Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-29

W. Davis, Payne, Duncan and Getchell, who
occupied the stand.
A short prayer by DR.. Watson followed,
and then smother hymn, "Roek of Ages"
which sounded grand, coming as it did from
a thousand throsts in that sacred place.
DIR. wstson's Address
followed. No flights OF fancy, no word
psiating or oratorical gestures were attempt
ed. Il was simple, graceful story of Mem
phis in the olden time, its living hops and
its dead oues-i,s heroes siee ping beneath the
sod, very many OF them near the spot upon
which the speaker stood. A full report of
the venerable mana remarks was not at
tempted, and the following EN- brsces only
the leading heads OF his discourse:
Leading of with graceful tribute to the
Old Folkr, for the work they had done in
recl,iming Winchester, he spoke of the So
lemnily OF the occasion, the deep and true
and solemn feelings that must animate one
in such sacred place, and spoke of the
grandeur of the achievements Memphis was
yet 10 accomplish; the noble and enterpris-
ing spirit of her citizens and the honor they
were 10 their fathers. He then gave a brief
sketch Of the city, lie institutions and its
people. He said Memphis was chartered in
1926, with NJ. B. Winchester as its first
mayor. The population rose from 600 in
1880 10 15, 900 in 1850, and the cotton re-
ceipis from 800 bales in 1926 to 100000 or
more in 1883.
THE PRESS.
The prime agents in the progress Of
Memphis have been its press and pulpi
The publication of the first paper, the Mem
phis Advocate, wss begun by Thomas Thebes
Then followed the Gazette, by II. s. L,,hsm,
who afterwsrd established the Enquirer. He
also psbished The Eagle in Fort Pickering.
The Daily Bulletin, afterward established By
John H. Mem shon, was factor in building
up West Tennessee. Scion Borland was the
publisher Of paper called the Western
World in 1889 After the World followed
The APPEAL which was established 10 1910 by
the venerable Van Peli, and though death
and war and pestilence have come, rivals
have risen up only to fall again, and it now,
standing in the foremost rank, Yields a
mighty power that ia acknowledged and felt
fer and wide. A cumberland Presbyttrian,
called the Ark, edited by the L " Mr.. Fra
er, now lives only in the history Of the
pact. In 1858 the Avalanche was estab.
lisbed, and now occupies place among the
first j1urnsls OF the country. The first reli-
gious paper Uss publish, d and edited by Col.
f. A. Tyler, a Pre.by terrain. The Christion
Adpocate was published about the came lime.
l uC ldlcI paper wac respectively DIV
DR.. lease Ebberi, the Rev. +. A. Oven, and
the Rev. J. E. Cobb. About $1,000 had
been sunk in The enterprise, when il was put
in my editorial charge in 1856, and held by
me for ten years. Tue name was changed to
the Western Methodist, and l was succeeded by
the Rev. w. G. johnson, who had associated
with him K. W. Blew, after whose death it
was removed 10 Little Rock, rem aimed there
two or three years, then came home 10 die.
The Advocate. begun by the Rev. D. D. Moore,
is now the Methodist.
The first bank organized here was the
Farmers and Merchants, in 1884 or 1885,
with Robert Lawrence president, and Chss
Lohand cashier. 1t was located at the cor
ner Of Main end Winchester, and paid specie
during the crash of 1887. Among old time
bankers whom / recall were the Richards
family, NJ Penn and Merrimsn and Clark.
ANECDOTES OF CLAY AND OTHERS,
Among prominent hotel keepers said DR..
Watson, I recall Col Mem ahou, Of the old
Exchange Hotel, who was the poiitest In an l
ever knew in all my life. He was not 10 be
outdone by anv man, and made a widespread
reputation. While he was in the hight OF
his glory the City Hotel was opened, and
Cannon, lie proprietor, determined TO Guido
him. Cannon visited Mem ahon one dsv, and
they begsn to paw and scrape a. coon a. they
came IN sight of each other. Finally Can
roa fell on his knees to McMahop, and
the latter, with his blandest smile, laid
down upon the floor, and called to Cannon
TO sit down upon him. l remember meeting
Henry Clay about this time, and was i'm.
pressed by remsrk be made 10 a large
political gathering, that some men fosted
their senses on a sea of wine 10 prepare them
for public speech, but sea of Leads WAS
enough for him. During Clay's visit he was
presented by Miss Sargent with a pin
cushion, ma de OF white satin, surrounded BIZ
purple border, with bis name made BY the
heads of silver pins stuck in the middle.
