Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-06-14

treason to the trusts confded to
him by his constituency, and if in
dicted, a jury of twelve men
would find him guilty of wilful
and corrupt perjury.
I was at Murfreesboro at the
time this scene transpired, but did
not happen to be in the Legisla-
ture at the moment. The utmost
excitement followed it, as a matter
of course; but it was of that de-
scription that produced a death
like silence.s' Some moments
elapsed before the Assembly recov-
cred itself; when two of its men,
'bers, Adam Huntsman, and a man
name Miller, rose and protested
against the action of General Jack
son, and the entire proceeding
They protested rather in behalf
of the dignity of the Legislative
body, whose legitimate functions,
they alleged, had been invaded,
than in defence OF the bank
bill. Both, however, had ulti-
mate cause to regret the course
they had adopted: for the rapidly
increasing popularity of the Gen
eral absorbed everything and de-
molished every thing that op-
posed it. Mr.. Miller, | believe,
never politically recovered from
the shock his conduct provoked;
but Mr.. Hunts1nan, by removing
to a distant portion of the State,
where he ultimately became an
advocate of General Jackson's for
tunes and political creed, ultimate
ly restored himself, and subse-
quently reached the American
Congress, where he sustained the
Generals administration, though
he professed to be a Judge White
man.
Whatever might have been said,
or whatever was said in reference
to the bold and somewhat arbitra-
ry course of conduct General Jack
son pursued on the occasion In
question, it was, beyond all posi-
bic doubt, the means of saving
Tennessee from the distress, abso-
lutte misery, and approximating
anarchy, that had already been
inflicted on Kentucky and Ohio,
by the banking mania that had
beset them, and which had already
begun to develop itself, in all its
blighting consequences and de-
pravity.
In the year 1916, the former
State had, by the passing of a sim
gle act, established two-and-forty
"Independent Banks" as they
were called, and planted them in
different and remote sections
The further out of the way they
could be located, the better it suit
ed the convenience and designs of
those who managed them. Seve-
raj of them were in places that
were almost inaccessible. lrecol-
lect one of them remarkably well.
1t was called the Bank of BARRIERS
vile, and purported to exist in the
town of Barbersville, in Knox
County. 1t had been in operation
few months only, when l became
possessed of a cheque on it, drawn
by Col. Richard M. johnson, of
several hundred dollars. Being
anxious to obtain its liquidation,
and not being able to negotiate ii
with any of the banks or bankers
Sin the settlements, L mounted
my horse, and proceeded toward
the town of Barbersville. 1t was.
/ soon found out, amid the peaks
of that part of the Allegheny
range of mountains that are known
as the Cumberland Ridge; but, on
coming within some ten miles OF it
1 found myself entirely off the le
gitimate track, for there was moth
ing but a bride path, that lee
from the main road to the city OF
#The effect that surprise or astonlshmen
produces is often ludicrous and never equal
! 1t is related when the news OF the escape %
z IL leland of Elha- and MS re