Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1871-04-19
Speech from DIR. Aver.

cine man, ]. G. Aver. AT the
Inauguration the Doctor was
called ON for a speech, and
spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen
On the western coast of Scot
land, where it slopes into the
Irish Sea, a river rising on the
mountains of the higher land
and winds down among the
hills and empties into the
Firth of Clyde. From remote
time it has been called Ayr
from an old Scotch word GAY
ry," meaning an eagles nest
the river of the eagles nest
Near it's mouth and contiguous
long stood a hamlet which be.
came a royal burg or town
named from the river, and now
about one.third as large as
large as Lowell-the city of
Ayr. For more than a thous-
and years it has been noted in
the history of Scotland. Du-
ring the wars of Robert Bruce
it was one of his resorts, and
was especially favored by him,
because he was there cured OF
the leprosy. Oliver Cromwell
made it one of the depots and
headquarters of his army in
his attack upon Scotland, and
one of his old forts is now the
Citadel of Ayr. 49,.
But above allit distinctions,
Ayr was the birthplace Of the
post Burns. And what poet!
What a voice has he given to
all the endearments Of home!
How has he ballowed the cot.
tage and all it covers-weans
and wife, patches and poverty,
beans, barley, ale, hardship
and the poor mans toll. How
be wraps with tenderness what
ever he names, even his bleak
leagues of pasture, the stubble
field, ice, snow, sleet, and rain,
brooks, birds, mice, thistle5
and heather. His Bonny
Doom, John Anderson, my 10
John, Auld Lang Syne, and
Highland Mary roll round the
world in ever ringing sympho-
ny with what is purest and
best in human nature. His
songs WOO and melt the heart
of youth and maidens, bring
solace to the sorrowing and
courage to the overburdenrd
by their lot. His inspiration
has set the affections to music
in strains that are immortal.
No other man has ever made
a language classic, but he has
rendered that lowland Scotch
a Doric dialect Of fame. The
name of his home and his be-
loved river Ayr was lifted on
the wings Of his pathos, and
now the approaching traveller
yearns to reach the spot his
genius has sanctified.
Along the borders Of the sea
in a parallelogram and sur
rounding the town is a county
of the same name-Ayrshire.
1t would weary your patience
to hear the history of my an.
cestors from one ancient John
of Ayr, then John Ayr, down
through the centuries this Ayr,
now before you; through their
vicissitudes of poverty and
plenty-of fortune and misfor.
tune; how they have intermar.
ried with England, Ireland and
Scotland, and later with the
Americans, who are an excel,
lent mixture Of them all.
My friends,-yo have cho.
sen the name | inherited for
your town with an extraordi,
nary unanimity, and have
thereby conferred an honor
upon me, the proper acknowl-
ment Of which l do not feel
fully able to express. But !
beg you to be assured that it is
appreciated and that it will be
gratefully rendered with a
living interest in your prosperi-
ty while life remains to me,
and, | trust, beyond that of my
children after me.
If this name has become no.
ted amonp the manv that are