The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-14

here in Old Carolina with the Hottest
ideas of freedom and independence and
they have proven themselves worthy Ct
their ancestors in every walk and cir
cumstance of life.
The history of Tennessee is closely in
terwoven with the most glorious and the
most stirring events of our great republic
The early struggles of her settlers against
the Indians was one long story of herosm
and of Walor.
Though her population was a mere
handful, with a courage and determination
that was sublime, her patriotic sons
marched across the mountains in the
darkest hour of the Revolution, and i'll
conjunction with few troops from North
Carolina and Virginia they sought the
British and fought and won the decisive
and important battle of Kings Mountain,
on the 7th day of October, 1850. This bat-
tie was suggested, planned and largely
led by Tennesseeans. This decisive blow,
coming as it did, in the darkest hour OF
the Revolution, was of untold benefit to
the patriot cause, and perhaps the bright
est pewel in the crown OF Tennessee
This country can never do too much
honor to the brave men who conceived
and fought that memorable battle.
d
When her constitution was adopted, it
was admitted by all that she possessed
the most thoroughly democratic form OF
government of any State in the Union.
Tennessee holds the Old Mother State
in grateful remembrance for all the Ia
vors that she has lavished upon her
daughter, but 1 think it will be admitted
that in the last seventy-fv years, the
Il h0nOr ire
Old Mother and has made a deep I'M
press upon the history of our country.
THE State of North Carolina can not
fail to feel proud of this fact, because
a great deal of the best blood OF Ten
nessee was contributed by North Carolina.
North Carolina contributed to Tennes-
see, the three young men who as citizens
OF Tennessee. were to attain the highes'
position in the gift of the American peo-
pie and to become the Presidents of the
United States. viz! Andrew Jackson,
James K Polk and Andrew Johnson.
Every one of them great men-men who
made their impress as statesmen en- the
history of the republic. And. as for old
Hickory, by many considered the great
est soldier and statesman that this couG-
try has produced. he has so left his I'M
Press upon Tennessee and Tenneseeans,
that his glory is part of the glory of the
State.
From the year 1920 to the year 1850,
the State of Tennessee produced more
great men and commanded greater in
fiuence in the nation than any other
State.
"At the outbreak of the Mexican War
the Governor called for three Thousand
volunteers and thirty thousand respond
e1.
so many more volunteered, than were
needed by the government, and there was
so much rivalry as to who should be al
lowed to go, that it had to be decided
by lot; and thus she won for herself
the proud distinction of being called the
Volunteer State. Her sons fought gal
lantly on every battlefield of that war and
added imperishable glory to the annals
oil our country.
when thegreat Civil War broke out
in 81, a vast number of the people of the
State were opposed to secession, and
while she contributed more than thirty
thousand men to the Union Army, ehe
nevertheless sent as many men to the Con
federate Army as any other Southern
State, and it is said had more men killed
in battle than any other Southern State
with the single exception Of North Caro-
lima.
The gallantry of her sons was shown
on hundreds of battlefelds IN that great
war. With the exception of Virginia, her
soil was the principal battle-ground OF
the war, and her people suffered untold
hardships. On her soil were fought some
of the greatest battles of the war, at
Fort Donelson, Fort Henry, Shiloh, Muir
freesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Knoxville,
Chattanooga. and Chickamauga, the
greatest battle of the West, was practi-
celly fought upon her soil and largely by
her own troops, to say nothing OF hun
dreds of skirmishes and combats. There
never was a time from the second year
or the war until its close when Fedora
troops were not camped upon her soil.
With the exception OF Georgia and Nlr-
gina, she suffered more than any other
Confederate State. Gen. Joseph E. john
ston. the great Confederate commander,
said of Tennessee that she was the
Shield of the Confederacy
but, thank God, those trying times are
forever past The tattered flags are for
ever furled, the rafting drum beats are
forever silenced, the bugle notes that
called those intrepid hearts to battle
have forever faded away, and today we
stand reunited country.
But the memories of those who fell
are not dead-:heir deeds of herosm are
| heritage to our children, and to our
children's children, the memory of which
we will not permit to pass away.
On flames eternal camping ground,
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead
When the tocsip of war sounded in '9S
and this country was called upon to join
| III war OF humanity to rescue the little
island of Cuba from four hundred years
| OF Spanish oppression, and tyranny, the
sons of Tennessee with that patriotism
| which had always characterized them,
again sprang to arms, and were ready
again to sacrifice their lives on the altar
of their reunited country.
But, while Tennessee has throughout
her history. been renowned in war-she
has been no less renowned in peace.
To-day. only the welcome sounds of
peace and the busy hum of progress are
to be heard within her borders
we of Tennessee feel that she has a