Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-06-24
COY. JNO. c. BR0WN.
His Reception by the Tennesseeans In
Texas----.t Brilliant Affair at Dallas
Last Friday. . - n. -.


Brown. Among those who gathered
to pay homage to our distinguished
guest were many who fought beneath
the standard of the army of the Ten.
nessee, when led by him, and if their
tongues did not voice the enthusiasm
they felt at the sight of their old chief
| radiant faces and sparkling eyes evinced
their satisfaction at again beholding
the leader whose valor led them so
often to triumph.
Stepping tothe railing of the rotunda,
Hon. Philip Lindsey, one of the most
scholarly and eloquent members of the
| bar of our city, received Gov. Brown
in a graceful address of welcome.
| Gov. Brown responded in the en-
suing beautiful and effective words,
which were marked by most graceful
delivery
GOV. BROWNS SPEECH.
Ladies and gentlemen The fact that
| am indebted for this cordial welcome
to those who hail from Tennessee is
not lessened when see around me
faces and forms that owe their origin
to other States. Much as | love Ten
nessee, State that has twice honored
me with the highest gift within the
reach of her people, love the people
of the great and noble State of Texas,
and / may say of Alabama, of Virginia,
and of Mississippi. In meeting you
this evening, | do not feel as / have
felt upon other occasions since my ar
rival in Texas. | feel at home. All
around me | see faces that in the days
of childhood and college life were
friends and companions. My heart
warns as Isee faces that were familiar
to me in boyhood days, and faces that
stood side by side with me and were
my companions in the long and dread
ful war through which we have passed;
and those feelings as dear and sacred,
and their honor are as untarnished as
those who fought for the stars and
stripes. Although the cause we fought
for was lost. the memory of old com
rades will he forever dear, and may
my good right arm wither and my
tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
if ever | should cease to remember
them. The time will yet come when
a truthful history will record the GAL
liant deeds of the Southern soldier, and
accord to him the same honest con-
Victions as the brave soldier who bore
off the fruits of the victory. There is
no quarrel between the soldiers. The
men who met and brayed grim death
on the battlefield are now brothers.
They meet in strife, but it is noble
one-to benefit mankind. The fight
now is between the politicians-men
who never heard the roar of artillery,
but, as the old war horse, snuffed the
battle from afar.
Eleven years have passed since the
white-winged angel of peace spread
her wings over the land-years that
have been passed in planting flowers
over the graves of the fallen, mingling
their sweetness alike over the remains
of Federal and Confederate. But it
has passed, and my only regret is that
in the great war which shook this con-
tinent from center to circumference
the flower of the land went down.
But am no longer soldier; neith-
er am l a politician. / am In the great
State of Texas for the purpose of CO.
operating with her citizens in great
work of internal improvement. My
desire is to see carried through an en-
terprise that will connect the. waters
of the Mississippi with those of the
Rio Grande, and the Atlantic with the
Pacific ocean | am here in the in
terest of the Texas and Pacific Rail-
way-an enterprise that has in your
State many enemies, but many more |
friends. In addition to what has al
ready been done, one hundred and ten !
miles more will soon be completed.
The iron is en- route, contracts have
been made, and in ninety days-shall |
| say it t?-the cars will be running |
into Fort Worth.
| desire to say word In advocacy |
of this enterprise. 1t has completed |
345 miles of road under the most ad-
verse circumstances. When the panic |
of 1873 came it had a floating debt Of |
S, 100000 All corporations, save the
great Texas and Pacific, with debt t
of this magnitude hanging over them,
went down In the revolution. 1t stood |
the storm, and by the first day Of next
j January not one dollar of the floating
debt will be outstanding against it.
The people of Texas are inpatient,
but | do not blame them, and now that
/ have the opportunity, | desire to ex-
plain to them few things. All the
members of Congress from this State,
save one, are friends of the road. He,
a Senator, is an implacable enemy. We
propose at the next session of Congress
to put the bill requiring the Govern
ment to guarantee the interest on the
bonds of the road on its passage. If
passed, the entire road will be COM
pleted in four years, and the great
State of Texas will become the thor
oughfare between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. There is strong op-
position at the State capital, but it
comes from the Central Pacific, one of
the most gigantic monopolies in the
world. But, whether subsidized or
not, the Texas and Pacific will con-
meet the two great oceans. IF the Gov
to guarantee the bonds,
it will be the work ofyears ; if it agrees,
the great work which binds our coun-
try with iron bands will be complete
within four years.
Ladies and gentlemen, would says
word about Texas; [ would eulogize
it if | could find language to do 50.
Two months ago, in crossing the Mis-
sissippi river, | had no conception of
your vast territory now, when | re-
turn home, | shall be afraid to tell my
people of this State. Its wonders have
never been half told. A few days
since, while in Austin, [ was informed
by your worthy Governor that the
population of the State was not less
than 100000. By referring to the
statistics, find that two years ago the
was but 875, 5,000-nearly
itself in two short years,
fact unparalleled even in this prolific
country of ours. In your great State
l recognize the finest soil and most
climate [ ever saw and
breathed. If true, and | do not ques-
tion the fact, you have the Empire
State, which in a short decade will as
sert herself, provided you are true to
and maintain your great
territory inviolate. Never divide the
State. Suppose you divide this glori-
GUS heritage into three or four States.
Which shall claim the honor Of being
called Texas Which, from the
granite hills of New Hampshire to the
coasts of the Gulf, shall be known as
the Lone Star State - To whom shall
belong the names of Houston, of Crock
EFT, of Travis, and of Rusk? Who
would claim the honor of pilgrimage
to the Alamo2 mol let her be what !
she is-Texas