Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-06-26
TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION,
A Memento, Associated with Reminis-
cences Of Deep Interest, PRESENTED
to 1t.

The following interesting occurrence
took place at the session of the Press
Association at Murfreesboro. DR..
Dickinson, of the Paris Intelligencer,
arose and thus addressed the members
of the press. presenting to them a
gavel:
Mr.. PREsIDENT-Allow me to pre-
sent to you, and through you to the
Tennessee Press Association, this small
memento, insignificant in itself, yet as
ISOLATED with historic "reminiscences of
deep interest to US all. This is gavel
made of the remains of an old press,
possessing more historic interest than
any press in the State. The press re-
terred to was, I am informed, the very
first one upon which 4 paper was pub
lished in Nashville, when it Was but a
village. From Nashville it was car
ried to Columbia, and there used in
publishing the first paper issued in
that town. From Columbia it was
brought to Paris, where it was utilized
in publishing the first paper in West
Tennessee.
1t was in this office of the old press
that Amos johnson learned the print
er's trade-a man who graced the tripod
and who helped to give tone and in
fuence to the newspaper press of the
earlier days of our State. and who now
is an honored citizen of the State Of
Mississippi. In this Office were w.
w. Gates, the venerable patriarch of
the Tennessee press, and who now lin
gers as the last link of the past genera
ton of printers, binding the present
and the past. May God bless him with
a quiet, calm evening and glorious
sunset of life. And here, too, in the
same office, +. X. Zolicoffer became
initiated into the honorable profession
of printing. This was the press used
by Zollicoffer for many years after he
rose from roller boy to editor, and is
known in West Tennessee as the 'Zol-
licoffer press" Among the many
noble sons of Tennessee, none deserve
q kindlier remembrance than he.
Noble, generous and brave, he served
his people and State as one of its most
honored conductors Of the press. He
served her and her people faithfully
and efficiently in the councils of the
nation, and when, in her darkest days,
her noble sons were raliying to her call
for defense. he poured out the purple
tide of his manly life on her altar, and
his royal soul went up in blaze of
glory to rest in the eternal shades of
the trees, among the blest and the
noble. While it may be used by you
and your successors, as an emblem Of
authority in this body, may the spirit
of Zollicoffer look down upon US APP.
provingly, as worthy to be the success
sors of the type of manhood he repre-
sented.
Towhich Vice President Boyers, on
behalf of the Association, made the
following address of acceptance
On behalf of the Tennessee Press
Association, l accept your appropriate
gift of this gavel wrought from the first
printing press west of the mountains.
The Association is honored by the gift,
and feel hOnored that am the first
presiding officer to make use of it in
the direction of our deliberations. 1t
will be treasured among the most val
ued and cherished properties of the
Association. | trust it will be an in
spiration to US, and TO those who may
come after US, to emulate the virtues
of the distinguished journalist and
printer who, before the day of the old
Ramage press from which it is taken,
laid the foundation of his fame and
usefulness in Tennessee.
At the conclusion of the Vice.
sident's address, the Association adopt
ed a resolution ordering the gavel to
be silve..a GU lted