Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-11-11
ADDRESS
OF Col. J. h. KIlIebreVy, before the
West Tennessee Agricultural
and Mechanical Association,
November ga, 1871.
Ladies and Gentlemen

1 desire first of all to congratu-
late the officers of this Association,
and the people of Madison county
upon the'eminent success which they
have achieved in the building of
their Fair Grounds. When in Aug.
last, had the honor of addressing
the citizens of Jackson in the inter
est of the Association, no one, not
even the most sanguine, entertained
any idea that successful Fair could
be held this Fall. But 1 unhesita-
tingly say, sfter having attended
more than a dozen Fairs in the
State, that the one at Jackson is in
my opinion the best ordered, the best
Differed and has the most COM
modiOus and convenient buildings
of any in the State, the one at Nash
Vile only excepted. The amount of
work that has been done by the
Secretary and other officers is Her
eulean, and shows what determined
energy backed'by intelligence can eff
feet. The present beautiful Fair
Grounds was a desolate old field
six weeks ago unused, unfenced and
serving no other purpose but to mar
the beauty of the landscape. To-day,
it stands out boldly as thing of JOY
and gladness, where the vigor and
beauty Of youth, the strength and
grandeur of manhood, the expert
ence and wisdom Of old age, all meet
in social communion, and in the in
terest of Agriculture and the
Mechanical Arts. The officers of the
Association deserve to have medals
struck in their honor, and the'pee-
pie of Madison are fortunate in hav.
ing amongst them men of SO much
public spirit, energy, capacity
worth and intelligence.
Very much against my own idei
| of propriety, but at the earnest soli
citations of the officers of the Wes
Tennessee Agricultural and Mechsn
ical Association, am here to-day
If any are present with the expecth
ton of listening to fervid eloquenct
| or splendid oratory, l can assure
them at the outset, that their disap
pointment will be certain. l comt
not to fascinate you with the gildeC
words of rhetoric, but to attempt Il
utter some plain truths in a plaiI
way. / come to compare ideas will
| you; to exchange eXperiences;to pro
pose plans; to suggest changes; t
witness improvements; to give yoI
my thought and take an exchang,
yours, and to endeavor to sugges
some method by which we may pull
| together, to resurrect the mechani
cal industries and the farming inter
ests from the ashes and cinders tha
have been heaped upon them durins
the past few years. Why, my fel
low-citiZens, take a glance at all thu
industrial interests of our State anC
see to what extent they are depres
sed Your mechanics cannot, will
all the raw material at their com
mand, compete with the mechanic
of the North. Your farmers ar
growing annually more and NOR
impovished. Your lands are de
creasing in value; your homes, man,
of them, are becoming dilSpidated
your energies are becoming impair
ed; your hopes are becoming cloud
ed, and worse than all, your youni
men, the glory and promise of tn
State, discouraged by your failures
and intimidated by your croakings
are preparing to fly from the bound
aries of State that has given then
nothing in the past, and promise
them nothing in the future. Can
we afford to sit idly and make our
selves discontinued with constan
grumblings and cOmplainings, an'
do nothing to stay this current o
living wealth that is continually
pouring out of our State, and annu
ally swelling in volume? 1t is a Vi
tai question, one that affects us i'm
mediately, and one that in spite o
all disguises, forces itself upon u
every day. We all realize the fac
that money is becoming PAINFUL,
| scarce. We all realize the fact tina
our taxes are oppressively burden
some. We all feel the need ofmOr
men and better schools, of bette
roads, and indeed, an increase il
everything comprehended under tn
general name OF civilization.
Now, my fellOW-citiZens, this stat
of things results not from any wan
of intelligence among our farmers O