Plateau gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1883-1884, 1883-06-02
wARTgvaa IS; MONTGOMERY WAS.

Wartburg, our colnty seat, does not
place its light under a bushel, although,
blythe way, we suppose there is scarcely
another town in East Tennessee that
makes l.ss demonstration of existence.
Situated as the little burg is, high up
in the pure ozone, what light there
is can be seen of all. And it is Won
derfully pleasant place with its green
neaoows aud white houses, it's gardens
and orchards and sunny wineries, aud
all, mountain high, surrounded by other
peaks more hcavenward still. 1t is
place where "every prospect pleases,
and the succeeding line Of the poet does
not apply.
But why, if Wartburg knows only
"ways Of pleasantness, and all her paths
are PEACE" is such big Courthouse
required, log gaol necessary, and the
residence of so many climbs of the law"
desirable within her gatesl o! simple
reader, all these signs of an advanced
civilization are not required for those
within, but for those without her doors
the evil-doers.
As the county seat, Wartburg knocks
down the most persmmons. Here it is
the various Courts do meet here it is
the taxes are decided upon, and the
citizens of Morgan county generally III
structed in the letter of the law. But
Wartburg has never known Il hanging ;
that final discipline is not within her
experience. This also scores one for
the county.
The county seat during "the war" was
at picturesquely beautiful spot upon
the west bank of the Emory river, and
known AS Montgomery. 1t is about two
miles from Warburg, and at II ford now
about to be spauned by Il fine ely ht"en
hundred dollar bridge. Almost "the
remains of h (which once was great has
passed away" but few buildings being
left of the former seat of Justice. The
resident of many years points out the
commanding site of the old Courthouse,
now "sans everything the Judges, the
lawyes and the criminals being gone up
higher let us hope The guide shows,
too, the river side position OF the chief
hotel merely marked by pile OF loose
stones where the justice, relaxing,
would forget his "wise saws aud modern
instances" content with his ''t,ir round
belly, with good capon lined" HOUSE S
have disappeared by the dozen, and
stores "where merchants most did con-
gregate" have become old stores in
deed. There are, however, some old
fashioned and roomy houses left and
inhabited, but the vital breath of Mont
gomery has been taken away by the
rival'on the hilltop.
1t was during the fratricidal strife,
now nearly generation ago, that Mont
gomery was idespoiled Of much of its
wellbeing, and purged continually by
both of the contending soldiery. Stand
ing upon the high road and close 70 the
cool stream of the Emory, the little town
was ever in hot water. AS continual
dropping will surely wear away the
hardest stones, so the dropping in Of
IA troop of Confederates only to make
room for the Federals was more than
enough to paralyze enterprise. There
are yet many signs of the marching and
countermarching of the armies upon
those quiet hills, and the red footprint
of Mars shows to-day in the deserted
orchards, the fenceless and bush-growing
fields, and the ruined buildings of once
fertile farms And upon stirring the
surface of human memory the mind toe
wildly recalls scenes Of ruin, ribaldry
and robbery, and ia es of hardship, out
rage and slaughter that still make thu
heart indignant at ''man's inhumanity
to man."
The providence of God, however, has
long brought peace out Ut war, quie
out of strife, and good out of evil; anc
now tie farmer, where ''none shall make
him afraid" may SOW the seed and real
the harvest. Theopportunities are great
laborers only are required.