Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-07-30
THUsRDAY MORNING, july 30. $50.
cor. HATToN AND THE MECHANICS BILL.

COZ. HATToN AND THE MECHANICS BILL
The Banaer expresses much regret that Gen.
Harris in his recent speech at Nashville " should
have attempted to make capital by appealing to the
---iudices Of the mechanics" To have exposed the
u rse of Col. Hatton, in voting for every measure
was for the benefit Of Corporations and Capital,
against every measure that was for the beneht
h. 1sboring mechanic, is what the Banner calls
pueafing to their prejudices." Gen. Harris need
er be ashamed of such appeals-Ee feel conf
tin saving that he never will be. The Banner
"s such appeals are unworthy Of a candidate for
s-erpOr" We think differently, and right here
inns the line of demarcatiOn between Democracy
"a its Federal opposition. It is manly to appeal
,ehalf of labor and the honest rights Of the labor
Capital is power and will protect itself. Labor
Teak and needs the fostering care of the State.
on this idea Gen. Harris proceeds. Upon the
verse rule Col Hatton has acted.
The Bamdr makes an exceedingly lame defence
is candidate, placing his OppostiontO tie nea-
einauestion on the ground that this bill provides
that in all cases where mechanic builds house,
he shall have lien the land or lot on which the
house is erected for his pay-and this against all the
arcrld' That "the effect and object of the bill
was to provide for cases when the land or lot was
unpaid for, and the original owner still held lien
on it it for his money; and the question whslhsr
The first hsn should giUs ray to the sscOnd?"
Now we take it upon ourselves to say that the
editor Of the Banner has never read the bill,
entirely misinterpres it. If the editor of that
paper honestly desires to do nothing more than
justice to Col Hatton it should have published the
BILL did, and left the public judge for them
selves whether it act of to simple justice TO the
mechanic. The bill is short and would occupy but
little space in his columns and yet the Banner dare
not publish it and let its readers what it was.
The Banner proceeds upon the idea that "Where
ignorance is bliss tbs folly to be wise"
The more effectually to expose the impotent de-
fence made by Col. Hatton and his organ, we again
publish the bill and request the reader to carefully
study its provisions:
FOR THE BENEFIT OF MECHANICS.
Be enacted By the General assembly of the State of
Tennessee, That hereafter when mechanic or under
taker shall have lien upon lot tract of land for
buildings made of materials furnished, which said
lot tract of land shall at the same time be sub
ect TO the lien of the vendor, and said vendor shall
enforce his lien, then said mechanic undertaken
may sue said vendor and recover the value Of the
actual benefit derived by said vendor from the labor
or materials Of such mechanic or undertaken Pro-
vided, That such mechanic undertaken will bring
his suit within twelve months after final judgment
in favor of the vendor against the vendee and pro-
vided further that if the vendor will give such
chanic or undertaken notice at any time before or
aiter the commencement of the work, that he will
not be responsible therefore, then he shall not be
liable for work done materials furnished from the
date of the service of such notice.
Provided further, that if the vendor state IN the
title bond or deed, which he makes for said land
and that title bond deed registered-thath he will
not be responsible for materials furnished work
done thereon, then he shall not be liable in any
manner after the registration of the same. And,
provided, also that the mechanic may take the land
or lot at the original bid of the yendee, providing
the vendor is unwilling TO pay for the improvement
Thus it will be that this bill gave new lein
or priority of lein, represented by the Banner
but simply provided that when the vendor the orig
inal owner) enforced his lein for purchase money
upon land on which improvements had been made,
that the mechanic might sue him and recOver-nOt
his debt-but whatever actual beHsft" had been de-
rived by said vendor from the labor and materials Of
such mechanic If the vendor derived no " actual
6sncft from the labor and materials of the mechan
ic, then the mechanic could recover nothing. But
if he had derived 'actual benefit" who say that
the poor mechanic should not be authorised to re-
cover that amount of his hard-earned wages?
For the express purpose of avoiding the caYll and
obyating the objections of just such members as
Col Hatton, great precautiOn taken to restrict
the bill with such provisions would prevent the
possibility of the least injury or hardship growing
out of it. This is apparent upon careful reading
And yet Mr.. HattOn-the who could vote mil
lions upon millions of the credit of the people TO
incorporated companies, and whose berality was so
great that he was unwilling to exact any security
from them-could not find it in his heart to vote for
this simple act of justice to the mechanic; and be-
cause Gen. Harris arraigned him upon it the Know
Nothing papers say that he was appealing to the
preiudices of mechanics" We trust there is no
necessity for appeal in such a case. Surely the
laboring men have too much respect for themselves
to require any thing but the simple facts to make
them vote against Mr.. Hatton. We cannot how
an honest mechanic vote for him and retain his
own self-respect.