The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-01
MEMORIAL DAY
IN TENNESSEE
Great Gathering at GreenVlIle
to Honor Memory of An
drew Johnson.
oLD-TIMERs OUT IN FORCE
MARTIN w. LITTLEToN OF NEW
YORK, ORATOR OF OCCASION.

GreenvilIe, Tenn, May 31.-Scattered
over the greensward in and surround
ing the National cemetery, which. for
the past thirty years, has served
as the resting place for the BODY OF An
drew Johnson, the seventeenth presldeIt
of the United States, thousands Of the
descendants of his old-time neighoors
and friends in east Tennessee TO-DAY
took advantage of the first memorial
celebration since the transformation OF
the private cemetery into national IN
stitution to do honor to the memory OF
the former distinguished citizen by or
ganizing the Andrew Johnson Memorial
association.
The. people came from all portions OF
the vast and picturesque east Tennes-
see country and while most OF them
were of the present day generation.
there were some old-timers who ooasteu
of having known the Tennessee com
moner in his day, and who spoke Of the
fact with much pride. The orator OF
the occasion, Martin w. Littleton, came
all the way from New York to speak IN
terms of highest eulOgy of the one pres
ident who, during his term of office, was
tried on impeachment charges.
Orators Prediction.
Mr.. Littleton is a native Of east Ten
nessee. and he expressed high apprecla-
ton of the honor conferred upon him in
making him the orator of the occasion.
He reviewed at great length the life OF
the DISTINGUISHED man in whose honor
the people had assembled, and predicted
that the day would come when the en-
tire country would be pleased TO DO
homage to the memory Of Andrew John-
son.
Following the decoration of the grave
Of the ex-president, the assembly re
turned from the cemetery to the Green
vile auditorium. which seats 1000 peo-
pie, where the formal program was car
ried out 1t had been planned to hold
the exercises at the cemetery, but on
account OF a heavy rain last night the
change was deemed advisable.
Andrew johnson, Tailor"
The cemetery is a beautiful spot just
outside of the town in which. for sew
eraI years in his early life Mr.. Johnson
worked as a tailor It is splendidly
cared for and commands a fine view Of
the mountain range which separates
Mr.. Johnson's adopted state from North
Carolina, the state in which he was
born Many visitors came from the out
side. and the residents found especial
served sign of Andrew Johnson, Tai
Ior." which continues to decorate one
Of the humblest buildings here. The
people also manifested much pride in
the fact that, Notwithstanding the al
most successful effort to forcibly eject
Mr.. Johnson from the White house, the
private cemetery in which he is bur
led is the first of such cemeteries to be
given a national character by congress.
Among those present and participant
ing in the proceedings was Walter P,
Brownlow, member of congress from
this district. himself a near relative Of
the late Parson BrOwnlow, Mr.. john
sons most distinguished compeer. Mr.
Brownlow was largely responsible for
the creation Of the national cemetery,
and while he occupied no assigned part
on today's program, was by common
consent awarded a position Of general
prominence.
The Days Program.
In addition to Mr.. Littleton's speech,
the program consisted Of the singing Of
America" and the "Star-Spangled
Banner" by a choir of 200 voices; an
invocation by Rev. John S. Eakin, and
the introduction OF Mr.. LittletOn by
Hon. James c. Park, closing with the
organization of the memorial assOcia-
ton. There was a notable orchestra in
attendance, several members of which
were old-time fidders, who had fur
nished music at the political gatherings
during the notable Johnson-Gentry
campaign for governor before the civil
war. Many Of them were in reminis-
cent mood and between tunes mani
tested great willingness to entertain
visitors with stories of the dim and dis
tant past.
Altogether IL was a memorable day
for Greenville. and visitors generally
voted that they had been well enter
tanned.
HsraId Free CookInn School