The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-10-17


4 taxes sUoH MONEY As IS INpIo ATED IN
jHArrER sos OF THE CoDn OF TESEEssse +"
We will now examine the act Of July
|, 1861, passed By rebel Legislature hOo
months after he State had been UOted ont Of
he Union. We naturally feel slight
bewilderment in arguing against the vail
dity, and obligation Of law upon the
loyal State officers Of Tennessee, which
was passed by = rebel Legislature claim
ing to belong TO another Government al
together. Governor johnson is certainly
no more under any legal or moral obliga-
ton TO obey the laws of the rebel Legis-
lature of Governor Harris, than those of
Mississippi or South Carolina. The
Dispatch, we are forced to infer, acknow-
lodges allegiance to the rebel State Gov
eminent still, inasmuch as il relies upon
its laws 10 sustain its point against the
present Military State Government. II
surely would not commit the absurdity
of arguing that Governor johnson should
obey the enactments Of the rebel State
Government, unless IL considered it
legal Government. The Dispatch says
The Legislature of 18GO.61, enacted:
(see act Of July ], 1861 that all OFF,,
GERS of the State are authorized TO re-
ceive in payment of moneys due the
State, and the several counties thereof,
the circulation of the Banks Of this State,
which conform TO the Bank Code of
Tennessee and all acts an,endato,g thereof"
The Dispatch cut off its quotation of
Gov Harris revenue law entirely too
abruptly. Let us read the first section Of
the same act, chap. %, sec. / Be 10
enacted by he General assembly Of
the State of Tennessee That it shall be
lawful for the Banks of this State to re-
ceive and pay out the Treasury notes
ofhe Confederate States of Anserica, issued
in pursuance of an act passed by the
Provisional Government Of said States
on the - day of May, 1861.
SEC. 2. Be il further enacted, that all
officers of the State are authorized TO 40
cept said Treasury notes IN PAYMENT OF
MONEYS DUE THE STATE, AND THE SEVERAL
COUNTIES THEREOF, The circulation IT the
Banks Of his State, Which conform q The
Bank Code of Tennessee and the acts amen
datory thereof"
Thus, the same law to which the
Dispatch demands that Gov. johnson
shall conform, makes Confederate money
recsivable for reuenuei The Dispatch quotes
as valid law which provides that the
revenue of Tennessee may be paid in
bank notes, which are worth sir and one
fourth cents in the Capital of the South
ern Confederacyl We need not dwell
upon this mOnstrOus position. To at
tempt to make its absurdity more evil
dent than is apparent on q simple state
ment of it, would make us almost as
ridiculous as the Dispatch has made it.
self. : io no- a eo g
The Dispatch is utterly mistaken,
when it says that Gov. johnson made
his order on revenue, "by virtue of his
authority as military Governor of the
State n % D. ID. sa
Not at ALL He made il in accordance
with the Code of Tennessee, and the
order would be valid under civil Gov
eminent.
The Dispatch quotes the authority Of
some unn AIMED "lawyer who has tho
roughly Investigated the subject" fol
saying that there is no way to avoid the
redemption Of every dollar Of the Bank
of Tennessee by the State except by
population"
Strange IS il may seem the act of July
], 1861, quoted as valid by the Dispatch
is itself an act Of rPudiation.
Read Section 6
at shall not be lawful for any Bank il
this State, either directly or indirectly
10 pay dividends duo to stockholders soso ar
citizens fase noa.slavelolding States.
Sec. z. II shall not be lawful TO pay Oh,
interest on the bands eftEs State Of Tennessee
or other bonds upon Which the State may b
liable, II said bonds ,0ere held and olOnea On
tie 10Th day Of ApTl 1851, BY citizens d
the uon-slavsholding States Of the Unitec
States Of America, or by any corporation
of said State, the day named being thl
date of President Lfncoln's Proclamation
calling for serenity fee thousand volunteer,
for the suJ5ugation of tie South; nor shall ii
30 LAWFUL to pay tse principal o. any par
hereof Of said bonds" aA
There is reputation with avengeance
and by the authors Of the very act which
the Dispatch says is so fragrant q wrong
in Governor johnson to repudiate. Truly
there is a zeal which is "not according
to knowledge" aud lawyers who inves.
tigAte subjects thoroughly are not wholly
exempt from the failing.
The Bank of Tennessee, acting under
Gov. Harris, has robbed and swindlet
the people Of many millions of dollars
no man knows how many, perhaps ten
perhaps fifteen, perhaps twenty millions
Let this robbery be charged upon the
traitors of the Legislature of ls60-6l
and nm Gov Harris. who are alone re.