Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1899-02-16
Bob Taylor'S Speech.

Bob Taylor's Speech.
Governor bob" Taylor's valedic-
tory address upon retiring from the
Chief Executive Office of Tennessee
was a unique production. He said:
II am about to shuttle of 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 sickening sting
of unjust criticism; safe from the
talons of some old political vulture;
safe from the Shiny kiss and the
keen dagger of ingratitude.
II do not mean to say that all poll
ticians are vultures or that they are
all hypocrites or assassins, for the
great majority of our public men are
upright and honest and worthy of the
confidence repOsed in them by the
people, yet there are black wings in
the political armament, and reptiles
crawl and hiss in every Capitol. But,
thank God, the live thunders of eter-
nal truth always clear the atmos-
phere, and the heel of justice will
surely bruise the serpent's head.
II do not retire from this office
with the ranking of disa 3pcintment
and chagrin in my bosom, but rather
as one who retires from labor to rest;
from war to peace; from trouble to
happiness.
II do not retire the somnambulist
of shattered dream, but with all
the buds of hope bursting into
bloom and all the bowers of the fu-
ture ringing with melody. am con-
tented with my lot in life. Three
times lave worn the laurel wreath
of honor, twined by the people of my
native State, and that is glory enough
for me.
while I believe that the good of
politics outweighs the bad, yet how
thorny is the path, and how unhappy
the pilgrimage to him who dares to-
do his duty! There are no flowers
except few bouquets snatched from
the graves of fallen foes; there is no
happiness except abe transient thrill
of cruel triumph, which passes like
a shadow across the heart.
Every honest man who runs for
Office is a candidate for trouble; for
the fruits of political victory turn to
ashes on the lips
'To NE there is nothing in this
world so pathetic as a candidate. He
is like mariner without a compass,
drifting on the tempest-tossed waves
"f uncertainty, between the smiling
cliffs of hope and the frownIng crags
of fear. He is a walking petition and
a living prayer; he is the pack-horse
If public sentiment; he is the drom-,
edary of politics. And even if he
reaches the goal OF his ambition, he
viii soon feel the beak of the vulture
in his heart and the fang of the SER
pent in his soul.
II am no longer a candidate. New
er again will l be inaugurated into
public Office. The ark of my humble
| public career now rests on the Ararat
of private life, and I stand on it's
! peaceful summit and look down on
the receding flood of politics. The
dove of my destiny has brought me
an olive branch from happier fields.
and go hence to labor and to love.
1 f,.lI %
gratitude and soul full of precious
memories; gratitude to the people
for their unwavering confidence in
me; precious memories of my friends
who have been kind and true.
1.-The record / have made is an
open book to all. i am willing to
live by that record; am willing to
die by it. For, whatever mistakes I
may have committed, 1 have kept
steadily In view the honor of the
State and the happiness of the people.
"As 1 have already presented my
views on public questions in my re-
cent message to the General Assem-
bly,, L deem it unnecessary to further
discuss them on tins happy occasion;
happy to our new Governor; happy
to you; happy to me; happy to us all.
ut 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. pronounce
you man and wife, and may God AL
mighty have mercy on your souls.
To change the figure, Hobson sank
the Merrimac, but Tennessee now
has Merrimac that proudly floats on
the pillows and can not be sunk-our
own Benton Mcmillan"