Year: 1879

may De spared 10 your family, your
constituents and your country, for a
long, honorable and useful career, and
come what come may" that the
reeollections Of this moment will al
ways gladden. your heart, and that with
this pleasure you will continue to en-
JOY that higher reward sense of
duty performed and life's opportuni-
ties filled to the highest measure
Accept this and with it our best
wishes for life.


Speaker Fowlkes responded as fol-
lows:


Mr.. Speaker and Gentlemen of the
House OF Representatives-With a
heart full Of gratitude, | thank YOU.
This is indeed a double honor YOU
have conferred upon me, and | desire
to say that the feeling that inspired
this gift is fully reciprocated. You
honored me in selecting me as your
presiding officer, and now you have
honored me still more with testi-
monial which shows that you have ap.
preciated my labors and approved of
the course L have pursued. None can
be more conscious than am that |
have many times wronged you in my
decisions, but never once intentional
ly. During our discussions there has
been at times much excitement, and
doubtless we have been led to Gues-
ton each others motives, but | am
sure that no one will go hence with
such feeling wrankling in his heart.
We came here as strangers, but may
we not say, all, we part as firm friends :?
A great deal has been expected of as
and we have passed many bills, but
they all must be submitted to the or
deal of public opinion, and this is as
It should be. A proper test of the
fidelity of public servant is the ap-
proval or diSapproval of his acts BY
the people. If we have at all times
been prompted to promote the public
welfare, 1t is only necessary for us to
remember that


The sweetest balm at last,


Is consciousness ofvirtuous actions passed b"


At this point the speaker resumed
the chair and said l desire from this
stand, where | have daily appeared
before you in the exercise of my duties
to return my sincere thanks to you, sir,
who have been delegated topresent me
with this beautiful present-for your
great efficiency and ability in the dis
charge Of your duties as chairman of
the first committee of this house, and
for your great kindness and uniform
courtesy to myself. | shall ever re-
member you as a chivalrous, high
toned gentleman. | desire also to Of
fer my warmest congratulations to the
chairmen of all the committees and
members thereof for the faithful. eff
clent and prompt manner in which
they have disposed of the large amount
of business referred to them. This
has been, perhaps, the most laborious
general assembly that ever met in this
copitol. Our written journals contain
over one-third more volumes than
those of our predecessors. We have
spent the most of our time, from the
rising of the sun to the going down
thereof, either in committees or in the
house.


| will say further that more honest
body of men never assembled in Ten
nessee, the severe criticisms heaped
upon us to the contrary notwithstand.
ing.


Finally, if | shall be permitted by
a gracious Providence to advance to q
ripe old age, and | shall be forced ia
lean upon this elegant cane, even then
each one OF your names and faces will
flourish green in my memory. And
now to one and all let me add fare.
well, and, if at any time you should
chance to call upon me, you will never
meet with a heartier welcome or a
warmer shake of the hand.


The following inscription appears
upon the head of the cane:


ITO II. ?. Fowlkes, Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Forty first
General Assembly of Tennessee.


J" Presented by members of this
house as a testimonial to his impair
tiality and efficiency and uniform
courtesy.


Nashville, March 81, 1875"