Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-06-25

,no8her gun BPtkod-urs ~ AstASrAAS 1-A-
shs Exsmprian Laws.
The Opposition press, finding that they cannot
..,,.vs Col, NxrHERLASD Of the odium which just
: attaches 10 him as public man, from his settled
so.t;l;,v 10 the exemption laws, are seeking to
sresk lie force By g vain sndeavor to show teAt
" G. WEryrHoREE, Esq, our talented and justly /
pouular candidate for hoater In the district compos
ed Of Williamson, Maury, and Lewis, and other
Democratic members Of the last Legislature, also
voted against an exemption bill which vas acted
upon BY that body.
while the misconduct OF particular Democrats
would be no Justification Of Col. NETHERIAsD' =
il bat right and proper that such Democrats shouio
be held 70 strict account for wbatever votes 1ney
NAV have given as representatives OF the peOp'e'
and. instead Of seeking to screen them ron any
exposure which the Opposition papers are able 10
make. We shall cordially aid in giving puehei'y 70
the truth whenever fairly stated, Whoever mas 0P-
Dosed the policy Of the exemption laws, BY wnateV-
marty name he may be called. has, to that extent
nrov.n himself an unwse legislator and meritsd the
s.n.rra AZ The people. The Opposition press, how
ever. have been unjust, not to cay unfair IN 'neir
criticisms thus far Ifthsre Oas Democratic ms~0eT
Of n. last Legislature EafiendE to The Po9'y me
,z,uotios aEs zoe kase after critical ezGntTdh0n' oeen
,,na5ls 70 fsd him Certainly if there was any one
ms,ober Of that body distinguished more than ano-
thar for his jealous advocacy Of q most hoersi
exewption saystem, it was W. c. WHIrTHoRSE' Tue
SENATOR from Dixon, Hickmsn, Lewis. aud Maur5'
as is apparent frcm t1e Official record Of the Senate
proceedings.
The charge of the Patriot is, that the vote of Mr.
yH1rTHoRSE is recorded ogGirst bill exemPtng
from execution Z" one gun in the hands Of every
free white male citizen" homemade carpet
Manufactured by the wife, or any female member Of
the family, for family use, and SO applied" and
aten wagon or cart loads of wood its equivalent
in coal" The evident purpose of this charge was
/ to produce the impression that Mr., WHIrTHoRNE IS
uufriendly to the exemption of these articles, and
opposed the same; and the chargeis made upon a
partial statement of the facts, when, if the whole
we're given, it would have shown directly the re-
verse
That there may be no misunderstanding or equiv
ocstion, touching this matter and that the Patriot
may correct the error, into which We trust it'has
uniuteniOnally fallen, we shall state the facts SO
plainly that he who runs may read giving such re-
ferences that the Journal itself may be witness,
which every one can examine for himself;
By references to page 3O4, Senate Journal, it will
be found that on motion Of Mr.. WHITrHoRNE the
rules were suspended and the Senate took up House
bill. No 10, sTo reduce into one all laws on the
subject of exempting property from execution and
attachment in this State" The bill being placed
upon its second reading was amended (see page
305) so as to restrict the exemption of mechanics
tools. TO the HEADS OF FAMILIES ONLY; the law as
it existed making no such distinction, but extend
ing its protection to all mechanics, whether married
or unmarried. young or old. Against this amend
ment MIR. WHITTHoRNE voted, regarding it as
unwiss and impoltic. And, as it was ad-
Opted when the bill was placed upon its final
massage he recorded his vote in the negative,
trusting to another opportunity to add to the
old Law the salutary features Of this BILL without
its Questionable discrimination. Subsequently, and
on passage of part of Senate bill, No. Sc, "TC
reyise the statutes of the State of Tennessee -BE
ING THE ooDE-tsee page 800 of Senate Journal
Mr.. WH1TTHoRKE voted AYE This part of the Code
includes the exemption law, embracing all the srti
cles contained in the bill against which he had pre-
viously voted and is relieved Of the Objectionable
discrimination limiting its benefits, SO far as me-
chsnics were embraced, to heads Of families. Thus
IT WILL BE SEES THAT Nh. WHIrTHoRNE REMAINED
TRUE TO TEE YOUNG MECHANICS, AND YET, WHILE
| DOING so, did VOTE FOR "THT LAST GUN, THE LAST
RAG CARPET, AND THE LAST STICK OF WOOD, enume-
rated by the Patriot (See Code, paragraph 2107
aud the following paragraphs, and manuscript copy
of Code on file with the State Librarian)
The Journal further shows that at the very time
Mr. wHIrTHoRNE voted against the bill in question
he had bill pending, drawn up aud introduced by
himself the first week Of the session. to en1rgs the
exemption Law Of the previous Legislatures. (Set
Senate bill No. g.
Such is the character of charges with Ehich The
| Opposition are seeking to mislead the public. We
could ask for no more conclusive evidence that they
are unworthy of public confidence aud unfit to be
entrusted with the rights and interests of the peO
pie, thsa is thus afforded.