The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-04-02

II tboueht's broad universe. THE PRINTING
| PRESS
H. ID the King that stands behind all thrones.
| with power boundiess as the realms Ct space.
The other. Reasons fan1beau holds aloft:
Aud the twin flames illuminate the world.
i G s pesv sasas o mnPz Flown down
RELIGION pol!tthcs. morals aud the law.
AIe. fsgots IN It's fingers TO lisht n Sn,.,.a
With kindliHg beacons TO exalted heights.
\ Or point the lurid depths Of evil out.
Progress and education stand upon
Its right hand and it's left and round then tolls
It beckons bygone ages near. until
They stand s. close who reads the present
But turn the page and 10! the Past Ii, there.
folds the parted corners na Of the ea hartna
And occident and osient clasp hands.
Il throws It's liaht on Famine's bleeding lips
And toward her Plenty generous footstep
Lorn isnorsnce. groveling In her sloth and
It gently H' leads to Wlsdom's noble hand.
Like the fair tent of which the fable tells,
whose magic folds could nide . mustard seed.
as e ICON conceal me ssFp
The mustard seed of knowledge. taught beside
TIE first. best schoolroom. the fond mothers
Expand It's folds until II covers all
OF Learning. Science. Literature and Art.
with Z maeiclan's power It's magic light
NJ ms names upon immortal canvas throws.
s IL ana IL d1E * BEANS laid
Her brazen trump and humbled Jove beheld
Such thunderbolts as he had never dared
From the deep waters OF oblivion
It rescues drowning Genius.
| Through its might
| We seem to hear again on Grectan hills
| The eloquent accents of Demosthenes.
The Forums echoes once again awake
With Cesar 3 voice. aud Oiceros ringing tones
While Miriam's cymbals. and sweet Davids
Reverberate adown the centuries.
tits itself the burning orator
In every aeaa aha lvae } fastb
| To preach the gospel unto all the world"-
The golden gospel Of enlightenment
Men stand upon world Of printed i books:
Progress triumphant waves or Then aud o NOW
Alight as nIRht grows luminous with stars;
While what men name as light. culver upon
The souf Unveiled, the splendor of.he rays
Scarce dares to face.
| The Scribe has laid away
His ancient reed aud his papyrns Leaf
As relies wheTeunto research Sr VII n t;u a,
! Anu rSVorbDIlhI Learning DuEu Ills lauQD
In dusty chambers Of antiquity.
The bricks Of Babylon to the scnojar'g hand
| Yield slowly up their mystic lettered lore
The half light Of It's Swallowed history.
From continent to continent the Press
Has flashed it's rays and met them round the
! globe!
Hooked across . naonumented land
/ On every eide saw defiant etone
And many-metaled bronze. with sculptured
49, names
| l said, Where In commemorative clay.
! In glitleriEG marble or IN shining brass.
On this broad land is reared the towering shaft
VIE be y
It's crest" said must pc among the SKIES:
It's base must lie upon the worlds wide centre.
In grateful tribute gold and pre- clous stones.
To build It up with radiance to outsnlne
h tened don or priceless
! gems"
Last night an answer came to me In dream
It said: Such monument hath Gutenberg
As never rose to mortal man before!
Each corner Of its dazzling base is la!d
/ On each of the four corners OF the earth
q man IS b inded BY Intlnity. 49,,
There 81 bath the yelled Past her treasures pour
Thereon the Future sheds her brightest smile;
Tradition has bestowed her gathered lore.
The noet there has placed bis wreath Of bays.
The Sage the jewels Of his wisdom borne;
Science and:nearnine ali their treasured store:
Music her most. the Beautiful Its best.
There have the sacred Nine their tributes pour
And Intellect. Culture. and Refinement stand
With hearts Unlocked beside the ascendin
While Genius bows q reverential front.
Az proErsss there bis sealed orders 81 brings rings;
treasures
Where. grander than Earth's Rrandest mon Q,
Rises this dome Of domes, THE PRINTING PRESS.
And as Of old the Parsee,s auenchless fame
Burned by the altar and the sacred hearth.
SO burn the fer gid fires of Eloquence
Beside this vast and universal shrine.
At which the nations OF the world bow down.
And where. on high. Arts loving nand hath
The Immortal name-JoHANNEs GUTENBERG.
i On motion of Mr. Baker, seconded by
Col. Hayes. the thanks of the Associa-
ton were rendered to Mrs. Townsend,
and the poem was ordered to be placed
on record.
n On motion of Capt Brusle, the thanks
Of the Association were rendered to Mr.
Baker for the admirable manner in
which he had read the poem.
On motion Of Mr.. Jones, Gov. Wilt
was invited to a seat upon the platform
! The following letter and essay from
Gen Cosgrove of the Natchitoches I'm.
dictator were read by the Secretary:
NATcH1TocHEs, La, Feb. 25, 1881,
Mr.. L; E. B entley. Secretary Press Association
New Orleans. La:
Dear SRI inclose you, Essay on
Ready Prints,' which 1 request you tc
read to the Association. Ny family
/ i'll health prevents my being with you
this year, but I wish you much cheer
fall the same l would suggest the
J appointment Of = committee on legisla-
ton by the Convention. The General
Assembly at its last session came neal
running the rural press, and it requires
. looking after. With fraternal regard
am, yours truly, j. b. CosGRovE.
| ESSAY ON READY PRINTS.
The subject under consideration is no
new one, particularly to persons con-
nected with the greatest power in oul
republican land-G free a,ada:'trdmn,eleo