Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-26
WE'LL DEsERvED TEsrrMoNIAL.


important business during the fore
noon About II o'clock the principal
stockholders of the bank, and others,
headed by Colonel r. Dudley Frayser,
called at the bank, the following we'll
known citizens being present in person
or by proxy. L. M. Apperson, A. c.
Treadwell, G, w. Goyer, j. H. Media
witt, j. r. Frank Milton P. Jarnagin,
A. N. Mckay, Judge H. 7. Elicit, A.
Vaccaro, H. B. Howell, Julius A.
Taylor, B. j. Semmes, w. S. Bruce, N.
Fontaine, E. Ensley, w. A. William
son, j. S. Wilkins, N. Hill, W. B.
Galbreath and W. A. Goodwin.
COLONEL FRAYsER,
addressing himself to Mr.. Read, said /:
A number of your friends, stockholders
Of this bank, have thought it proper that
they should present to you some token of
their esteem for you as a man, and of
their admiration for you as an official, and
have conferred upon me the pleasure Of
communicating their behests. The posi-
tion you have occupied in this bank since
its birth, has been filled by you in man
ner that reflects the highest credit upon
you as an officer Of superior merit and
your gentlemanly department toward
those you have met in business relations
with the bank has won for you their high
est respect and esteem. While your Off
cial relations have been such as to elicit
the entire approval Of the stockholders,
they feel that there Was time when your
fidelity and faithfulness to your trust was
more praiseworthy and far more COM
mendable than is that care and attention
you are called on to bestow upon your
duties in ordinary times. The acceptance
of trust carries with it all the burdens
and cares that spring out Of emergencies
and ordeals which overtake the trustee in
his pilgrimage and cashier of a bank
no less than Others when he risks his life
in prosecuting this trust, is as worthy of
praise and applause as the diplomatic
who BY his wisdom saves his country
from war or the soldier that defends Is
on the field of battle. To face death on
the field amid the clash of arms, and
to die amid the clamor and plaudits
of ones comrades, is an easy thing;
but to remain at the post Of duty
when the air is filed by an unseen
enemy and dire contagion is daily carry
ing to the grave hundreds of those who
remain in an almost deserted city, this,
sir, is the loftiest act of heroism For
nearly three months you did this, and
against the entreaties and prayers Of your
friends, your wife and your children, re-
main and kept the doors Of the institution
open, thereby enabling the many benevo-
lent organizations to realize money with
which to relieve the distress of the stricken
and impoverished people Had you fall
tered this bank would have closed and the
hand Of charity been thereby paralyzed
for want of an avenue to reach the needy,
and this banks prestige would have, to
some extent, been lowered. The custom
Of comforting souvenirs upon those who
perform heroic deeds is a wholesome and
fitting one, not on account Of the value Of
the gifts, nor yet because they add lusteI
to the honors already achieved by the re-
cipients, but because they show there is in
the heart of every man feeling of ad.
miration for the brave and the true. Ac-
cept this watch, sir, and may its mechan-
ism prove as true to its object as you have
to your trust; and when it shall no longer
for you mark the fight of time may you
at the hands of the giver of all good gifts
receive the reward that attends upon q
well-spent life.
Mr.. READS REPLY.
GENTLEMEN-Upon no occasion in lifC
have / been more highly gratifed anC
fattered than upon this. The remarks o.
your speaker, Colonel Frayser, are elo
quent, and concerning me very compli
mentary He commends me highly fol
fidelity in the performance of duty during
the epidemic. 1t was, gentlemen, only
the performance Of very plain and sim
pie duty; nevertheless, very imperativ,
one-a debt, it might be called, that coulC
not be repudiated-a debt of honor du,
the stockholders and patrons of the Unior
and Planters Bank the former Of whom
had, for nearly ten years, honored me will
its active management and the custody o.
its treasures--by far the most valuable
owned by any institution in this State
and, finally, a debt due suffering humanit,
in preserving channel for the distrbu
ton Of charitable funds. Still, my friends
even for the discharge of duty, ii is alway
pleasant for one to know there has beel
recognition. The recognition in my cas-
has been so full and complete that shal
ever revert to it with gratitude and pleas
ure. This handsome and valuable gift j
most thankfully accepted, and will eve
be valued as a testimonial to your ap
proyal.
After this Mr.. Read entertained hi
friends in one of the rooms of the banl
very handsomely for an hour or SO, an,
when the party broke up it was wit
many good wishes for the gentlemanl
cashier and impressions which it vii
long be pleasant to cherish. TIL
watch presented is a heavy Jurgense
chronometer On the inside of tn
case is the following inscription: " t
S. p Read, cashier of the Union an
Planters Bank Of Memphis, by tn,
friends and stockholders of the ban
for his faithfulness to their interest
during the epidemic of 1873. Palmar
qui meruit ferat,"
Mr.. Read is the right man in tn
right place. The bank is one of tn
most solid institutions of the city an
has never at any time labored unde
any embarrassment. The stockhold
ers are leading representative and sue
cessful business men, and they sho,
their wisdom and judgment in Ell
trusting the general management O
the bank to such a thorough and we
trained, cool headed fnancier as Nj
Read. He eyinced his fidelity t
duty and the highest order of courag
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