The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-07-04
TO THE CITIZENS OF RHEA AND


MEIGS: ;.
GENTLEMEN You may think II pre-
in me moving in so humo'e
sphere, and not only beng disconnected
with politics. but at present a non -'es'ueu.
OF either of your counties, TO olc!"'e ~ ""y
way concerning the political atia'rs OF vou,
counties, We, ii claim Meigs as my na!'Ve
county, and was a resident thereof previous
10 the partition Of Rhea.
Expecing to be a citizen OF Me'gs lot
wears 10 come, hope you will excuse me
in making an honest declaration IN TefeI>
ence TO point of vital interest to the two
counties.
learn that the subject Of the Reunion OF
the counties is made The principle rol'''cal
tonic between the Two candidates Tor rep
resen,ative, both of whom am well &C
oua,nted with, and entertain feelings OF me
highest regard for both, and would eiaa'y
contribute any thing in my power 10 the'1
promotion, but ia reference 10 THIS POM
have feelings peculiar and sectional. an
union of The counties must, and certa'nly
will be attended with circumstances qul'e
unfavorable, The considerations mat lead
10 this opinion 7 will briefly enumera'e.
Ist The political strength and prosperity
of county depends. not on the vast ex>
tent of its territory, but upon the unIon' en-
ergy, industry and economy OF lis lnhapi'
iauts. know not what arguments are
made in favor OF the union, yet presume
the principal ones are--the making oil
county with a larger extent OF territory,
and establishing more flourshing county
town; yet when you shall have accomplish
ed these two ends, you will never be en-
abled 20 realize an amount OF p'ohts sum,
cient TO wipe away half the cost. But
assert tina, the frs, end need by no means
be accomplished. and that the second can
be accomplished in each OF the counties
without the advantage OF the first. Melgs
contains more than $50 square miles and
Rhea 500. Making an allowance OF ~
acres to each person. Meigs has sulfcIen'
territory to support handsomely a poPula-
ton of | | 600, and Rhea $4,000; and be il
known that the lime is, by no means re-
mo,ely connected with the presen. when
the population of our State will be thus
dense. so that neither Of the counties need
fear leanncss Of numbers. But what OF
your county towns! Washington, you
say Is too little. and Decatur is not big
enough. Washington is too close 10 the
mountain. and Decatur TOO lar from the
river. Well. if This is really so move them
both 10 the rivers bank. but for the sake o!
Rhca and Meigs, keep the counties separate.
But what point on the river will you selecH
Your Decatur. Washington must be on
both sides or the Macedonian bell will for
ever be ringing. You can find no such
suitable point; and any way the measure
would be mpolItc and rash. The health
of the respective inhabitants would by no
means be 50 secure; but leaving this out oil
view il you desire such, selectYour respec.
tive sites and erect yonr towns. and let
them be rival ones. Induce thereby, spirit
of honorable emulation, and when ten
years shall have stolen away, instead OF
seeing a town of dissolution, filled with
office seekers and dissatisfied inhabitants.
you will see too compact thriving boroughs
filled with enierprsng buoyan' inhabitants
%. The two sections when originally
united were unprosperous and much dis
satisfied. and think it extremely improba
bic that any other than the same spirit Of
disconten, will spring from The same or
original Rhea from the year 1928 up 10 the
time OF It's partition, as retained IN the
memory OF It's citizens, and especially &c The
guardians of the county for those years
and ask what was the state Of the county
affairs at that time? What were the cur
rent values of jurors tickets and othe
county claims? What was the manner
Of their liquidation? Citizens you know
And bow let me ask what are the presen
conditions Of the counues2 All are ready
to answer, they are as favorable as we could
desire. At least know it 10 be the case
with Meigs, and | presume It is the same
with Rhea. Then ask why buy vexed
cargo of difficulties al SO great an expense
10 the citizens?
will close by asking your indulgence
and noticing further the first point. AL
past history proves that a small number o.
individuals ge, along more amicably than
a large number: indeed where the number
is small there is better opportunity for the
promotion of republican, or rather would
say democratlcal principles, from the lac
that The voice and will Of the pople can be
more Immediately and frequently consulted
The Oldest republic in the world Gamma
rno. IN Iialy,) has not so much territory a:
some of the counties Of our Stale. II ha'
existed, il mistake not. more than 40C
years in peace and quiet. ilis emphatical
ly democratical government, and owes it:
long existence 10 the smallness of its com
pass. and no other save small territory,
contend, can remain strictly under the form
OF democralical government, for so soon
as territorial extension IS brought about, the
sovereignty OF the people becomes embit'
tered by the principles Of ars'ocracy.-
Then, citizens, as an humble yet we'll wish
er CT our counties would say, keep then,
separate. and build them up as two stu.
pendous monuments of the proudest State
10 the Union, You have the land, the
water power, The enlerprsiug inhabitants.
and, in fact every facility TO build up two
counties which will be inferior TO none in
the State. | must aver, that desire "a
unite the counties is an acknowledgment
on The part of the counties OF reciprocal
imbeciIly. which is not the case.
With high respect, am.
N. A. PATTERSON.
Hickory Grove. McMinn, July |, Isl.
Listen to what some ill-natured editor