Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-07-13
Letter from Nashville.

Chuuon COMMUNICATING VIC Uheu nv
government ~ninety-ive years ago, is ring
ing in the ear ; and crowds of the fifteenth
amendment are rushing frantically In
their Sunday clothes towards the booming
guns. But sad, quite sad has the day
opened upon many and many a hearth
stone of the Capital, for from last night
disaster on the Harpeth they are sending
its news and the dead up to the city all
day. Gay and frolicsome at midnight
these citizens rushed aboard the North
western cars with their families to have a
jolly time in the country to-day; scarcely
an hour had passed ere the train with its
precious freight dashed headlong into the
Harpeth some sixty feet and burying the
nethermost passenger car with its contents
completely in the mud below, while from
the huge mass of debris above. 40 forms
have been taken out, II of whom were
dead.
Charles Campbell, wife and most inter-
esting little daughter, near neighbors and
friends of mine, are among the mangled
corpses. Gen. Horebufger, q noted MEM
Der of the last Legislature from Moutgom-
cry, also lies-cold in earth. So confused
ly are the wild cries that but little more
has been learned.
KILCARMAC FALLS.
Every body latterly have been making
excursions to while away a week or so in
rustic style. Couldn't help it, had TO go
myself. Well dripping with spray at the
foot of Kilcarmac falls in DeKalb County
some sixty miles eastward of this. 1
could not but stand fxedly gazing up at
the tumbling waters of two considerable
streams leapiug over the precipice down a
hundred feet at one bound and mingling
in the same pool and the towering sugar
loaf peaks all clothed in nat ure's favorite
color latterly and in front, shooting SEEM
ingly to kiss the sky; presenting a land
scape and cataract exceedingly picturesque
and romantic for the mountains of Ten
nessee.
After a lingering gaze at this wonder,
we chambered up the rim of the ~silurian
basin and found ourselves on the first
bench of the Cumberland mountains
westward, ina level country called
THE BARRENs.
That appears to be excellent pasture land,
and remarkable for the numerous cool
springs found at the bottom of sink-holes
or hopper-shaped cavities. These sink
holes are very numerous and sometimes
a hundred yards across at top. and often
when dry from the entrances to caves or
crock houses" as they are here designated,
that are incrusted with alum and may be
penetrated for a great distance.
Land here not cursed with the mon
strous grants made to favorites in past
legislation for speculative purposes, is
worth from three to ten dollars per acre |;
and appears well adapted to fruit grow
ing especially the grape, and unsurpassed
in the elements of healthy climate. Yet
the people with few exceptions appear
shiftless, illiterate and momadic to some
extent. Much of these drawbacks to
prosperity to be attributed to the abomi-
nable grants that often cover thousands of
acres in a body which have been so often
granted by the State and then reverting
back for the non payment of taxes, that it
is said many are knee deep in this kind Of
title, held by God knows who; who live
God knows where it follows that the oc-
cupancy is kind of squatter sovereignty.
TO THE FROM
Regarding the New Departure the
people of the democratic persuasion in this
longitude seem generally to take to it
kindly, and appear to look upon the move
ment as a God send in the straits they
have evidently of late considered them
selves to be in that is the straits with a
swift current leading to perdition.
Hitching up then to the front and going
if possible beyond in radical doctrines. as
was done by the opposition of the WASH
ington Wings when they formed the nu-
cltrs of democracy from the tories and
disappointe / office seekers of that day,
they forsooth imagine history in this re-
spect will repeat itself; but scarcely hope,
l think, to see it effected until the canvass
of 1878 or 1892. The chief point to be
gained at present is to crystalize a new
party and if possible retain the old name
democrat.
The jobbersl they seem now to be on
the right track for with this course the
late rebels need not be more feared than
the tories, but like two clouds in the early
dawn yet mingle into one. A republican
government must essentially have two par
ties pretty evenly balanced asa check on
progressive domination, for which poor
human nature is SO prone when in a little
| brief authority.
These tendncies have a balmy and sooth-
ing influence in the mind, and the hither-
to savage Ku Kluxy stare at the ''radi-
GALS has noticeably changed to one "cbild
like and bland" sssg9aa
EDUCATION.
The persistent champion and true
friend of popular education through free
schools in Tennessee on the basis of the
most approved plans for its success.