Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-06

Brown Thess very men, under similar
circumstances could stare defiance in the
face OF tyrant. 1t would be idle Of me,
! dear sir, to attempt to describe your
nobleness Of soul-you carry it about
with you, stamped on your countenance; in
your gait, and in your every move and ges-
| ture towards the prisoner. When we see
you, even at distance, pleasureable, joy
Gus, undefinable sensation pervades our
system. Canwe find words to express the
! gratitude to you for
THE MANY BLESSINGS
| we enjoy under you? No! we cannot.
| Would that we could on canvas paint our
| feelings, so that yon could see them with
| your eyes. 1t is not alone with three or
four hundred convicts confined here that
your name is, and forever will be, enshrin-
| ed. No sir. For scattered far and wide
throughout this State and other states are
| THE DEsoLATE HOMES OF THE CoNvICTs.
To these homes postal wings your
name has been, is being and will be borne.
! In those homes, sorrowiDg mothers, broken
hearted wives and helpless little ones will,
at the shrine of grace, with hearts and
hands raised to heaven say: "God bless
Matt. Brown" We say, Amen! and that
| you may long rule over us.
We have also reason to be thankful that
| you have as your assistant
JOSEPH j. WINS
and no other. Jos j. WINS we commend
yeu for your keen eyed vigilance and
capacity for doing your duty. We are
thankful to you for your great civility and
kindness, to the conyicts in this institution,
| springiDg purely from your own noble soul
and manly heart, and we are thankful that
you are the bold, brilliant and faithful re-
| Hector which casts upon US the indirect rays
of Warden Matt. Browns matclless kind
ness. Long may you remain with us. We
have also reason to be thankful to
THE LEsSEES
for their gentlemanly bearing, civility and
kindness to us. And | am proud to see
among them true specimen of the gen.
uine gentleman from the Emerald Isle, 1
mean
MAI. THOMAS O'CoNNoR,
in whose heart is combined the sterling
qualities of true man with the noble prin-
ciples of kind ruler.
"Now praise we the Lord, kneeling low on the
ground,
For when famine and murder stalked grimly
around;
When despair his dark shroud Ger the suppliant
waved,
He heard us from Heaven-thank God, we are
saved"
Yes, we know we are, and we can from
our hearts sing, with little alteration,
THE SONG OF THE ANGELS:
fPeace in prison, mercy mild,
Man and Master reconciPd."
And now; though last yet not least, we
would most respectfully and with all cur
hearts tender our thanks and gratitude to
his Excellency
GOV. JOHN C. BROWN,
for we are firmly persuaded that he is the
root from whence srrsng this gigantic tree
of kindnes in our midst; long may he live 10
guide the prov and steer the ship of Ten
nessee, keeping peace and plenty within
her borders, and strife and contention with
out. Following the above was the
SPEECH OF JEFF. DAVIS, OF MEMPHIS.
The gentlemen who hare preceded me
have said so much that was eulogistis OF the
officers and their humane administration OF
the prison that it would be an absurdity in
me to attempt to add anything to their
panegyric; consequently will confne my
self to few practical remarks, and endeaV-
or to impress on the minds of you my fell
low-prisOners, and l include myself, the re-
sponSibilities and obligations deVolving
upon us in order that the humane
measures adopted for our welfare may be
carried into perfection. [ believe it has
demonstrated beyond the possibility of
a doubt every right, thinking man among
you that the Superintendent, Warden,
Deputy Warden and the efficient corps Of
subordinates desire to promote our best
welfare. 1t behoves us therefore to ac-
cept the situation fairly and honestly, re-
cognizing the fact that in our Imprisonment
we but receive the just rewards of our
deeds and prove by willing and
cheerful obedi nee to the rules and regula-
lions of the prison that we appreciate the
appeal Of moral suasion to our manhood,
and show to the Ulcers of the prison that
fallen and degraded though we be, there is
st II a spark within Us rea iy to burt into
flames of moral integrity when be gn upon
by the gentle breeZes OF their magnanimity.
Let us, then, my friends, take advantage of
the opportunity afforded US to cultivate
good resolutions within ourselves, with
pure and honest principles, and profit by
the heightened moral example of our rulers,
in order that when we en.er the world
again with bright hopes of a successful
campaign crowned with sure and certain
victory in the great battle Of life, at the
same time prove to the people of this COM
mOnWealth that though we have broken
and defied their laws the kindness with
which they have punished US has conquered |
our enmity, and while we are here and |
wherever our lot may be cast in the future |
it will ever be our highest aim in life to |
prove we are worthy of the leniency they |
have manifested towards us. To |
you, gentlemen, addressing the oMcersl we |
would say press onward, we do not |
ask you to adopt the hair-brain notions of |
modern Yankeedom in your discipline; we |
do not ask you to convert your prison into |
a respectable boarding house for the pau
pers, high way tramps, and criminals Of
our State, but we do ask, we beseech you
to keep gentlemen of integrity over us;
men who are capable of discriminating be-
tween light and wrong, and when you meet
with opposition, as you most certainly will,
let this thought encourage you; that in the
calm still hours of the night, when silence
reigus supreme, and the moon in her mid
night splendor casts her lurid light on the
gloomy walls Of our prison cells, our
thoughts revert in bitter memory
to our blighted hopes, cur cheeks become
moist with the dew of our agony, and like
the scorpion grit with fire we hover on the
border of despair; then Ike the lightning
fash we remember your kindness and be-
come cheered by your condescension. We
being taught to sing in childhood
hat the grass grows green over good
mans grave, and we think that when you
have served your generation, and have gone
TO that bourne from which no traveller has
ever returned, shouldit happen that your
graves should be neglected, the
earth in which you sleep would {
send forth its lilies and its |
laisies to wreathe your place of rest, and
he soft winds of the sunny South would
gently wave the grass above you, and the
Jews of her starry night would blend with '
he convict's tear and keep the grass and |
lowers fresh, in memory of God Al {
nighty's Roblemen who now control the
Tennessee Penitentiary.
In conclusion, John Grant, convict,
tated that the programme originated en-
irely with the conVicts; the officers of the d
,rison knew nothing of the order of exer- +
ises save only as they were reached. +
lie thought too much honor {
lad been bestowed upon the officers of the /
rison, it was the work of God Almighty +
nd they were but the honored instruments n
mr. its executOn: we all are too apt to praise | :