Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-07-07

Whatever promises 10 elevate tue tone
aud ameliorate the condition of the
community in which he lives In
recognition of Nour marked cour.
tesy, he has been pleased to
Gepute me to present to you a
testimonial of his consideration, in
the shape of Company banner.
Beautiful enough is the offering /
bring, to speak its own praise, aud eX-
presyive enough are its designs, ii for u
moment studied, 10 deliver their own
Lessons. Spread upon the clear blue
field is the escutcheUn of the United
States, upon which is eInbla2oned the
armorial flag-the Stars aud Stripes.
Embossed upon this shield, as if fond
~ clinging to its breast, is the coat of
arms Of Teune see, while above all,
with outspread plnious, hovers the
proud emblem OF our national genius
ana authority--the American eagle.
The COlluCatiOn OF emblems IS rs sig
niicant as beautiful. While the ban
uer, itself becomes the index of your
individuality As Il company, its armo-
rial bearings most happily symbolic
the barmuuiZed sOVereignties of the
Stale and NatioU-Tenuessee peace
fully embosomed in the Union.
Not great while ago, the presenta-
lions of banners of tins character were
accompanied with celebrations to
deeds of valor on fields of blood. Hap
PLY, such Is no part OF my duty, to-
day. Happily for us, at home and
abroad, grim visag'd war has smoth' d
his wrinkld 'front.' and the sound of
his alarum has for years been hushed
within our borders. There is neither
social disorder nor foreign trouble to
give martial significance to this dis
play. l rejoice that l can only COM
mend you, gentlemen, to the quiet
methods of soldier-citiZens, who are
none the less their country's pride in
the weak piping time of peace, than
they are its reliance in the hours OF
public peril.
And, yet, gentlemen, you will not
lack fields ct peaceful trlumphs. We
have just entered the last year of the
first century of American Indepen-
dence. While we can not, here and
now, even throw glance back along
the track of that century, it may te
truly said of it, in view of what we see
about US, that
otis its sunset of life, gives US mystical
lore,
AS coming events cast their shadows be.
fore
For even now the second century
eager and joyous, " stands tiptoe on
the misty mountain tops, " impatient
to be here. Already most grateful
influence is felt in the very air. Oui
home atmosphere seems redOlent with
patriotic and fraternal sentiment, anC
| hp " ~ nj WIG
itations, betwixt the North and the
sages of good will. And if the
strangely deceptive, we are at last Ell.
tering upon that welcome era, when
our "cruel war" from whose shadows
we have so recently emerged, will be
thought of only as past dream of hor.
ror, whose memory, in the glad light
of the Centennial year, will but serve
to quicken our realization that the
American people are once more 8
brotherhood of freemen. So universal
and spontaneous are the demonstra-
tiOns of a goodly feeling, of which
this grand demonstration is but fair
illustration, that no powers of divina.
ton are needed to foresee that 1876 is
to be, indeed, the Nations Year OF
Jubilee.
Tennessee, as State, yet lacks
twenty years, or more, of "a centennial
anniversary; but as people, Tennes-
seeans have a history that antedates
tue Declaration of Independence.
While the Royalsts were receiving
their first practical lessons in colonial
resistance at Lexington and Concord,
the pioneers of Tennessee were plant
ing the outpOsts of civilization in the
western wilderness. While the repre-
sentatives of the colonies were
preparing their great Declaration in
old Independence Hall the forerunners
of our population were encountering
lurking and deadly foe, rescuing these
home-scenes of ours from savage do
minion, and laying the early founda-
lions of our present civil structure
and though it was not their fortune to
participate in the earlier battles of the
Revolution, yet they were enabled to
transmit to Tennesseeans of this day
and of coming time, a heritage in the
glory of Kings Mountain-a victory
that gave fatal wound to
Royal ascendancy in the Caro-
linas, and precipited the final
surrender of the British forces at York
town. That Tennessee, with her
special interest in the memories of one
hundred years ago, will be fully re,
sponsive to the patriotic influences Of
the passing time, is already sufficiently
evident; and L doubt not, gentlemen
that you fully share the sentiment OF
reconciliation and fraternity, that now
seems to perVade all classes, in all sec.
tions. 1t Is expected that at the Cen.
tennial Exhibition, at Philadelphia,
the material products and resources OF
Tennessee will be well represented.
Let us indulge the hope also, gentle,
men, that in that grand pageant which,
on the next 4th of July, in the "City
of Brotherly Love-" is to signalize, at
one and the same hour, the birth OF
American Independence and the
restoration of American Brotherhood
the bright blue banner of the Dickin.
son Light Guard will be there to tell
in what part of the great procession,
the citizen-soldiery of Knoxville are
marching.
1t has been beautifully said by one OF
England Sweetest writers, with whom
just now l am sure you will concuT)
that Eafhpp fniDna is NOT q ha nd