The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-04-09

ioAio"lHS 10 VIC epeeCA Vi OONeEuOE
Malcom R. Patterson, Tennessee's
chief executive. who was present for
the opening of the Hotel Patten. The
speech was delivered at last nights
banquet.
Governor Patterson made eloquent
response to his toast "Tennessee-A
Mother of Presidents" He was most
cordially received and at the conclus-
ion of his remarks was most heartily
applauded. The governor confined him
self strictly to his subject, making no
reference to present day politics. He
spoke as follows:
Mr.. Toastmaster:
Virginia. in the nomenclature of
craftsmanship, has long been called
"The Mother of PreSidenta, and Ten
nessee is certainly entitled to the less,
but still honered and conspicuous, dis
tinction of being known as ga Mother
of Presidents.
Some one in speaking of Virginia,
Willingly and perhaps irreverently said
that she had evidently passed the pc
riod of further maternity, and in speak
ing OF Tennessee one might say that
she had also ceased giving birth to
Presidents, but was engaged in bring
ing forth magnificent hotels to add to
the comforts and conveniences of mod
ern life.
But both Tennessee and Virginia
have produced Presidents, and the
blood of the race still runs pure, and
the day will be again when great men
will come forth from both these COM
monwealths to lead as they once did In
the earlier days OF the republic.
When we speak of Tennessee, we
think of state rich in all the materials
of romance, into whose history of scarce
more than century, has crowded
enough of war and it's moving spirit,
enough of tho rewards which follow
the arts of peace, to fill thousand
years of the uneventful life of the old
or governments of the world.
We behold her in infancy scarce
able to draw the bow string, and before
she reached the maturity of statehood,
sending forth her men, few indeed, but
true as the blue of her mountains and
her skies, and the picture they make is
painted in undying colorsas they pursue
their toilsome march up the mountain.
side, leaving, as they ascend trail oi
fire to mark their daring way.
We see her in the period Of probation
preparing for the admission to the
union of states, and not one was better
equipped for all the rights, privileges
and duties that pertain to sovereignty
when her star appeared in the mos
magnificent glaxy ever seen by thu
nations of earth-the collection of free
independent, sovereign, American state
with one heritage. one purpose and on
destiny, under one flag.
We see Tennessee to the forefront il
the war of 1912, wnen the figure of he
first president began to loom on hi
country's horizon, and the land wa
filled with the name and fame of AndreV
Jackson.
In the vicissitudes of time that fig
ure has never grown less, but large
: and larger in the perspective as th
giant mountains do which stand sent
mel in the east, the last remainin
:, witnesses of the cabin OF the settlers
and of the first struggle for freedom 0
!, the soil of Tennessee.
We behold her again at another p'
riod of life, grown strong and rich b
peaceful industry and the unfailin
- arts of husbandry, sending her SOL
!" out beyond the rim of civilization, an
= we see the robust figure of Housto
limned clear and strong against tn
= western sky, as he stands in the begil
- ming of the life Of Texas, whose bar
= tismal fount was the Alamo, and who's
. water was the sacred blood of Tel
= nesseans.
70 It was at this second period tn
James K. Polk became the president
the United States, brought to success
ful issue the war with Mexico, al
"a whose name is indissolubly linked Wi
le the expansion of his country and Il
10 ceded territory which American arm
- and his own signal craftsmanship hs
8. acquired.
3 Again we see Tennessee returning
! the ways of peace aud reaping the frui
y which came almost unbidden to TIA
q. golden age which preceded the blac
III ness of the heavens and the mntterin
at OF the storm which finally broke al
i shook to the center the foundations
government itself, as if to test its sol
: base, and left it stronger aud firm
fixed when the storm was over and t
+. clouds had rolled awayl
1t was then that Andrew Johns,
succeeded by virtue of his Office, Al
Tennessee had completed three eycl
of her history and furnished thr
!, presidents to the Republic.
Tat not history lightly east asid 4