Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-02-14
Governor Bob Tay!Or,s Ya!cd!ctOry.

Governor Bob" Taylor's valedlctory
address upon retiring from the Chief
Executive office OF tennessee was a
unique production. He said:
'I am about to shuttle off this NOR
tai coil of politics and fly away to the
heaven of my native mountains, where
may think and dream in peace, safe
from the sfckening sting of unjust
criticism, safe from the talons of some
old political vulture, safe from the
Shiny kiss and the keen dagger of in
gratitude.
Il do not mean to say that all poll
ticians are vultures or that they are
all hypocrits or assassins, for the great
majority Of our public men are up
right and honest and worthy of the
confidence reposed in them by the peo-
pie, yet there are black wings in the
political armament, and reptiles crawl
and hiss in every Capitol. But, thank
God, the live thunders of eternal truth
hlndyb IlNhl IllC tllllOoputlC, luC
heel of justice will surely brulse the
serpent's head.
II do not retire from this Office with
the ranking OF disappointment and
chagrain in my bosom, but rather as
one who retres from labor to rest;
from war to peace; from trouble to
happiness.
: do not retire the somnambulist of
a shattered dream, but with all the
buds Of hope bursting into bloom and
all the bowers of the futrue ringing
all the bowers of the future ringing
lot in life. Three times have worn
the laurel wreath of honor twined by
the people of my native state, ana that
is glory enough for me.
While l believe the good OF politics
outweighs the bad, yet how thorny is
the path, and how unhappy is the pill
grimage to him who dares to do his
duty! There are no flowers except a
few boquets snatched from the graves
OF fallen foes; there is no happiness ex-
cept the transient thrill of cruel tri-
umph, which passes like a shadow
across the heart
ITO me there is nothing in this
world so pathetic as a candidate. He
is like a mariner without compass,
drifting on the tempest-tossed waves
Of uncertainty, between the smiling
cliffs of hope and the frowning crags of
fear. He is walking petition and a
living prayer; he is the pack-horse of
public sentiment; he is the dromedary
of politics. And even if he reaches
the goal of his ambition, he will soon
feel the beak of the vulture in his
heart and the fang OF the serpent in
his soul.
Il am no longer a candidate. Never
again will be inaugurated into pub
lie office. The ark of my humble car
eer now rests on the Ararat of private
life, and stand on it's peaceful sum-
nit and look down on the receding
flood of politics. The dove of my des-
tiny has brought me an olive branch
from happier fields, and go hence to
labor and to love.
Il take with me a heart full of graft
tude and a soul full of precious mem
ories; gratitude to the people for their
unwavering confidence in me; precious
memories of my friends who have been
kind and true.
THE record have made is an open
book to all. am willing to live by
that record; / am willing to die by it..
For, whatever mistakes l have COM
mitted, have kept steadily in view the
honor of the state and the happiness of
the people.
"As have already presented my
views on public questions in my recent
message to the General Assembly,
deem it unnecessary to further discuss
them on this happy occasion; happy to
our new Governor; happy to you hap
py to me; happy to us all.
1T only remains for me to bid you
all an affectionate and final farewell,
and to express the prayer that the
Christ who died for love and mercy's
sake will guide our Chief Executive
and all who shall follow him in the
paths of peace and love, and baptize
them with the spirit of mercy Fare
well, farewell"
Turning to Mr.. Mcmillan, Governor
Taylor said: And now, Benton Nc
MILAN, you have given your hand and
heart to Tennessee. l pronounce you
man and wife, and may God Almighty
have mercy on your souls. To change
the figure, Hobson sank the Merrimac,
but Tennessee now has a Merrimac
that proudly floats on the billows and
can not be sunk-our own Benton Nc
Milan"
MY VALENTINE.