Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-07-20
Surface Views OF the
South.


Junction on the Tennessee river
| in Alabama to Nashville runs
through a delightful country, with
gently rolling surface, frequent
small streams and belts of timber.
and apparently rich soil. 1t is
the best section of "Dixie" in
which we have travelled. The
mansions along the road often
show neatness and comfort, per-
haps wealth, and the stone walls
are as neat and durable as those
in the eastern States. The fre-
quent hewn log cabins, with bro
ken window glass, mud-daubed
chimney and unpainted walls, told
very plainly that we were not in
New England. The country was
the scene of warfare, and was on.
Iy conquered and held by an over.
powering union force. 1t is of
course almost solidly Democratic.
Columbia, 36 miles southwest
Of Nashville and once the state
capital, was the old home Of Jas.
K, Polk, tenth President of the =
S, which Office he owed TO the
great principle Of "availabiiity."
He was man of little culture,
a physical coward, and narrow
minded partisan, who sold himself
willingly to the slave drivers and
falsely persisted "tbat the war ex
listed by the act Of Mexico His
remains now lie in the froat-door-
yard Of his old mansion in Nash
vile, where his widow still resides
He was called "the hero Of Duck
river" by Prentice of the Louis
vile Courier Journal, who felt ex
quisite satisfaction in seeing Polk
lose the vote of his own state of
Tennessee for President in 1914,
although he was elected over
Henry Clay by the other States.
| refer to Polk because he was a
sample of the men that now govern
the South small minded, trav-
cling bnt little cut of their own
cheat" unwilling to learn from
others, persuaded that the South
is the grandeSt country on earth,
and that land owning white men
have a right to rule over poor
"white trash" and "niggers.
The Tennessee State Library in
the capital at Nashville is an in,
teresting place of resort. The
collection Of books is not very
large, but that cf antiquities and
portraits of men is fue. | was
happy to see most conspicuonsly
that Of Gen. Geo. Il Thomas,
wearing his full uniform as a union
officer. Ex Governor Brownlow's
full heightened portrait is also dis
played. There are several con-
federates, including Joe Johnston,
EX. Gov. Harris and others The
union men have not been able to
displace these confederate likeness.
es, nor some Of the battle flags Of
that conspiracy !; while the con-
federates, though having the ma
jority for the past five years, dare
not take down the likenesses of
Thomas, Brownlow, or displace the
union battle-nags. This would be
too public a showing of their sen,
timeuts. In private, however, and
in many Of the Democratic news
papers, Senator Key j. violently
attacked because he voted for in
vestigation into the Mississippi
outrages, under Senator Christian
cy's resolution. The coniederltes
hate to have light thrown on their
practices, as they hated abolition
lectures and newspapers before the
war; but they find their claws
cut now. Ia trying to build up
slave empire Tennessee drenched
many of her own fields with her
most precious blood, and at Shi-
loh and Stone River, Franklin and
Nashville, her conscrip,s crossed
bayonets with Michigan vOlun-
teers, and learned TO their aston
ishment that "yanks were awful
fighters" :"
The journey through Kentucky
was uneventiul, consuming ten
hours to run 1SG miles. Louis
Vile emed more busy and cheer
ful than Nashville, and Nashville
more so than Memphis, and Mem
phis more so than Huntsville, and
Huntsville more SO than any
place we saw in Mississippi, thera is
the most fearful depression in bus
mess, and where the Republicans
have some chance for success-as
they feel they have in Kentucky
there is the most thrift, educa-
ton, and reconciliation" Here
cur political principles have fair
field and q resnectfnl hearinr- and