Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-12


which the people of the State are more than
ordinarily interested, and is likely to occn-
py large share of the attention of the
present Legislature Let it not be consid-
cred in the light of merely party meas
IRE; or thrown into the narrow crueible Of
party tactics; but in such measure as will
rebound to the best interests of the whole
people.
Internal I'm prOvements-StateA Aid, etc.
This subject promises to occupy much of
the attention of the present Legislature.
And in view of the fact that the State has
assumed an indirect liability on account of
Railroads, to the amount of nearly nine
millions of dollars, in addition to something
over four millions of actual Indebtedness,
and the further prospective liability, as
estimated in the message Of the Cover
nor, which would swell the amount to
twenty millions, under the continued ope-
ration of existing laws contemplating State
aid to internal improvements-it does not
appear unreasonable that the subject should
receive a large share of the attention of
the Legislature. On Friday Mr.. DAVE,
the American member from Montgomery,
introduced a resolution into the House, de-
claring it inexpedient for the State to ex-
tend further aid in this direction, and
pledging the present Legislature to withhold
any further appropriations for this object.
Coming from the American side Of the
House, on a motion to suspend the Rule
requiring resolutions to lie upon the table
one day, the democracy voted against such
suspension, on the plea that the subject was
one of great Importance, and required re-
Election and cOnsideration-some of them
declaring themselves in favor of the senti-
ments contained in the resolution. On
Saturday, however, for the avowed pur-
pose of setting the position of the democFa-
cy right before the State upon this question,
Mr.. ROWLEs, the democratic member from
Bradley, introduced resolution to the eff
feet that the State should meet all her
bonds heretofore issued to Railroads, and
comply with her engagements with all
roads that had performed the conditions
precedent upon their receiving such aid,
and to withhold State aid in all other cases.
Having effected the object of its introduc-
ton, by eliciting an expression from some
of the democratic members, this resolution
was permitted to lay over without vote.
This bit of party maneuvering, on the part
of our democratic friends does not in the
least affect the true status of the question,
either before the Legislature or the coun-
try.
The question remains to be squarely met,
and disposed of, not by mere resolutions,
but by solemn enactment of the two
branches of the Legislature. To this OBJ
ject, the American member from Davidson,
Robertson and Montgomery, Mr.. Nancy
offered bill, providing that all laws here
tofore passed for the incorporation of Rail
road Companies, which bind the State in
any way for the building of such roads,
shall be repealed, where the provisions of
such laws have not been complied with so
as to fix the liability of the State and
that in all cases where the liability Of the
State has not already been so fixed, these
laws be repealed, so far as they in any way
pledge the faith of the State to aid, by en-
dorsement or otherwise, the building of
such roads. This bill was introduced on
Friday, and referred to the Committee on
Internal Improvements. This is the
way to meet the question, and to obtain
an authoritative expression upon it.
And in addition to its own intrinsic impor-
lance, the fact that the bonds of the State
are selling at a ruinous discount in the mar
kets of the Eastern cities, commends it to
the early action of the General Assembly.
1t is thought, and upon reasonable and
plausible grounds, that if the Legislature
should express a resolution to issue no
more bonds, for these purposes, it would
have the effect to increase the price of
the bonds in those markets, and restore the
confidence and credit of the State. We
hope that the Committee, into whose hands
Mr.. MANEY's bill has fallen, will lose no
time in giving it their attention and that
they will report it at an early day, with
such amendments as they may deem proper,
or with none, that the people and the coun-
try may know what course the wisdom of
the present Legislature viii dictate on the
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