Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-26

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II mentary law were raised and presented fo
yonr settlement. Your duties were thu
made difficult and onerous, and now, sir, Al
the end of al these spirited intellectual con
tests, at the hour when we are to shake
hands with each other, and say the sad
words ''good-bye," for perhaps the last time
Hthis side the dark waters" say to you,
sir, as the Representative of our fellow
members, and in expression of their unan-
imous voice, that you have given us, st no
time, any cause TO murmar on account of
want of urbanity or impaitiality. Your
native honesty, kindness of heart, and uni
form politeness, sir, has made deep i'm
preston on all the members of this House.
| We expect to carry with us, through all
time, a vivid recollection of our connection
with this Assembly, aud with you as our
| Speaker, ,,,.s r.-s-r -. 80. ......,
As memento, sir, we present you with
| this cane. We ask your acceptance Of it
IS mark of our sincere regard for you,
both as man and an officer. The House,
through me, wish you long, prosperous
and hIppy life.
The Speaker arose and said:
Mr.. MCFARLAND-Upon this occasion,
we have no. language to express our feel
ings. In receiving this tribute of respect
from you in behalf of the members of the
| Thirty eighth General Assembly of the
State of Tennessee, We feel that this is the
happiest day Of our existence. There are
green spots in the memory of every individu-
al. There are occasions when we forget the
cares and anxieties of life, and dwell with
| delight upon scenes that have transpired in
the past; but not forgotten. This token of
your respect will form green spot in the
memory of the humble individual who adj
dresses you at this time; and ever and anon,
as we travel through the lights and shades
of real life, we will turn aside for a season
and dwell with rapture upon what has
trsnspired here to-day. However arduous
and delicate may have been the duties we
have had to perform as your presiding
officer, we feel that we have been doublY
repaid upon this occasion. For one to
know that he has the condienc and respect
of those with whom he has been associated,
or over whom he may have presided as an
officer, is better far than gold Or silver.
In accepting this present from you, we do
so not because we consider ourselves worthy
or that such an honor is due us from you,
but we accept it because it comes from
those for whom we entertain the highest
respect, and with whom we have been so
pleasantly associated for time, and whose
courteous demeanor to us wecannot forget.
Through this memento we will ever remem-
Der you. When we are separated by flow
ing rivers and majestic mountains; when I
return to the home of my youth and the
land ofmy nativity; when again hail with
delight the blue hills of East Tennessee, and
again hear the songs Of the birds of my own
native forest, you will not be forgotten,
but you will ever be held 10 grateful remem,
brance by him who receives from you to-
day this token Of kindness, so generously
bestowed upon one who feels so unworthy.
shall take this memenfo home with me. |
will keep it as priceless treasure. And as
look upon it from day to day, my thoughts
viii leap forth, and, with the rapidity of
lightning, speed over the Cumberland
mountains and dwell upon scenes that have
transpired within this legislative hall, and
picture afresh upon the canvass Of my mem
DRY, familiar faces which perhaps we will
never see again. And as you have assisted
and supported us in performing our duties
while associated with you, so this cane will
support our trembling steps in declining
years, and when l am done with it, | will
IuAA ~ OfNl W N0AANACAJ anu 1Cob doouI-
ed when / shall have gone down to the
grave, ard the tomb-vine gently creeps over
the sod that covers up decaying mortality,
there will still BELIEVING those who viii thank
you for this generous gift.
Gentlemen of the House of Representa-
tive of the 3Sth General Assembly of the
State of Tennessee: All associations
formed by mortals travelling through this
world of storms and sunshine, must sooner
or later be broken up, and the heart that
to-day feasts upon the smiles of friends and |
the Joyous festivities of kindred hearts, to-
morrow may be sad and lonely, and the |
bright prospects of the future may be scat
tered and blighted like the petals Of with |
cred rose in an autumnsl storm. 1t mat |
tiers not how sacred those association may |
be, and under what circumstances they are /
formed, they must have an end.
What cares the uncompromising and vic |
torious tooth of Time for the associations |
or the family circle, the associations of
the associations of the school
room, or the associations of deliberative
bodies in church or State? AS the pendu-
llm oscilates back aud forth, beating away
the seconds, time breaks up all those asso-
Citations so dear to the generous heart.
Gentlemen, we have been assembled to-
gether for 3 time as the servants of the |
people, who have clothed us with authority
to legislate for the good of the whole State.
What we have accomplished remains for
the future to develop. Our associations
have been pleasant and agreeable. We /
must soon separate. Duties elsewhere, I
and the attractions of home, call us hence.
Permit me to say to you that, as your pre-
siding officer, l have, TO the ext ent of my
ability, endesvored TO do my duty, granting
to each member upon this floor privileges
which ne, as a member OF your body, had a
right to demand. Erring mortals we are.
Errors, no doubt, | have committed since | /
assembled the Speakers stand, but believe
me sincere when [ proclaim to you that
they were errors of the head and not of the
heart. If any of you think that you have
bean aggrieved, or if have wounded the
feelings of any member upon this floor, |
humbly ask your pardon. Did know that
any member of the House of Representa-
lives of the Thirty-eighth General Assem-
bly, had for me one unkind feeling, ia sor-
row | would leave this hall. Not one IN
kind feeling do / have toward any one Of
yOu. We met as strangers, as friends
trust we SEPARATE. Shall we ever meet
again ? This is very improbable. Death
7acates the kings throne, the Presidents
chair, the halls of legislation and the peas
ants cot. Since We met, but a few weeks
past, one of The members of this General
has gone down TO the grave.
The sound Of bis football is heard no more
within the halls ofthis spacious fabric. The
echo of his voice no more trembles upon
.he yielding air. he is gone. And for
zach one within the sound of my voice, TO-
yether with myself, there soon will be a
lick chamber; watching and anxious friends
lnd relatives; an hour Of deep, unnatural
silence; "a coffin; funeral procession; a
olling bell; an open grave; little mound
lpraised, and the scene closes. "Earth to
Earth and dust to dust"
Gentlemen of the House OF Representa-
ives, some of you are young. You are
travelling up the hill of life, amid green
meadows, and fowery fields, and festive
iongs. What life is, you have yet to learn.
others of you are standing upon the top of
he hill of life, enjoying the strength Of
The fruit is ripe, and you now
ealize that G
"Life is real; life is earnest"
Others, like myself, have passed over and
,one down on the other side Of the hill of
ife The floWars are Withened, The fruit |