The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-03-31
Che Alarietta Sonrnal.
Marietta, Georgia, March 81, 1871.
THE NEW TOWN OF AVER.

as a, Town and the good people
of the vicinity with many dis
tinguishod visitors assembled and
with speeches and ceremonies be-
slowed upon the new Townthe name
of Aver in honor of the great Medi-
cine man of that State. The follow
ing is the speech of DR.. Aver in re-
spone to the honor bestowed---a
speech which will be read every
where with interest:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
On the western coast of Scotland
where it slopes into tho Irish -sea,-a
river, rising on the mountains of the
inner land, winds down among the
hills and cmpties into the FIRTH of
Clyde From remote time it has
been called Ayr from an old Scotch
word "Ayry," meaning an eagles
ncst-the river of the eagles nest,
Near its mouth and a contiguous
harborJ long stood a hamlet which
became royal burg or town named
from the river, and.now about one
third as large as Lowell-the city of
Ayr. For more than a thousand
years it has been noted in the his
tory of Scotland. During the wars
of Robert Bruce it was one of his
resorts, and was especially favored
by him because he was there cured
of.Ieprosy. Oliver Cromwell made
it one of the depots and headquar-
tiers of his army in his attack upon
Scotland, and one of his old forts is
now the Citadel of Ayr.
But above all its distinctions, Ayr
was the birthplace of the poet
Burns. And what a poet! What a
voice has he given to all the endear-
ments of home How has he hal
lowed the cottage and all it covers
weans and wife, patches and power
ty, beans, barley, ale, hardship and
the poor mans toll. How he wraps
with tenderness whatever he names,
even his bleak leagues of pasture,
the stubble field, ice, snow, sleet, and
rain brooks, birds, mice, thistles and
heather. His Benny Doom, John
Anderson, my 10 John, Aud Lang
Syne, and Highland Mary roll round
the world in every ringing symphony
with what is purest and best in hui
man nature. His songs WOO and
melt the hearts of youth and maid
ems, bring solace to the sorrowing
and courage to the overburdened by
their lot. His inspiration has set
the affections to music in strains that
are immortal.
No other one man ever made
language classic, but he has render
ed that lowland Scotch Doric dia.
lect of fame. The name of his home
and his beloved river Ayr was lifted
on the wings Of pathos, and now the
approaching traveller yearns to
reach the spot his genius has sane
titled. foITLRfI.
Along the borders of the sea in a
parallelogram and surrounding the
town is a county of the Same name
Ayrshire.
1t would weary patience to hear
the history ofmy ancestors from one
ancient John Of Ayr, then John Ayr,
down through the centuries to this
Aver now before you; through their
vicissitudes ofpoverty and plenty
of fortune and misfortune; how they
have intermarried with England,
ireland and Scotland, and later with
the Americans, who are an in ex-
cellent mixture of them all.
My friends, you have chosen the
name l inherited for your town with
an extraordinary unanimity, and
have thereby conferred an honor
upon me, the proper acknowledge
ment of which do not feel fully able
to express. But beg you to be as
sured that it is appreciated and that
it will be gratefully remembered with
living interest in your prosperity
while life remains to me, and, l trust
beyond shat by my children after
me.
If this name has become noted
among the many that are worthier
around you, that is greatly due to
its publicity. May | be permitted
to state whence that came? Until
within a few centuries all the civil
lied nations of the globe were pent
up on the Eastern continent. Two
or three hundred years ago they
I.ol.ol n,,o,. intn Liz fnu,.nrd fent..