The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-28

ussat Of De5ts, and for tls Reiisf Of q
People
Ma. sPEAErR: introduced this bin 70
the purpose, as its title indicates, Of "secur
: ing the payment Of debts, and 10 relieve tn
e people = and hope the Senate viii indulg
me in q few remarks in explanation and de
Tense OF its provisions, The question Of re
J ief is nos q new one in the legislative his
tory OF the State. Short crops and peeunia
~ embarrassment from other causes hay
often been followed by appeals TO the Legs
lature for effective remedies, and the repre-
s3ntatives Of the people, acting in good faitl
toward their constituents, have never beer
entirely deaf O. those sppeais, but have gen
orally. ii not always, stood forth in theil
ofhcial and representative capacity, and ex
tended to the people Of the State such a z
and assistance as they have believed they
had the p0Wer, under the Constitution, Il
give. But, Mr.. Speaker, this General As
sembly haseonyened under state Of things
more extraordinary and distressing than
have ever before surrounded any legislative
body in Tennessee.
| We hear the vail Of distress, aceompau-
led by an appeal for relief, coming up from
every county and neighborhood throughout
the entire length and breadth Of this un-
fortunate Commonwealth. This distress
has not been produced BY short crops, or
any pecuniary embarrassment growing out
OF the business affairs ofthe country; neither
has it been produced BY the sgency or viii
ful action Of the great mass OF TIE people,
who have been and are likely 10 be ruined
by il; but it has been brought upon the
country by a civil War--a war gotten up
and controlled by few lawless aud am
bilious leaders, who have precipitGtely in
4 vol raj h.. HI.
brought ruin upon our people. In the fall
Of 1850, the crop in my Senatorial district
was short one, and my recollection is,
that 1t was 50 all over the State; and this
tact, together with other causes, that then
surrounded the people, made "hard times"
But in the winter Of that year, aud during
the winter and spring OF 1861, contrary to
the wishes and expectations Of the people
Of the State, this civil war--a lawless,
causeless, and q wicked rebellion-was
forced upon them by those who desired to
FIRE the Southern heart and precipitaie the
| cotton States into a revolution and a state
Of things followed thatnO man could antici-
pate, and that mas made il impossible for
the people 10 Immediately pay the liabili-
ties that were otherWise heavy and exceed
ingly difficult for them to discharge. Pas
sion and folly ruled the hour, and the spirit
Of war and rebellion swallowed everything
The Judge left the beneh--the lawyer
closed bis otiice-the miuister Of the gospel
abandoned his fock-the merchant fors0ok
his cOunter-the shops were shut up-the
plough stood still in the field-the energies
snd personal substance o: the people were
| diverted from their peaceful. productive
and legitimate channels, and most ofthe men,
young and Old, who we're not hunted down
and exiled from home, were either pursu-
AIDED, intimidated or conseripted into an
army organized aud directed for the wicked
! and unhOly purpose Of wsging war against
and breaking up the Government that had
l 80 kindly blessed and amply protected
| them, by a felg 1ui5itieusland dehGaf traitors,
weose wicked movements and purposes the
masses Of the people because ofthesurround-
ing circumstances could not prevent or re
| sist.
But, Mr.. Speaker, after four years Of in
tolerance and bloOdshed, unparalleled in the
history Of any country, this terrible strife
thus forced upon the maHy by the felg, has
been ended, and peace once more smiles
upon us but what is now the condition Of
the people Of Tennessee. lor whom we are
here 10 legislaie, and whose interests it is
our duty 10 guard and pr0tect2 Hundreds
and thousands Of her stalwart men have
persisted in this tratricidal strife, and weep
ing widows and helpless orphans now accu-
DIV the dreary abodes OF once happy and
comfortable hones-publc energy snd cen
fdence is entirely de3TOyed-publIc ana
private credit are utterly eXtinguished-
real estate, except here and there in a town
or city, il deprecated at least one half, if
not two thirds, in value, and almost thrown
out of the Inarkst-ths larger portion Cf the
personal effects Of the people, lcOrn, wheat,
oats, hogs, horses, cattle, sheep, and every
thing else,) has either been wasted or con-
summed in this var, and the owaers have not
one dollar 20 show for them. Add 10 this
destruction Of their personal effects the
abolition of slavery In the State, and the
entire extinction Of all that class Of proper
", and YOU lind the people OF Tennessee
utterly unable 20 pay their debts! The
slave property alone, that the people Of the
State have lost by this suicidal rebellion,
was valued in 1850 at one hundred and If
teen millions OF dollars, and the Withdrawal
of this amount from the resources OF the
people. with the embarrassment and liabil-
tiles that were upon them at thai date, would
bankrut the whole Commonwealth. And if
YOU were 10 put upon the block to morrow
everything in the State and sell it TO the
highest bidder. my candid opinion is, that
IL would not psy the liabilities that are now
upon the people Of the State of Tennessee.
