Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-11
TED CITY
APUBLIC LIBRARY.

NcbIe Enterprise Started at Last.
During the last few years we have writ
ten earnestly and persistently, and article
after article, upon the importance, utility
and benefit # O Public Library and Read
ing Room. We know Of no enterprise
embracing so many elements of usefulness,
so conducive to moral, social and intellee-
tual improvement, and calculated to pro-
duce so many lasting and permanent ben
efts, especially upon the young, as is this.
Our young men and young ladies, and old
or men and ladies' too, rs for that, as well
as boys and girls, have no place to go
where they can read and commune with
books and authors, papers and periodicals,
strengthening their understandings, giving
muscularity to their minds, and elevating
their ideas and conceptions. The want Of
scch an Institution has been widely and
ksenly felt, and has been a theme Of re-
mark, justly disparaging to rs, by strangers
and those who visit our city rom other
points All large and populous cities,
making pretentions to metropolitan pro-
gress, have mercantile libraries, circulating
libraries, literary clubs and reading rooms,
and they are fostered with watchful and
protective care, as being essentially i'm
portant institutions.
Solicitously anxious and earnest as we
have been In Thu matter, although we felt
all the time that everything thGt'was neces-
sary to the putting of such al institution
in successful operation was the proper par
ties to take hold and give it impetus, we
really began to fear that it would never be
accomplished. We are most happy to state
hov in
been displaced Prospects are brighten
ing for n speedy organization Of library.
4 very short time since a number Of gen.
tlemen, of energy, spirit, and business
worth and capacity, animated by the same
desire we have been, took hold of the mat
ter. They drew up the article setting
for. / their objects and aims, the establish
meut of a public library and reading
room. They at once commenced solicit
ing subscriptions. Though they have been
engaged but. a few days in getting these
subscriptions, their success has surpassed
their most sanguine expectations. The
readiness with which citizens subscribe and
contribute surprises even themselves.
Some of our first and most prominent citi-
zens have subscribed as high as fifty dol
lars each, and others have given thirty,
twenty stiVe, twenty, ten and five dollars
each. Already there have been near a
thousand dollars n money, books, contri-
buttons, ETC., subscribed and donated.
The library Will be first opened il the base
ment of the First Presbyterian Church,
which has been rendered free for that pur-
pose. The design is not for it to remain
there permanently, but temporarily, and
until thorough organization be effected
and more suitable and eligible rooms can
be procured. II need not be imagined for
a moment that, because it is
first opened in the basement of
the Church that there is snyth'nr
in tho least UNCONVENTIONAL or ssctarian IL
the enterprise. Far from it. The library
is for the public benefit, stripped entirely
from any such considerations. We knoS
the gentleman who have taken hold of this
matter, and we know the parties subscrib-
ing most literally, and we know thatno sec
tartan biaseS or denominational proclivities
actuate them in the least. The object is to
establish first-class public library and
reading room in the city, where the stan
dard works, the best literature of the day
and time, and the choicest papers, maya
zines and miscellaneous reading matter
will be accessible TO all, to be kept under
such rules and regulations IS usually
govern such institutions The. objects
will be carried out. Before very long the
library will be opened, and our word for
it, it will be the nucleus of a large, first
class public library in Nashville, and
where our young people will love to go
and read aud ponder and commune with
dead as well as the living. For each good
book is an
Inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude ~
Those who have taken the enterprise in
charge will be systematizsd in few days
and will present the claims of the library
to our citizens, and we are sure that they
will respond literally We will keep our
friends advised from time to time of the
progress of this commepdable undertaking.
A swiss Tennessee Soldier Sh OF =
Omaha.
Our Geographic dispatches published
yesterday morning stated that Private
Hafte, Swiss BY birth, had been shot
aud killed by the guard at Omaha barracks.
Monday night, while endeavoring to es-
cape, and that he had a wife and three
children at Nashville.
On inquiry yesterday, we were inform
ed that HATTIE has wife living at Clarks-
vile, Tenn, instead of at Nashville, and
that he had q brother at Clarksyille- who