Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-18
Th, merchants--RaIIrond meetinr.

AhH heTCnAnl&sslka1lTOOd l166unEs
A large number of merchants assembled accord
ing to appointment Tuesday evening at the Court
House, and organized by calling Rev. John Morrow,
| to the chair. and appointing Messrs John Miller
! Mckee of the Union and American and W. +. G.
Shanks, of the Banner Secretaries. The purpose of
! the meeting briefly stated by Hugh McCre2, Esq.
| He referred to the many grievances and insults
! which Nashville had been compelled to bear from
the Board Of Directors in power, and trusted that
the large number of intelligent merchants assembled
would devise plan for the emphatic expression
of the feeling Of Nashville in regard 10 the mis-
management and the injustice of the policy o. the
Board of Directors and, if possible, arrange some
mode of relieving them from their troubles.
EI-Mayor HOlingswOrth then called for theIreport
! Of the gentlemen who were delegated to Louisville
to cast the vote of the county and private stock and
| loud calls were made for Geo. Nancy Esq. Mr.
Nancy came forward and said that he had nothing
specific to report, had prepared none, and did not
understand that the purpose Of the meeting was to
hear such report He said he would be happy to
communicate his views or give any information in
his power on any particular pOnt-he desired to
operate with the merchants of Nashville in this
effort TO obtain redress for their wrOngs-and that
his interest lay with theirs in Nashville. He SAID he
did not know that his views would accord with
those of the majority, but the meeting welcome
TO them.
Hugh McCrca Esq, one Of the delegates to Lou
isyile to cast the of portion of the county
stock said that the purpose Of the delegation had
!
Board of Directors, Mr.. Eugene Underwood, and
for the purpose Of getting the vote of the city of
Louisville changed from Underwood to Geo. w.
Cunningham, the delegates had waited on the MavOr
who had been instructed by the City Council to vote
for Underwood. They met the Mayor and Mr.. John
Barbee. President OF the Board of Common Council
of Louisville, and there requested them TO change
the vote. The Mayor and Mr.. Barbee admitted the
justice of the representation made to them, and
promised 10 take the responsibility upon themselves Of
changing the name Of Underwood 10 Cunningham ana
thus elect the latter gentleman and effect the desired
removal of Mr.. Underwood. On the day of the cleo
ton the Mayor rel Grated his promise tr broke trtga
the time came cote H. An effort then made. he
sand. to vote the State stock in the road-stock
amounting to 500 O0O-buI 1the Judge-a lawyer
named Spcrd-withoUt argument had refused to re
ceive it. ue hoped one object OF this meeting would
he to obtain a notice from Col J. G. Guild the
Governor of this fact accompanied by a request
thar the opinion OF the Attorney General might be
obtained. with a view TO laying the whole grievance
before the next Legislature.
A J. Duncan Esq. made statement cOrrObOrat-
inc that OF Mr.. McCrea, and referring with some
feeling 10 the deception Practced 10y the Mayor Of
Louisville and the dPSpuuc manner and purposes
displayed by the old board IN the election. Tie stated
that the Tennessee dele CATION had requested Mr..
Underwood 10 resign. lie might be a good lawyer,
had no doubt but that he was. but he was a
mercantile and had not therefore looked clearly
to the interests of Nashville. Before his answer
could be received TO this request. made in Difference
TO the gentleman and out of respect to him not a
matter OF necessity, Mr.. Underwood had been call
ed from this city. On going to Louisville they found
that 10y the duplicity Of the Mayor. already eN
planned bv Mr. MCCTca. Mr.. | Underwood had been
reelected against the express wishes of the mer-
chants of Nashville, and to whom had been said he
did not fifty represent them, look carefully to
their interests Mr. Duncan also touched upon the
discrimination in frcights and other points of i'm
portance, showing the injustice done to Nashville.
lie closed by offering several resolutions cOndeming
the of the Board of Directors in discriminate
ing against Nashville, paying the debts of branch
roads with the means of the main stem and the ac-
knowIelged violation Of the charter in so doing,
(and which he stated James Guthrie did admit was
Illegal and recommending such action on the part
! Of the merchants as would remedy this trouble.
Mr.. James NJ. Hamilton thought the resolutions
did not fully embrace all the points The msman-
agement Of the road the conduct Of certain officers,
and other matters deserved the notice of this meet
ing and he moved that the resolutions be referred
to a committee Of five merchants with unrcserved
powers. who should report at al adjourned meeting
TO be held at an early day.
Mr. X. J. Morris said briefly that in regard to dis
elimination in freight he desired to call attention to
the fact that Louisville merchant then present
had informed him that he had shipped freights
through Nashville further South, at zoe per 100 bs
but had TO pay 2Jc per 100 bS TO Nashville lie
said that Cincinnati merchants had stated to him
! that they could only sell him goods which were to
| be forwarded through a Louisville commission mer-
! chant to whom, by virtue Of a blockade a tax was
! due.
Geo Nancy Esq. again rose and said that he fully
sympathizcd with the most Jealous merchant in the
/ meeting. for his own interests. though not a ner-
chant were no less threatening than thcirs-he was
ready TO 20 far As any one but he hoped the step
would be taken in the right direction and the issue
! set right and plainly before the people. lie was
/ ready and determined to seek protection from the
/ dangerous policy of Louisville, but was for seeking
it under the laws lie held that the right to vote
the stock of the State in the meeting of stockholders
was plain and just and for many it should be
voted But he for using the legal means 10 obtain
tins right 50 arbitrarily denied them lie had urged the
right of the state in the meeting Of the stockholders
| lie had urged that Tennessee claimed her vote to
| secure herself; she had Invested SjijOOO in the
road. and was interested 10 the amount of $40 600
per mile m the management of that road. and de-
| manded. by the charter, voice its management
The security for the sum loaned was ample if the
/ road was well managed. but worthless if badly
| managed The redress for this was in the Courts
and the Legislature and steps should be taken 10
/ have it thus presented before them In regard to
! discriminating, Mr. Nancy said it was useless ap-
! peang to the honor OF the Louisville men. They
were going TO make As much money out of the road
as they could. and the only remedy of Nashville was
/ protection under the avs. Mr.. Nancy then read
/ the following section of the charter:
SIC Be it further enacted That he third session Of an act
entitled An act to incorporate tie Louisville snd Ma hve
aTo company, pasei an 'eme r lr' shall be 50
passengers be less through business urou business
coming from othe railroads ,uspor aor lines t6n on
rifle aSiUize; Proriisa That the rat to and
FROM intermediate points ueNseu usIle aad Nashville hall
equsl and pro rata il proportion TO mileage whether going
Moth South.
There was an amendment TO the charter. which
N u lis original form prevented any through rate
or m.aimum tariff. The amendment does not allow
OF the charging of a maximum or local freight tariff
. for Nashville. The remedy Is this. Many mer-
chants here still owe for treghts delivered at the
maximum rates Let one Of tbem. backed bv the
others refuse to pay those bills eNceptat the through
IRE" -lI charges and thus place the the