The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1886-11-25
EAST TENNESSEE.
A Tribute BY Jadgc c. Heis-
keIl. of Memphis.

AT banquet in Memphis, on the
18th, givenby the citizens compliment
airy to Hon. H. M. Doake, the retir-
ing editor Of the Avalanche, Judge G.
w. Heiskell made the following re-
marks in response to the toast, east
Tennessee :"
| count it great honor to respond
to the toast, east Tennessee" AS /
pronounce that name there come
teeming out Of the past happy memo
ries OF childhood and all the claims and
sweet associations Of home. There
arise before me great and historic
names that will live as long as honor
lives or valor has a yotary-of men
who in the field, at the bar and the
press, in the pulpit and in medicine,
and all the honorable avocations of
life, filled the full measures of great
ness and added lustre to their country's
renown and glory. From the day
when Sewer and Shelby, with their
devoted followers, turned the tide of
British aggression and conquest at
Kings Mountain, and made American
independence possible, to the firing OF
the last gun in the war between States,
on every battlefield and always the
citizen soldiery of East Tennessee has
acquitted itself with conspicuous gall
lantrY, and the names of Jackson and
Farragut, Upton and Houston, Stew
art and hosts of Others will nerve the
soldiers arm and energize the patriots
heart till time shall be with us no long
er. Among statesmen, for purity Of
life, great ability and lofty patriotism,
the name of Hugh Lawson White
will forever stand illustrious, and An
drew Johnson will for all time occu-
Ply distinguished place in the histo-
ry of our State and country.
Reese and Mckinney and McFar-
land greatly enriched our jurispru-
dence by their thorough knowledge Of
law and profound learning, and enroll
ed their names among the great judges
of the past. Among orators and great
Jury lawyers the fame of Jarnigin and
Netherland and Maynard and Nelson
will endure as long as eloquence COM
mands the applause Of listening Sen
ates. From 1916, when the Knoxville
Register was established, to the pres
ent time, the press of East Tennessee
has borne an important and honora-
BILE part in the newspaper literature OF
the country, and two other sons here
tonight are worthy representatives Of
the cart preservative OF all arts" and
while we all congratulate the guest Of
the evening on his good fortune, we
profoundly regret the loss of his ac-
complished ben in that profession
which displays its great power more
and more as the years 60 by. The
preachers of East Tennessee are fruit
full of great names. Her Collins, hel
Doaks-progenitors OF our honored
guest-her Nelson's and Andersons ane
Roses and Minnises have signalized
the pulpit as the most important ant
efectual guard, support and ornament
of virtues cause. Their great exam
Pile teaches us and all men how en-
nobling and beneficial are the lives 0
good men their works and their fame
are imperishable. East Tennessee
How often from thy lofty mountain
tops with eager wonder have l gazeC
upon the grand panorama Of hill anC
!, vale, pasture green and grazing herd
winding streams and cabins scattered
in the far off valleys, listened to thu
song OF birds and roar OF distant wa
terfall, and watched the warm blu,
,, breathing of hidden hearth breal
, from bower of vine and honeysuckle
How often, in maze of wondering
admiration, beheld the mountain op
posite rise terrace above terrace, til
7 upon their everlasting shoulders rest
ed the blue dome of heaven, Will
: above the feecy cloudlets, by gentl
zephyrs stirred, waved their banner
| in seeming admiration of the Fathe
e above and silent benson upon all be
/, meath. Wrapt in the delicious fruitiol
! of the scene surprising fable, hav
. attempted to forecast thy future
9 What destiny awaits the children @
! these everlasting hills and mountains
whose past is SO luminous with grea
: names and whose present prosperit.
q is an earnest and demonstration 0
greater future grandeur? And as
E hear the neigh Of the iron horse echo
: ing and resounding in the far-off dis
> lance and ponder on the inexhausti
BILE stores of coal and marble and iroi
+ ain the deep bosom OF the mountain
3 buried" and see thy sons of toll wit
: pick and shovel and engine, delvinl
e deep in its rocked-ribbed sides, it i
7 scarce figure Of speech to say tina
!. from beneath my feet the swift steed Q
0 commerce will, like Minerva from thu
s,or4 ~ Tova loon fu11 nononI;ad fo