The white, she told him, was emblematic of
the purity of his record, the purple of the
power he wss justly entitled 10 WELD, and
the points of the pins of the bayonets OF The
people upon which be would be lifted TO the
Chair OF State. Clay was go much de-
lighted that be wsnted to kiss her, bu, she
drew back and said that mi got do for boys and
children, but not for maIdens insture who
had laid childreu's playthipgs aside. Miss
Sargent asked for lock OF his hiar in lieu
of he proffered kiss, sayiI & she hal one from
Gen. Jackson's head, and when peace was
restored she wanted TO minsle them together.
IF any one can mix vinegar and oil, you
can" replied Clay, handing her the boon she
craved. They were great old times then.
rtmember hearing Capt. White say at the
Exchange Hotel during the canvass OF Clay
and Jackson for the Presidency, that he
would drink no more until Clay was elected,
and he kept his word. His opposition to
the annexation of Texas defeated him.
CHURCH HISTORY.
The speaker went on TO give history OF
The churches of Memphis, mentioning in
glowing terms the names of Philip Aston,
DR.. Psge, J. 7. Harrison, Brown, Stedman,
Titus, Gray, Witherspoou, Boggs, Burrow,
Dennis, Bry an, Frazier, Covsn, Porter, Davis,
Milligao, Gayle, Ford, Walk,
Tribe, Toncrey, ID .vidsop, Owen, Ford,
Lowrie, Or PIPER, Mcleod, Joyner, Holland,
S'arks, Hyer, Scruggs, Collins, Blackwell,
Henderson, Mcfarland, ChspmaD, Harris,
Boswell, Mullins, Slater, Moore and Suratt,
/ galaxy.
Amosg old-time and prominent church
ne mbers whom DR.. WATSON recalled, Esquire
Rose and family, Col. and DR.. Tr,z.vanf,
Col. John Pope and daughter and P. Trez.-
Tant, Episcnpalisps; Littleton Henderson,
,. Bias, S arr and wife, E n. Porter and
wife, G. L. Holmes and David and John
Park, PresbytsTians; John D. White, Gar
-ison fsmily, Charles Stuart and w. Wal |
iran, Cumberland Presbyterians; R d. Dunn,
L. c. Trez.vsni, D G. johnson, J. W. |
Noreland. Job Bledsoe, N. Jett, N.
Cobb, Aun Hardway, w. B. Holt, |
Martha Holt, John Waldrap, Sol
Rozelle, Q c. Atkinson, Mrs. Slaus htsr,
Mrs. Holmes Mel 7in-my head swims |
,s 1 run over the long, weary list OF old |
riends now gone to their reward. Many Of |
hem sleep within the range OF my voice,
heir spirits with the good Father who gave
hem. l feel that / am fast being left alone. /
L is a strange feeling, this of lonely old age,
,ut it is always 40. When a man lives be.
Iopd his generation, the world grows away
rom him. His old friends go TO their last
est, the children grow 10 manhood and
soms nhood with new views, expanded idess,
ind the circle spreads and widens until the
Id man, clingipg TO life as if TO rock in the
midst ef he swelling food, bsholds the land
spdIy Tecede beyond his vision! The flood
oils on, the water rises, and more solitary I
eI re becomes. His eyes grow dim IS he
ehoIds the arrange craft with which the
Fster swaTms; bis Limits grow numb, his
oice 100 fee BILE to call tbose about him, his
yes grow DINNER yet and be ia gathered to
ts Fathers, at last at rest!
Iisn TO refer in closing this list 10 one other
David s. Greer, one oil natures noblemen.
Wei ed Devalls Bluff once uripg his life
lme and found the Methodists of The
OVID in trouble about building
hurch. They had found an eligible lot
ut could not buy it. They said it belonged
D a 1,su named Greer who lived back Of
1 emphis somewhere, ard l told them 10
Trne to him, tell him ] said he must give
hem the jot spd be would do il. And he
i'd, gladly. l know of few men With whom
would hsve taken such liberty.
TRIBUTE TO MISS JOHNSON.
Last but not least, wish to say something
I tina, graud woman, Mrs. J. c. johnson,
,hcse quail / have never known L know of
Iothing / could say of her more fitting than
saw recently in 3 letter to Mr.. Johnson
rom Mrs. Jefferson Davis, which take all
he responsibility OF repeating. She says:
.Fo, rssks nsst | have been thinking of