Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-25

1 feelings or preluQice. Shall Always III
after life, carry with me the warmest feel
ings of friendship for each and every Sena-
tor, and shall always regard our association
together here as a bright spot in memory's
waste; and, if business or pleasure shall
ever call any member on this floor to the
mountains of upper East Tennessee, 1 ask
him to be sure and come and paTtake Of
the Inequalities Of my humble mountain
home. Mr.. Speaker, my heart is full; l
can add no more.
THE SPEAKERS vALEDICTORY.
Before declaring the Senate adjourned
sine die, the Speaker said:
In conformity 10 the resolve Of this Cen
eral Assembly il now becomes my duty as
the presiding officer of the Senate to per-
form my last official act Of the session, by
p7onouncing its final adjournment. DO
this, my fellow-Senators, with mingled
feelings of regret and pleasure. Regret,
because those who, for a period Of near
three months, have been in daily social
and official contact, have assembled to-day
for the last time, and are now TO take leave
Of each other, and of this hall, around
which cluster so many pleasant recollec-
tiOnS. This regret. however, is tempered
Vim NLG AIAINNlOlA lAlal lAAl HIAooAAa@A AIICA-
course during our session has been free,
frank and courteous, while political strife
has been almost devoid Of that acrimOny
which too often eharacteTizes legislative
bodies. And, although, sometimes
in our chamber debate may have
risen TO temporary fever-heat,
yet, it never rose to the pulse-beat Of pas
sion, and has planted no thorn to rankle
- ., "a
to fret and veX our future reflections. And,
notwithstanding the vigorous strife that
marked your forensic digladiations upon
local, as well as general policy, engender-
ing dissension not only animated, but often
heated, yet il is my pride, as it is my
pleasure, in this hour of parting, to feel
and say that such excitement was but the
spark from the flint, when stricken by the
steel, expiring with the flash, and that the
combat was more than Olympian in its
character, not being urged on so much by
mere personal rivalry as by the inspiration
Of a sense Of duty to constituency and to
eountTy. Much, / think, has been accom-
plished during our brief session, for the
good Of the State, while many propositions
full of merit, have failed to become laws.
There is perhaps, not a member Of the
Legislature, who does not feel a.degree Of
disappointment at the failure Of some favor
tie measure, and at the passage Of other OBJ
nOxiOus to his judgment. II is now how
ever, due to Our own characters and the
constituency we represent, for us to bow
with submission to the will Of a majority,
and sustain without reserve the enacted
laws of our body. This we should do as
representative men,-if not for their in
7, E@-sN h, -
thew have through legitimate channels be-
come the law of the State. We may well
congratulate ourselves, and / think our con-
sUituency, for many wholesome acts that
have passed. We may have digressed from
the Old-hackneyed character Of legislation
ini Tennessee, but be it so, the people
demanded it, and we have responded TO
their call.
It is true we assembled under circum-
stances Of embarrassment, representing
depressed, diSheartened and tax-ridden peO-
pie, with treasury depleted almost beyond
TecuperatiCn, while our ears were greeted
with the impOTtUnate cries and earnest de-
mands Of hungry creditors, who stood upon
the threshold Of the capitol watching our
action on "hnanca, ways and means"
Yet we have, trust, in the main pursued
such a line of policy Is will in the end
bring the ''greatest good to the greatest
number" Recognizing the fact that the
true policy to secure relief from financial
embarrassment is retrenChment and reform,
we have not hesitated to use with prompt
ness and vigor the pruning knife, clipping
here and there undeTbruSh that had grown
rank and tangled along the dubious path
way of State credit, that leads through our
political vineyard, until we feel confident
of finding at no distant day an outlet ofTe-
lief.
While we have done this, we have not
been UnmindfUl Of those high moral obi
cations resting upon the State to educate
her youth and care for her children Of mis-
fortune. We have in recognition of this
obligation contributed beautifully to those
whose sightleSs Orbs have never known the
charm Of a mothers smile or seen the
beauty Of the landscape as it Frightened
under the grateful blessing Of a benignant
sunshine. We have also lent a listening
ear to the necessities Of the deaf-thOSe IN
fortunate ones who never heard the human
voice or the song Of birds-who never be-
came enranced by the ''cOncord OF sweet
sounds" mingling mid the rich tones Of
the organ as its matchless diapason rolls
up the inspiring cadence from the shrine
and sanctuary Of devotion. And we have
the consolation Of knowing, too,
that though our means were limited,
we have not forgotten those other OBJ
jects of peculiar care, the light from the
dome Of whose temple has gone out like a
falling star, leaving them at sea without a
rudder to guide them in the darkness and
the storm. Though the arms Of Tennessee
are paralyzed By the nightmare Of debt,
vet through her representatives she has,
with the-devOtiOn Of a mother, taken those
children Of misfortune into the embraces of
her love and under the shelter of her wing,
giving such protection and comfort as to
make them feel that they are not fOTsaken
and friendiesS; and while human nature is
true to itself, and reason asserts her noble
and generous empire, a million and a
quarter of brave and nOble-hearted Tennes-
seeans will thank you for It.
Before taking leave, you Will allow me,
gentlemen, to apologize for many short
comings in the effort to discharge my
official duty, and assure you that when
such occurred, It arose from an error Of
Judgment, and from no intention to do in
Justice to any, whether Senators, Clerks,
Sergeant-at-Arms, Page or POrteTs. To err
is human-to forgive is Divine. For the
complimentary terms ia which you have
been pleased 10 express your sentiments
toward me as the presiding officer Of the
Senate, as we'll as for the willing indul-
gence and ready support you have ever
given me in the discharge Of my response |
bic duty, you will accept, Individually and
collectively, my profoundest thanks. Gen
tlemen Of the Senate, allow me again to
say, it is with regret part with you, and,
as We cannot expect to meet
again on earth, let us hope to meet |
in that better wOrld-tbere-Up there,
where friendly associations are not broken |
by adjournment. This regret, however,
loses much Of its pain by the reflection that |
we will soon be in the more cOngenial
home circle, where devoted wives and low
ing children anxiOusly await us, where the
PRAYERS Of the one and the smiles of the
other will add to the cup of our domestic
bliss, ard where alone is found that sweet
content and pure devotion chat gives life
its charm and encircles the future with
the halo Of hope.
In compliance with Senate joint resolg-
ton No. 90, I now declare the Senate Of
the 39th General Assembly Of Tennessee |
adjourned sine die.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WEDNESDAY, March .24-The House !