Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-06-23

latlon, acknowledged the compli-
nento on the part of the Society, in
luding in his address a most graft
ying tribute to the ability and high
principles Of the public men OF
GAINESVILLE.
Next in order follows the elegant
,oem, which we publish entire, read
With an indiscribable grace and
beauty by Mrs. Houston Bring
hurst. The poem speaks for itself,
)ut those who heard it not can form
10 conception of the charms added
o it by the personal attractions,
exquisite voice and modest sim
1licity of the reader. A crown o.
he choicest laurel is due from the
Tennessee Press Association to the
lair brow of its lovely laureate:
TO THE TENNESSEE PRESS ASSOCIATION.
Among these hills, beside this stream,
In Natures beauty warm;
A stranger in your city gates
May feel their potent charm.
But, stranger, did 1 say, to rights
Each patriot may claim
Within the boundaries of State
Made grand by Jackson's name?
His feet have pressed the soil touch,
Twas here he lived and died
-,-o, xvo,,,- hills o,,a
The Cumberland's swift tide.
Yes, there are ties as strong and deep
AS human ties may be,
That bind the patriotic heart
To thoughts of Tennessee.
Twas from your midst that Crockett came
In manhOod's youthful glow,
And gave his blood, like incense warm,
Within the Alamo.
And Tennessee sent other sons,
In time of peace and war,
Whose names have added lustre bright
To grace the Single Star.
Among your wales, upon your hills,
And where your rivers shine,
There was a sacrifice of blood
Poured out like holy wine.
Upon those battle-fields grass-grown
The lowers of Peace have bloomed;
The dead we gave our country's cause
Long years have lain entombed.
But in our souls while Memory lives,
Her sacred watch to keep,
All Southern hearts will love the soil
Meath which their kindred sleep.
Near Chattanooga where the strife
Was waged both hard and long,
And Lookout like a spectre grim
Hung DER the struggling throng;
By Murfre9sboro's sloping hills,
Near ChicEamauga's plain,
There is a voice upon the breeze
That must not plead in vain.
The burden of this wordless prayer,
Upon each zephyr told,
Is that these ties of Southern blood
Our hearts together hold.
And here among your living sons
\ stronger power you WELD
a mightier than the tabled sword,
A surer than the shield.
From Lebanon of classic lore
This power is all untold,
Where trees are tall and shades as deep
As Lebanon of old.
From Nashville with her stately halls,
Her buildings ivy-grown,
Youmark the strength of thought and per
With precedent unknown.
From Humboldt, Paris, Gallatin,
To where the Brownsville Bee
Has gathered sweets from every flower
In thoughts all fair to see;
From Cadiz, Athens, ShelbyviIle;
From Springfield and Milan;
From EIkton, Franklin, Hopzinsville,
All brothers of clan.
They help to keep a nations strength,
Like patriots true and wise,
And in their pens, like soldiers arms,
\ country safety lies.
Just as the coral insects build
Great reefs beneath the sea,
So does each writer help to form
His cOuntry's destiny.
Ny song is done and we must part
Our paths lie wide and far
From Georgia and Kentucl1y's shore
Unto the Texas star.
United may we meetagain,
Fair State of Tennessee,
For there are ties TOO dear to meme
That bind my heart TO thee.
Gen. w. r. Handy then deliv,
cred the prescribed annual Grafton
lie took for his leading subject the
legeneracy Of political men and the
absence of true craftsmanship in
he present day, and enjoined it as q
luty incumbent on the press to eX-
ert its cOnfessedly powerful infu-
nee to check the evil. We under
stand that this Grafton will appear
II the columns of our contemporary,
he Tobacco Leaf, next week, and
will only say at present that it was
received with loud and deserved ap.
Ilause.
And this closes our incomplete
ecOrd OF the dOIngS OF the Press
Association in GAINESVILLE.
"The best is yet to come"
Young and old, male and female,
gay and grave are on the qatj viue
With bright anticipations of the
plendors and enjoyments of the
and other festivities to
.Ome off at the old Southern Hotel
.fter this is printed.
Till next week must be deferred
,ur notice of these festivities, and
hen, also, will be acknowledged the
generous and indefatigable exer-
ions which have been made by
many estimable citizens to give
'clat and efficiency to the whole
proceedings. Our time is up.
-
VOORHEES, AND MORTON.-The
leXt great political fight will be wa
ed i'm Indiana. IT is now an omen