, unsurpassed for productive ness.
Valuable timber in great abundance
crowns the SUBMITS OF the surrounding
hills and mountains, whilst within their
bosoms lie untold treasures of mineral
wealth, inexhaustible and almost un-
touched, and the precipitcus wa
tiers of the romantic Doe, which
come rushing in cool and fresh from the
coves aud gorges of the mountains to the
South, invite the talent of man to convert
its now useless power into channel Of
usefulness, and, by proper application
and direction, make it source of wealth
and profit. The town contains about
three hundred and fifty inhabitants, and
wears an old and dilapidated appearance.
There are three churches, two school
houses, in which are fourishlng schools,
one for each race, six stores, three tan
yards, one Touring mill, one saw mill,
and one wooden factory. The surface
of the ground of the whole valley is
almost as level as a floor. In this
valley lived, in former times, the
Carriers and Taylors who in time past
have occupied important places in the
history of the Safe, and a lovelier, more
inviting place for home nature has not
afforded to man; but here, as elsewhere,
he seems to have supplemented the work
of nature with a lazy hand and art in the
race has fallen far behind.
TIE BENCH AND BAR.
Circuit Court was recently in session
here, and a casual glance at the bar i'm
presses one very strongly with an idea of
its exceeding ''numersomeness." Where
half dozen lawyers formerly managed
all the causes, and in manner in which
they will not soon be agAin, twenty seem
now to be required. OF those who formerly
assisted winning an enViable distinction for
the bsr of the first circuit, and placing it
in favorable comparison with that Of any
other in the State, the voice of only
one is now heard among US. Col. John
Netherland, to whom as jury lawyer,
by common consent has long been Gccor-
ded the first position among the bar of
East Tennessee.
Nelson and Deaderick adorn the Su-
preme bench of the State, and Milligan
of the Federal CouIt of Claims; Haynes
and Heiskel are in Memphis, Maxwell in
Kansas, and Judge Mckinney in Knox
vile; while Arnold, Aikens and JnO. A.
Mckinney, have crossed the Threshold
of life full of honors and of years.
Then, some degree of qualification was
essential to admission to the bar. In'this
age of progression and moral ideas-to
the disgrace of the profession, and to the
curse Of everybody, be it ssid-the judges
of the first district and circuit, for salts.
factory reasons, doubtless, make any one
lawyer who asks them, without exam.
nation, qualification or moral character.
The consequences are readily imagined
Mr.. Brazen Face, who has tinkered lit
tie at everything, and lost all the property
and character that he ever had, asks and
receives his law license, makes his ap-
pearance among the gentlemen of the bar,
has his name enrolled among them, has il
called by the clerk every morning of the
court in the presence of the good citi-
zens of the county, rides around
the county during vscation-for he mus
have business, and, having no office Oh
books must stay somewhere-excitel
neighborhood quarrels and brings suit'
theron before the Justices, whose election
he has probably secured beforehand, hsr
rangues at length before them, gains {
bad cause by chicanery and fraud, theI
dares or advises the opposite party to ap
peal to court, where he at last gets TIT
opportunity of displaying his eloquenct
and wisdom before the assembled sover
eigns. If he is not already broker
down politician he soon gets into the Leg
, islature, and the consequence is seen il
the orthogrsphJ, the syntsx and the gen
eral tenor of our laws; or possibly, whs
is far worse, he demagogues it around tn
county till he is placed upon the bench,
when he could not gain admission to the
bar, were examination required.
, Is there any escape from such publ
calamities? viii no one devise a plal
whereby such evils may be remedied9
The corn crop of upper East Tennessee
is more promising than it has ever bee
; before the war; Notwithstanding the par
tial drouth which has afflicted many sec
i, tons. Indeed, whatever else may hap
pen here, one never feels any apprehen
sion of starvation. Jus.