Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-16
To the City Fathers OF Mayor, Alder
men and Common Council.
ARTICLE SECOND.

fed in our first article. Another object which
induced the Hopkins, Mastodon Coal Compa-
ny 10 submit its proposition to you was the
immediate completion of this railroad to lis
coal fields.
We presume our citizens are aware that the
indomitable and discreet President of the Ten
nessee portion, Col. +. S. CHEATHAa, viii have
his division of this road completed to the
Kentucky line by jane LIST; and that "a miles
of the Kentucky division, extending from the
Kentucky line to Hopkinsville, will be graded
ready for the timber and iron by September
next. There are so negroes working daily on
this section, under Z. G.. SEABRA and Mr..
TINDEL, contractors who say they can in four
months. if absolutely required, perform their
contract, though they are given longer time.
From Hopkinsville to the coal fields it is Is
miles. As there is no portion of this Is miles
graded, and as in Kentucky, Constittaionally,
the State cannot aid in the construction of
such internal improvements, and as The law
granting the power to counties and cities has
been repealed. in order that with the indi-
vidual subscription OF its own citizens, they
plete the road from Nashville to the coal
fields, the Hopkins Coal Company have SUBJ
mitted their proposition to the citizens of
Nashville as additional inducement, and
partial compensation, beside the $50 600
that the city secures likewise in the stock Of
the railroad. The county of Davidson has
already subscribed 100000 to this same
road. Therefore there is nothing novel in
the solicitation of this subscription.
We have a request, which we trust that
our gentlemanly City Fathers will grant. be-
cause of the pressing vast Importance of our
proposition to the future progress and sub
stantial prosperity of our city, and the great
er satisfaction that they may attain by per-
sonally examining the coal region, by seeing
and knowing the gentlemen who constitute
this Coal Notwithstanding the re-
sources of the counties through which the
railroad passes-the probable direction of
their trade, the progress OF the road, and its
future prospects of completion, and especial
ly to know that the proposition of this Coal
Company hath no tricks IN ii but was made in
a spirit of generosity through the persuasion
of its Nashville Stockholders. My request is
that the Boards of Mayor and Aldermen and
Common Council appoint commission of
four gentlemen-twO from each Board in
whose good sense and sound judgment they
can rely at my expense to go with me. at
any designated day that may suit their con
venence, for the specified purpose above.
They will thus be enabled to make full and
judicious report to the two boards, and they
can then act wisely in the premises. This is
due from the Railroad and Hopkins Coal
Company to the citizens of Nashville, and it
will avoid much writing, speaking. and all
trickery and misunderstanding upon this sub
ject.
There appeared on Friday last an article in
the local columns of the Daily Neaos of this
city seemingly dictated by some head and
front of an up river Coal Company; con-
tanning some pertinent interrogatories the
pih of which we will answer. The editor
courteousiy inquiries of me if the members OF
this Coal Company by their act of incorpor-
alton are personally bound for the contracts
of the Company. We answer to the amount
of their stock while their entire body of lands,
and all the corporation property, are entirely
so. Let me ask him one now in return. Are
the citizens of Nashville individually bound
for the contracts of their corporation? He
will answer no. This editor asks me another
question.-"If the corporation of Nashville
will maka the subscription you solicit, will
the members of your Coal Company bind
themselves individually to fulfill this con-
tract? Let me ask you another. If the members
of the Coal Company will agree thus to
become individually responsible for the
prompt performance of their part of the OBJ
legation, will similar number of response
bic citizens of Nashville become individually
responsible for the city corporation, contract?
If they will, then will the members of the
Hopkins Coal Company.
The subscription of the corporation. is to
Railroad stock in the Nashville & Henderson
Railroad not TO stock in the Coal Company.
This Coal Company never sought any aid
from any individual much less a corporation
and its proposition is to relieve the tax ridden
citizens of Nashville from the sharks of other
Coal Companies that impede its industrial
progress as well as to Tighten the burdens of
the poor'and destitute of the City Already our
our mere proposition has had the effect with
Scwanee Coal Company to lower their scale
of prices. from %, Is, and IA cents, to 20, Is,
II, and 10 cents.
But you say, Mr.. Editor, that experience
should have taught us that corporations are
soaiIess." My dear sir, your experience at
least must in extent be questioned, if you
mean by this word I" soulless ~ the ordinary
claptrap definition given it by demagogues.
Sir. corporations. like those of our city for
instance-of banks-that represented by the
Mayor and Aldermen. the Robinson Associa- |
tion, the Insurance Companies. Building As
sociatiOns. Medical and Literary Associations,
and even some Coal Companies-in all that
relates to honor, humanity. charity, punctili- |
GUS observance of plighted faith, integrity |
evince and have ever evinced, more ' soul"
than thousands of individuals even " in and |
about our midst" that are not aud never |
were corporated or Incorporated. Ny friends |
as you are, know; you did not mean offence |
TO me or other gentlemen belonging TO other |
corporations that your too vague employment |
of terms might seemingly import. Learn |
hereafter TO dspise the cant and mischievous
terms of demagogues. An act of incorpora-
ton is piece of parchment written upon, |
whatever may be its character. 1t derives its |
vitality aud existence from the members that |
compose it. The parchment or simply act of
Incorporation, can perpetrate no rascality or
crime. II is the members who constitute that |