Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-08-18
FROM NEW PRovIDENCE.


John J. Hickman was the orator of
he day. His was not the expert
ence of a reformed drunkard, nor
The cut and dried essay of trem-
bling school-boy; it was an over
fiesh-and-blood argument
from the warm heart of a philan-
thropist, far out in middle life, who
had never touched drop of alco-
holic liquors himself, and who
wished to guide the footsteps OF the
youth of our country in the path
that he had successfully trod. Logic,
eloquence, wit and humOr came
down upon us like an avalanche for
one hour and forty minutes. From
the ludicrous stammerings and stag
gerings of the drunken sOt he car
ried us, amid our peals of laughter,
to where the sorrowing, weeping
widow and orphan stood over the
drunkard's grave, and the wrinkles
of glee upon our faces became the
channels along which our tears of
of sympathy chased each other in
quick succession. Character passed
in panoramic view before us and the
smallest man in Gods universe, re-
gardless of wealth or distinction,
was the man who stood before us
swith the cup of salvation in one
hand and thercup of damnation in
the other" There are so many men
in this country who are endeavoring
to hold to the throne of God with
, one hand and damn their race with
the other, that / trembled for them
while he knocked their props from
under them and sent them scream
ing down to hell to suffer the woe
pronounced upon those who put the
bottle to their neighbours mouth.
His pathetic appeals to dram-drink-
ers and drunkards were the thunders
of Sinai melting away into the sweet
and gentle voice of mercy, falling
upon a sorrowing world as softly as
) the gently distilling dews of the
: morning from the lips of love. In
: every appeal for total abstinence
and organic union his logic was tri'
umphant. His assault upon delln
c uuent christendOm would have gone
e through the hide of rhinOcerOs
7 and the shame and confusion o
= men claiming the guidance OF
!. christian conscience was enough t.
r throw them upon their litany or ex
!. tort from them cry for rocks an(
: mountains to fall on them and hid
d them. Certificates of the legality o
!, the whisky traffic were drawn up
y and every vendor furnished. Il
e the stenched rum-hOles they Wer
l. held as vouchers; amid the plaintiv
y; walls and supplicating screams c
'e widowhood and orphanage the
i were waved triumphantly aboV
II the din; in the chill waters of deaf
they were the guilty SOULS onl
n panacea; in the dishOnOred gray
n thew were the winding sheet; in tn
al Judgment they were the culprit
De unavailing plea; and in hell the
W were the finder that set on fire aires
TX the flames of hell that should fold
ne Iurid glare the unfortunate soul TO
H. ever.
be Col. Hickman is neither child
a fanatic; he is a man whose hea
ed and soul are set for the defence
de the right and suppression OF Il
to wrong. If he failed with those WI
deal in alcoholic liquors, it was the
greed for ill-gotten gain; if he fail'
with consumers, it was the force
an appetite that will fill their bloc
y with "fatty degeneration" and SCI
- them thick-tongued and bloated
- a drunkard's grave and a drunkaro
- hell. His whitening rebuke to pa
~ tors fell upon us like the drei
- alarum of an avenging angel.
a. poor unfortunate drunkard, w
~ spent his substance during the we
"a for strong drink and had none Il
81 to buy good clothes or drop into t
~ preachers purse on Sunday, mt
- be cut off, while he who wears go
&c clothes and pays his preacher mi
- have the finest pew. Hear it,
20 Iegates of the skies, and let the
~ gels hear.
low Among the many present on
occasion | met for the first time
LLa many years the sister of the dist
81 guished orator and reliot Of the gift
- and lamented G. o, FaXOn. L
presence brought back to my me
- Ory the events of two decades a;
.an when the trenchant pen of this m'
tai giant disturbed the equilibril
and stirred the blood Of Whigge
throughout Middle Tennessee
~ What a sweet retreat it must ha
' been from the heated political b
tIe-field of ante 6eJtltn times to
-. quiet companionship ofthis gracef
fn
" gentle woman whose softening
"a fuence fell like holy nitre upon
fevered soul. He lives in the hea
o of his countrymen, and she enJ'
a. , the quiet of her rural home, q
IN memories Of him upon whose strC
=, arm she once 50 cOnfidingiy lean
lou "nl From the temperance meeting
iieo went to the Nosworthy place,
the cracking of croquet balls
'''' gleeful laughter of bonnie las
,4 dispelled the shades Of death pht
~ graphed upon my heart by the bla
~ plumed hearse so often seen OF
along the turnpike. Here L l
Miss jamie Caldwell, of Column
Tenn, a native of South Caroll
adopted child of Tenn, and the
IN IN culiar heritage of the Metho'
70" church. She recalled to my m'
'9I - ory nv sainted predecessor, h
A. w. Smith, under whose wise
,iaIo gentle training she grew up