The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-01-19
CHANGE OF GOVERNORS
Hon. Benton McMillin Was
Inaugurated Monday.
GOVERNOR TAYL0R'S FAREWELL SPEECH.

t~N@ShFAAloI LSnu'S Jhu. 10, - mas
been an %eventful day in Tennessee his
tory, Governor Robert L. Taylor, q
third term Governor, and personally
one of the most popular men in the
United States, retired from Office and
the Hon. Benton McMillin, who has
served for twenty years consecutively
in congress, and is Zone of the strongest
men the state has produced since the
days Of Andrew Johnson and Isham G..
Harris, was in~auguarated.
Early in the morning crowds began
focking to the capital. Many to see
Gov. Taylor and make a last effort for
ths pardon of some convict in the peni-
Tertiary, and Others to witness the ia
augural ceremonies.
The hall of the House of Represen-
tatives was beautifully decorated and
the music was furnished by the bands
of the industrial School and the Blind
School. At1t O'Clock the joint conven
ton was called to order by Speaker
Waddell of the Senate, and prayer was
offered by the Rev. John Mathews, pas
tor of Mckenzie Church.
After the roll-call Of the two houses
was completed the inaugural party en-
tered the hall in the following order:
State officials, members Of the Supreme
Court, members of the Court Of Chance
ry Appeals, the inaugural committee of
the Legislature, Governor Taylor and
Governor-elect McMillin. Speaker
Waddell presented Governor Taylor,
who spoke as follows:
GOVERNOR TAYIoR's vAIED1croRY.
Mr.. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen:
i am about to shuttle off this mortal
coil of politics and fly away to the
heaven of my native mountains, where
l may think and dream in peace, safe
from the ~sickening sting of unjust criti-
cism; safe from the talons of some old
political vulture; safe from the shiny
kiss and the keen dagger Of ingrati-
tude.
| do not mean to say that all politi-
clans are vultures or that they are all
hypocrites or assassins; for the great
majority of u public men are upright
and honest, and worthy of the conf
dence reposed in them by the people;
yet there are black wings i'll the politi-
cal armament, and reptiles crawl and
hiss in every capitol. But, thank God,
the live thunders of eternal truth al
ways clear the atmosphere, and the
heel of justice will surely bruise the
s%erpent's head.
l do not retire from this office with
the wrankling of disappointment and
chagrin inmy bosom, but rather as one
who retires from labor to rest; from
war to peace; from trouble to happi-
ness.
| do not retire, the somnambulist OF
a shattered dream, but with all the
bowers of the future ringing with melo-
dy. [ am contented with my lot in life.
Three times 1 have 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 in poll
tics outweighs the bad, yet how thorny
is the path and how unhappy the pill
gramage to him who dares to do his
duty! There are no flowers except q
few bouquets snatched from the graves
of fallen foes; there is no happiness ex-
cept the thrill of cruel triumph, which
passes like O 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 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 q
walking petition and a living prayer
he is the pack horse Of public senti-
ment; 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.
I am no longer a candidate. Never
again will I be inaugurated into public
Office. The ark of nay humble public
career now rests on the Arrarat Of pri-
vate life, and I now stand on its peace
full summit and look down on the re-
ceding food of politics. The dove of
my destiny has brought me an olive
branch from happier fields and I go
hence to labor and to love.
| take with me a heart full of graft
tude and a soul full of memories; graft
tude to the people for their u~nwavering
confidence in me precious memories of
my friends who have been kind and
true. The record that I have made is
an open book to all. / am willing to
live by that record; I am willing to die
by it. For whatever mistakes | may