Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-11-15

Il6 IldS ldllCLfs Du6 dS tliG pIlSI1u
when he lays aside his cross anC
takes up the crown.
He has fallen, but as the tired
man when the long days work is
done, and rest is sweet.
He has fallen For almost nine.
ty-five years a citizen of earth, he
has risen to be an heir of glory for
ever. Mrs. SUE F. MOONEY.
Nov. Is, 1879.
Washington Irving Literary SOcI-
ETY..
Before the late war there existed
in Stewart College an organization
bearing the name indicated above.
No accurate account of its history
can be obtained, the materials fer
such an account having been lost or
destroyed during that unhappy
period. rs IilrIc is nothing on
which to depcnt! for facts, we must
be satisfied with brief narrative of
the events which have happened to
the society as it now exists.
! Our society is not without pres
tige, however, and to this may be
attributed in a large measure its
present success and prosperity.
Many of her former members have
taken their places among the noble
of the land, many were among the
braves who gave their lives for
their country's cause, while now in
the different vocatiOns of life may
be found those who were trained in
her school and who are labOring to
advance the prosperity and happi-
ness of their country and the inter-
ests of mankind.
But to return to our subject.
Whatever may have been her for
mer history, it is certain that for
the last nine years her progress
from ''smal beginnings" has been
one of interest as well as wonder.
The halls of the college with which
she was connected were again
opened to students in 1870. So soon
after the war, as might have been
expected, most of the students were
young and without experience in
matters pertaining to literary socie-
ties. These were some of the diff
culties attending her reorganization.
On the evening of Sept. %, 1870, a
few college boys and one Professor
assembled in the Chapel to organize
a society for the cultivation of elo-
quence and literature among the
students. The first thing'tO be done
was to form a code Of rules and reg
ulations for the government of the
body and the furtherance of its ends.
Accordingly committee was APP
pointed, with Prof. James A. Car
riger as its Chairman, to draft a
Constitution and Bylaws. These
were adopted at the next meeting,
and the society was regularly organ
lied under the name of the "Hatt0n
Literary Society of Stewart College"
This name was conferred to honor
and cherish the memory of Colonel
Hatton, of the Seventh Tennessee
Regiment, one of Tennessee's
noblest sons.
1t will be remembered, however,
that the object was not so much to
found an entirely new society as to
revive those that existed in the
college before the war. Although
the HattOn Society was the only
one in the institution, at first her
membership was small, and besides
most of the members were young
and inexperienced. During the ses-
sion of 7O-71 there was no library in
the college to which students might
have access to aid in the discussion
of queries proposed; hence the de-
bates were of necessity lacking in
interest, and without interest there
could be but little improvement.
All that was done the first year OF
her existence, besides defraying cur
rent expenses, was to purchase a
few of the most necessary articles OF
furniture. Besides these difficulties,
which alone seemed to threaten the
very existence of the enterprise,
other troubles soon arose which diO
cause the temporary suspension OF
the society. This serious trouble
was brought about by expulsion OF
some of the members, the with.
drawal of others and the reproacI
occasioned thereby. Those most
interested in the success of the soci.
ETY. labored on under these difficult
ties, sometimes encouraged by
slight successes, at others cast down
and respondent of accomplishing
anything until another session
should afford a larger number o
students and bring together men o
wider and more varied experience
While discouragements seemed
thus increasing on every hand, {
matter of a very different charactel
was soon to engage the attention o
the society and act as trial of tn,
principles on which she was founded
A proposition for a union between
the Hatton Society and the Philo
nathan Debating Club, composed
of the young men of the city, wa
received. Negotiations were entered
upon and committees appointed
from each society to draw up plal
for the union and submit it to thei
respective bodies for adoption. Tn,
terms proposed by the COMMITTEE
: from town and accepted by tn
other committee were substantial,
as follows:
: That the name of the coalescenc
t should be 1.-THE Hatton Philoma