Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-11-19
SWISS JUBqLLE.
Celebration OF the 566th Anniversary OF
Independence.
staubs Opera House. Crowded. Pleasant
Time.

staubs Opera House. Crowded-a PIensnn,
| Time.
| Notwithstanding the threatening ap.
pearance of the weather, the Opera House
| was crowded last night to its utmost ca.
pacity with the elite of the city to witness
| the five hundred and sixty-sixth anniver.
sary OF Swiss Independence. The Opera
House was comfortably warmed up and
presented CHEEKY appearance, while over
the stage waved on one side the Swiss
flag, on the other the flag of the Knoxville
Turn Verein and the "Stars and Stripes"
The rear part of the hall, and even with
the entrance, had been partitioned off by
fencing of cedar bushes for the supper
room.
The committee of arrangements, con-
sisting of the following named persons:
j. L. Benziger, Peter Staub, c. Aebli,
Charles Gschwend, Lewis Freeman, Jacob
Benziger, Robt. Duenner, Herman
Schenck, and John Oswald, had done ev-
erything in their power to make the cele-
bration success, and the entertainment
pleasant one to all who had the good for
tune to be present. The music by the
German Band, as well as the singing, was
simply splendid, while the addresses de-
llvered were rich in historical fact, full OF
merit, and received with repeated ap-
plause by the audience.
The evenings entertainment was opened
by the German Turner Band playing
"Parade March," by g. r. Knabe, and
the "Finale of 1st Act Of Donnizettis' OPP
era: Lucrezia Borgia," after which Mr..
Peter Staub, Swiss Consul for East Ten
nessee, delivered the address of welcome
which was listened to with marked atten-
ton and repeatedly applauded. Suitable
ddresses were then read by Rev. +. r. Es-
perandieu, w. A. Henderson, Esq, and
Maj. l.. A. Gratz.
ADDRESS OF REV. +. EsPERANDIEU.
The cholarly, philosophic and patriotic ad-
dress OF MIR. EIperAndieu, was the feature ofthe
evening, and deserves reproduction. We are
sorry we can give but portion of it.
de began by referring to the occasion on
which they were assembled, and the patriotic
pride which was lAudable and which they had
right to encourage. 1t was amusing to see the
vanity of British because they were British, of
the French. because they were from France or
OF the German because he was born on the other
side ofthe Rhine. The pride ofthe purse proud
American, who had done nothing but accumu-
late money was despcRble. But the pride that
boaltsd of the honor and glory and Industry of
the little republic that without great wealth or
territory could give its citizens an honorable
passport the world over, was something credita-
Bile. The honor sobriety, thrift and industry
of the Swiss was proverbial and tho speaker
thanked God for il. Switzerland is not as lsrae
as Tennessee, its boundaries marked by
high mountains and rivers, 1t could not
extend its limits, and it was, therefore, COM
PEELED 10 send out its surplus citizsns into other
countries as soldiers, clerks, servants etc. At
homo in their little territory they have kept off
powerful armies and resisted the brides TO sub
mission offered by their Weather neighbors,
BY industry they have made gardens Of their
vAllies, vineyards of their mountain peaks,
and pastures of their Businesses. Their cabins
we're hives of industry. and the wonder of their
mechanism astonished the world.
The speaker alluded to the difference of races
and tho effects of climate on people OF the same
blood, claiming that the general rHle was that |
the country made the people, but rs an excep- |
ton to this the Swiss had made witzerland He |
then referred.n glowing terms tolth first settlers
or America and the revolutions in France and |
tho colonies, resulting in the independence of
the United states, contrasting our seven years
war with Great Britain, and the struggle for ecu
turles Of the Swiss against the enemies of their
country. The glories of the Alpine Republic