The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-10-06
SQU|RES IN
SESSION
Strong Resolutions Against the
Removal of MeriWether
Lewis Remains.

Quarterly Court met Monday moruiK
IN the Circuit Court room with 1udae
Gordon presiding and Clerk Thomas
ana twenty magistrates In attendance
Judge GOruon submitted his financial
report, which was adopted This re-
port can te found in another part Of
tOdayS paper
The report of the Poor House Com
Inissloners was received and adopted.
This report showed the total nu mbgr
or inmates to be At and that their
average monthly keep has been So IS.
Mr.. W. E. Ballanfant was Ie-f lected
Poor House Commissioner by acclama-
ton.
Capt. Robert d. Smith, represent
ing the committee from the Maury
County Historical Society, made al
appropriate talk on the subject of the
proposed removal of the remains of
Governor Meriwetht Lewis TO Port
land Oregon. The Couuty Court
theIeupon adopted the following lese-
lutlons UNANIMOUSLY by a rising vote.
Whereas: There is an effort being
made TO remove the remains of GOVei-
nor Merl wetheI Lewis from Lewis
County Tennessee. to Oregon.
And whereas. Governor Lewis died
October IL, 1909 in what was tnen
Maury county as the Natchtz Trace,
or Columbian Highway" which was
tnen the great artery of land travel for
vast region of territory. He was
buried in MauIy County, in a coffin
made in Maury County, out of Many
County lum er, with nails made in
Maury County, and his inquest anu
funeral we're held by Maury countIAas.
The massive monument which msEkG
the spot where he met his untime{y
death was made in Maury County hy
Mauly County wnIkmen out of Maury
County stone. and was erected by the
legislature of Tennessee in 1913
through the etfor of the representa-
tives from Marry county, and tue
proposed removal of bis remains could
not be effected without the destruction
of this m Inument.
The one acre at his burial phase has
always been excluded from n grants
maze by Tennessee and has been re-
served by the State; plot f ten acres
adjoining the monument VIII ne gen
erUusly donated by Judge s. QuitmaE
WeatneIly 1.-THE former County Judged Of
Lewis County, to be Kept in per
petuity by Board of Trustees for
preserving the memory of 50 great q
man IS Governor Lewis.
Maury county coded part Of her
territory to form a new County TO he
named In honor OF Governor Lewis 0f
which his grave Is the center. The Ma
sonic fraternity, principally from
Maury county inferred bis remains
sccording to the ancient ceremonies of
Craft and the nearest organized Lodge
of Free and Accepted MasOns ut
Hampshire was chartered as Meri-
wetheI Lodge number 1872 in his
honor.
At tie eXhumation OF his remains
in 1848 only q few bones were found,
and even the skull was in an advanced
state OF decay; if sucn was the
condition then, after less than f0rtJ
years, the condition now after more
than fifty additional years would pfob-
ably leave nothing that could be i0en-
titled.
The removal of his rem ains from
the solitude of the prlmeval forest to
hustle of busy city would be at va
rance with his tastes and haDits Of
life and his career as the greatest ex-
ploIer of the Great West.
Therefore, be it Resolved by The
County Court of MauIy County, Ten
nessee in Quarterly Court assembled.
that we most earnestly protest against
any attempt to remove the remains OF
Governor Meriwether Lewis from their
present resting place; and
Be it further Resolved, That a copy
If this be sent to Governor John [.
Cox with our request rs representatives
If the people of Maury county that he
will not countenance or permit saet
emoval; and
Be it further Resolved, that as Gov
,rnor Lewis was never married and
eft DO descendants, that we respect
ully but earnestly request his nearest
elatlves to regard the universal visit
# cur people that his remains mar
est undlsturbed in peace Ill the soil
o long hallowed BY them