How is &c possible, then, for them under
this state Of things, 70 Immediately pay
their debts few days ago, in discus
sioa upon this floor, we were informed by
the honorable Senators from Johnson, Nor |
gan and Granger, aud several other Senators, |
III the deplorable condition Of their eonsti- |
tuents, snd we have every assurance that |
this call upon us is not destitute OF merit. !
We should not. therefore, regard it a. an /
empty sound, b fall upon our ears without |
awakening the most serious feelings and |
mature consideration. Can We disregard 1t
and stand unm0ved and see eur consiitu- |
ents bankrupted by the thou sands, and |
tbsy and their families thrown upon the com
munity without dollar with which TO buy a
meals victunls or place where 70 lay their
hesds without making a united and honest
effort to agree upon some measure Of relief
that will prevent ltt No, sir! And am
reioiced with the assurance I feel, that every
senator upon this door is ready and willing
10 stretch forth bis hand to extend relief in
some shape. What shall or can We do them
Is the only remaining practical question for
rs TO consider. We have had a variety Of
PROPOSITIONS under consideration during the
session, but do not hesi:atate 10 declare
nv preference for the one now before the
senste; aud if we pass il, have no doubt
but that il viii prove to be 3 most useful
and valuable measure in its result, to both
the creditor and debtor classes Of the C m
nunity. By the indulgence Of the sensts l
will briefly advert 70 some Of the main pro-
visions Of the bill.
The first section provides tkst execution
shall not issue upon any judgments or de-
crees, that have been, or may hereafter be
rendered upon any debt created before the
sth Of June, 1861, until after three yesrs
from its rendition, except for costs Of SUIT
With q view 70 meet the wishes Of those who
think 10 bad policy 70 stay the collection OF
all indebtedness 10 the country, 1 nave
nurposely provided IN this bill, that no eye
eeution should BE- stayed for three years,
avrept those upou debts created before the
rebaflion in 1881 and because believe that
n there Gu be time given upon these lts-
blities, which were created when the c9un-
tYv vas in state 81 prosperity and the
people comparatively fell Of resource, that
ihey could pay, and would MAKE an earnest
honest effort 10 discharge al Their obliga-
,so-s This section provides that all this
ei,ss Of executions shall be stayed Tor three
go. without security, except the costs Of
sn;t for which execution may issue IS now
rroyided for BIZ law Il provides for the
Collection Of the costs, because the officers
i've nv their fees, and Is would work IA
i-,.s hardship upon them 70 wait three
vs,rs fsr their pay, when their whole time
= srent In the dl-charge OF their oilcial Gl-
- But tbs stay % three years VIII not
= efect the plaintiff. He has ether sour
-. of income and other means Of support,
h.si5as these claims OF old standing sgsinst
| - reirbbor. and he can very well atiord
| - 80 hif1. who hiss nothing 20 pay sith,
/ So years time 70 make the money and
- debt that was contracted under = stgte
I A urosperity, that then justified him N the
4 batef thsi he would Be able % meet lt AZ
/ T,ss-,ritv: but who hiss since that time been
I -f-inped Of al his available resources By
l e9isnitv that be could not then sntieipsis
81 sfnes svsrt. But this provision is object
| "a ID because the debtor is not required 70
girs security fo- The debt. Nothing We
a. nee viii be worth one cent % the
/ ss.,trv fthe defendant IN the suit is forced
Il 80 security before he can avail him
s.if sf h benefits Condolences is 50 de
sf-oved-credt BE- so broken down. and
he business AID ps,uniary affslFs
III The eountry 80 derangud, that
nsp of the best credit heretofore, can
De;tber give security Or borrow money 70
adjust OF perfect business transaction.
What ther. 4 s relief measure worth that Is
% fr.uied ~ % make i impossible fsr any