Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-02-02
HOPEFUL FUTURE.

A HOPEFUL FUTURE.
For the last ten years u country has
been cursed with constant turmoil and
dissension. An awful and destructive war
of four years brought upon us all the in
cidents and. ofan unrestrained
rage of human passions. When it was
concluded, we had a peace in name, but
not in fact. Battleields were not red
with the gore of slaughtered thousands
nor piled with the wrecks of armed strife.
it is true, but phrensy still glowed iercely
in the hearts of the combatants. All our
material interests and promotive enter
prizes suffered greatly, and the general
occupation was to feed the fires of discord
and keepalive sectional animosities. But
thanks to God, the angel of time is eradi-
eating these evils and a bright and glori-
Gus era of peace and fraternal feeling is
dawning upon us. The radieDt herald of
its coming betokens the rich and pure
splendor of its full existence. The sound
of the hammer can be heard in every
quarter of our land beating the Sword
into the ploughshear and spear into the
pruning hook" The inherent and in
alienable rights of all men, regardless of
their conditions and nationality are re-
spected and protected, speaking in a gen.
eral sense, and would the stratagies of
demagogues now be foiled, and the iniu-
ences of men seeking their own aggran-
dizement be destroyed, the North and the
South, and the East and the West would
be homologated into a union of harmony
and peace. The strifes of the past would
be forgotten in an unity of patriotic aim
and effort, and in cordial reciprocation
of those kind offices that makes a common
brotherhood ofali humanity. But every day
lays a whitening hand upon these agencies
of distraction, and all sections of our land
are getting a better understanding of each
other. Their intercourse of trade and
the minglrngs of the people are attended
with the happy result of reuniting the sew
cred bonds offriendship and regard. Pal
sled be the hand that would unearth the
claymores of the past. Dumb be the
tongue and lifeless the lips that would
utter a discordance in this concert of in
creasing harmonies.
The future is full of hope. Peace is
establishing her magnificent enterprises
everywhere. Her colleges and school
houses are multiplying with marvellous
r%apidity. States, cities and towns are
growing in wealth and population. New
and profitable productions are added to
our agricultural industries. The roar of
machinery mingles with the music of a
thousand waters. The cooperation of
physical energy and mental power isman-
ifest in almost every quarter in accom-
plishing schemes for our national advance
ment and thrift. Capital flows out in adeep-
and wider channel than ever before.
Railroads are being projected and built
all over the whole country. The vast
of the Great West are rewarding
with superabundance, the adventurous,
penetrating pioneer and explorer. With
these accumulating resources, who can
read and tell, the bursting promise of the
future? Who can trace the march of the
nation to the END when it shall have OBJ
tanned the full stature of its greatness and
grandeur. The pen of prophecy will not
undertake the task. The muse of history
only can sing u awaiting glory.
Let us then cherish our noble emotions
and impulses, seek and strive for the good
and advancement of others as we'll as our
own. We can have our political prefer
ences and affiliations and exercise our
voting privilege without detriment to our
civil interests, and there is neither good
Judgment nor sound discretion in making
personalities out of political differences.
Such a curse has proved r~uinous, and
such will be the case ever afterwards. We
sincerely hope that our suggestions in this
will have the s~alutary influence for
which they are intended, and we will have
more of those contentious and bicker-
ings in the future, which have dishonor-
ed and disgraced us in the past. Such a
will be productive of incalcula-
BILE benefits, and we can look to our fu-
ture destiny with bright hopes and assu-