Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-06-29
POETA NAsCIeuR NON FIr.
Tread before the Tennessee Press Associa-
ton, at Knoxville, June, 1881
BY JOHN ". FAxoN.

A wreath of genius cuIled from DER a State
From mountain high TO broad and rapid
stream
From Holston's source-Clinch Mountain's
rugged gate
TO where the Mighty Rivers waters
CLEAN,
Is gathered here, on this historic spot,
Where wisdom's votaries slumber unforgot
IT'S Well The Press here spake its high
commands.
When Holston's waves were bound by
tangled wilds
When sturdy yemen came from other
lands,
! To win an empire from the forest child.
Now TO those spirits, grand in Drawn and
brain,
Here Jackson, Blount and White and John
son dwelt,
Endowed by Genius with a wand ofpower;
Their precepts wise, and force of thought
once felt,
Are still the ruling spirits of the hour.
Their deeds, which Ramsey's Annals illus
trate,
Heroes and statesmen well may emulate
Here dwelt a champion of the Press's right,
A man who made his foeman feel his
steel;
Yet while he wrote an enemy to blight
He, for a friends, would at deaths altar
kneel.
Peace to his ashes! We the cypress wave
AS friend and foe clasp hands at Brown
lows grave,
Recall the hour when loud the bugle's
blast
Pealed out shriII tones of fratricidal war;
When startled thousands ON abstraction
cast
A hope which lured, yet Knocked them
from afar;
While desolation spread its havoc wide
Der fields where brave men fought and bled
and died.
In those sad days the thunderstorm of war
Ragged hercest here and here they bore its
brunt;
For onward, led by Hates malignant star,
IMPLYING slaughter staIked along the
front.
Here deaths dark banner madly waved on
high
When Union or Disunion was the cry.
But smiling peace resumed her gentle reign
Art, science, wealth, crushed by the dread
turmoil,
Returned to life, and city, hill and plain
Are thrOnged once more by busy sons of
toll;
And where, but now, we saw obstruction
rage,
Behold the progress of peaceful age.
Reared from the ruins of those direful days,
This goodly city-nOw in roseate bloom
Like Theseus' son-who met the wonder
ing gaze,
As back to life returned he from the tomb !
Seems grander far, than in those by-gone |
hours,
With female beauty, wealth, commercial
powers.
Men of the Press may here lesson learn.
This Union, left you by patriotic host,
Is yours to serve, TO gOvern-therefore yearn |
TO teach the youth what freemen lack the |
most.
Der your vast power resistance bears no
sway,
So let your teachings be the proper roay.
Lift up the Press, and on its page unfurled
Let fraud and falsehood wear a deeper |
band.
Teach wisdom, honor to thOughtless world, |
And drive the demon distrust from the !
land.
Be true to truth-the plaineSt task is ours,
To weave for her crown Offadeless flowers.
And when your States fair credit is assailed,
Rush to the breech resist the wretched
scheme.
Gods! Who hath not
quaiIed
Before the monster of that hideOus dream?
Reputation must to honor l5ieId-
With this your motto rise and win the field.
But let me end this dull untutOred lay.
wish the thing had never been begun.
This writing rhymes an easy thing they say,
But for my part, 1 cannot see the fun.
My winged hOrse-the scrub-hath ne'er q
wing,
And hence il is ~ am SaddeSt when sing"
This muse of mine is, as you must have
known,
The fright" among Mnemosynes' fair
daughters;
And she, the wretch, hath led me, on and on,
Beyond my depth-in wholly unknown
waters.
And there founder while she turns to fit
"POETA NASCITUR," you kno,O, "NON
FIT"