The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-04-20
! abb. ]. C. AYERS SPEECH.

The, people of Massachusetts do things
up In style, and among other things the
naming of a town.. 1t appears that Gro
ton Junction has become large enough
for q town, and after getting an enormous
crowd together and having good time
generally. in which such men as. Judge
sGoMley, the, historian, and many other
distinguished men took part, the name of
Aver, after the great "Medicine Man."
was solemnly adopted. DR.. Aver deliy-
tered the following speech, upon the occa-
sion. He said
Ladies and Gentlemen :-On the West
iern coast of Scotland, where it slopes into
the Irish Sea, river, rising on the noun
.tainsi of the inner land, 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 "Ayry," meaning an eagles nest
the river Of the eagles nest. Near its
mouth and a contiguous harbor, long
stood q 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 thou
sand years it has been noted in the histo-
ry Of Scotland. During the wars Of
Robert Bruce it was one of his resorts,
and was especially favored by him be-
cause. be was there cured of leprosy.-
Oliver Cromwell made it one of the depots
and headquarters of his army in his attack
upon-ScotlaDd, and one of his old forts is
now the Citadel OF. Ayr.
But above all its distinctions, Ayr was
f6e birthplace of the poet Burns. And
what q poet! What a voice has he given
to all the endearments of home! How
he has hallowed the cottage and ali it
covers-weans and wife, patches and
poverty, beans, barley, ale, hardship and
the poor mans toll. How he wraps with
tenderness whatever he names, even his
black leagues of pasture, the stubble field,
ice, snow, sleet, rain, brooks, birds, mice,
thistles and heather. His Bonny Doom,
John Anderson, my 10 John, Aud Lang
Syne, and Highland Nary, roll round the
world in ever ringing symphony with
what is pnrest and best in human nature.
His songs WOO and melt the hearts of
youth and maidens, bring solace to the
sorrowing and courage to the overbur-
dened by their lot His inspiration has
setthe affections to music in strains that
are immortal.
No other ono man ever made Ian
gnage classic, but he has rendered that
lowland Scotch Doric dialect of fame.
The name Of his home and his beloved
river Ayr was lifted on the wings of his
pathos, and now theapproaching traveller
yearns to reach the spot his genius has
sanctifed.
Along the borders of the sea in q par
allelogram, and surrounding the town. is
aconnty.of the same name-Ayrshire.
1t would weary your patience to hear
the history of my ancestors from one, an
cient J ohm of Ayr, then John Ayr, down
through the centuries to this Aver now
before you; through their vicissitudes of
poverty and plenty-of fortune and mis-
fortune; how they have intermarried
with England, Ireland and Scotland, and
later with the Americans, who are an ex-
cellent mixture of them all.
Ny frienas,-you have chosen the name
finherited for your town with an extra
ordinary unanimity, and have thereby
conferred an honor upon me, the proper
acknowledgment of which dc not feel
fully able to express. But beg you to
be assured that it is appreciated and that
it will be gratefully remembered with a
living interest in your prosperity while
life remains to me, and, trust. beyond
that by my children after me.
IF this name has become noted among
tSfa.many that are-worthier around you,
that is due to its publicity. May l be
permitted to state whence that came?
Until within few centuries all the civil
lized nations of the globe were pent up
On the Eastern continent. Two or three
hundred years ago they leaped over into
this; few and fearfully at first then moro
and more, but always in their settlements
timidly hugging the Atlantic coast
Within the last two or three generations
they have burst out as it were, and over
run these vast continents of the West.
Now they are scattered here and possess
these measureless stretches of mountains
and valleys, hills, plains, forests and prai-
ries, with the boundlcss pampas and
mountain ranges of South America. For
mer generations lived in villages and
towns, thickly settled together, where
physicians were plenty and near at hand.
Now, the people are widely scattered in
many sections Of these nsany countries
For great numbers the timely treatment
of physicians cannot be had over large
tracts of country good or competent ply
sicians cannot be had at all. They can
not visit patients enough many miles
apart to live by their profession, nor can
they carry medicines enough with them
on horseback for their requirements.
Hence has arisen in these modern times,
necessity for remedies ready at band,
with directions for their use-a present
recourse for relief in the exigencies of
sickness, whenSno othor aid is near. 1t