The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1904-01-21

Carolina, the mother state, or colony,
could not or would not protect them.
They were children of neglect, left to
the mercies of hostile wilderness.
Hence the establishment of this little
republic in the heart OF primeval for
est. And / would lay the strongest
emphasis on the fact that the Watauga
Association was a government in the
very best, sense and that it was repub-
lican in form. They had code of laws
and court to administer justice, and
their government rested on a written
constitution.
SIN corroboration of this allow me
to quote historical statement which in
itself is the highest tribute ever paid
to the fathers of Tennessee by a mod
ern historian of recognized authority.
In his history entitled, The Winning
of the West, Theodore Roosevelt says
of the men of the Watauga Associa-
tion:
"'They formed q written constitu-
tion, the first ever adopted west of the
Alleghenies or of community COM
posed Of Amsrican-born free men,
And again, they were the first men of
American birth to establish free and
independent community on the conti-
nent.
STORY OF TENNESSEE.
Gentlemen, the story OF Tennessee
loses none Of its enchantment and thrill
when compared with that of any other
state OF this union. A year before the
Boston tea party, three years before
the Mecklenburg declaration, four
years before the Declaration of Inde-
pendence at Philadelphia. aye, before
a single shot had been fred in the war
of the Revolution, and while yet the
colonies acknowledged allegiance to
the British crown, the bold pioneers OF
the Watauga had already declared their
independence, had already ordained
and established free republic Of their
own, and were already enjoying the
blessings of liberty And though the
log cabin was their mansion and the
unfruitful wilderness their estate, they
bent the knee in homage to no earthly
master nor wore the letters of a mon
arch's rule.
Poor in gold and this worlds goods
they were rich in that self-reliant and
success s-compelling manhood which is
born only of freedom. They labored
and toiled, not as peasants, but as
proprietors of the soil; they fought, moi
as vassals or hirelings, but as freemen
and patriots; they supported and obey.
ed government, not us dumb and help.
less subjects, but as citizens and sover.
eign masters; they worshipped God
: not according to the dictates of state OF
, priesthood, but according to the die
tates of conscience. Injured to toll anC
travail, made dauntless by daily com
panionship with danger, enduring pri
vation and hardships as part of life''
t discipline and duty, they shrank from
no task, they knew no fear, they quail
ed before no enemy. Every home wa
military camp and every male chilt
was an heir of battle. The soil the,
trod is historic, glorifed by their deed
D and hallowed by their dust. The,
t sleep 'on fame's eternal campin,
q ground The laureled Sentinel O
v Glory guards their dreamless bivoua
ON hundred scenes Of victory and O
peace.
"These lion-hearted pioneers not on
a ly fought the battles and performe
the labors which won an empire from
q savage wilderness, but they also Dor
an honorable and heroic part in th
= great struggle of the Revolution. Wha
q they did at Kings Mountain the worl
A knows by heart; how they won the bal
. tie, shattered the plans and hopes {
4 CORVALLIS, turned the tide of the wal
;. and by this one splendid achievemer
4 forever secured the destiny of counties
\ millions Of freemen. And their sor
% after them, no less brave and patriotic
# have added lustre to the republic. The
+ have helped to fight her battles an
% have stood by her in hours of peril, the
% have poured out their blood like wateI
:. and their silent tents are spread Q
every field of conflict from New o.
leans to San Juan.
umA mn ANA