Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-17

ley. Passed its third reading.
The bill Incorporating the Lebanon and
Gallatin Railroad Company. Passed.
Adjourned till 9 AN. tomorrow.
HOuse OF ce1sssenfaiISe<.
The following biIls were introduced,
passed first reading and referred
Mr.. Waters: A bill to protect the rights
of married women. ~
Mr.. Dyer: Providing that clerks of courts
shall make semi-annual statements to the
Compiroller's Office, instead of quarterly
statements as now required.
Mr.. Singletary introduced a resolution
requiring receivers of railroads to subscribe
to the franchise oath. Laid over.
A number of bills were considered and
passed on second reading.
THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.
Senate bill authorizing the Comptroller
to pay A. A. Pearson, Commissioner of
Metropolitan Police at Chattanooga, the
sum of $4,000, due the Metropolitan Police
of that city for services from November l.,
1866, to March 9, 1867.
Mr.. Shepherd spoke in opposition to the
bill. He argued that the State was not
bound to pay the debt. The Commissioner
had advanced the money, not on the
credit of the State, but the city of Chatta-
nooga. The act Of 1866 provided that
money should be advanced for the MAIN
tenance of the. Metropolitan Police. They
had been maintained, and that upon the
credit of the city of Chattanooga, and it
was only when this corporation was found
to be unwilling or unable to pay the debt
that the State was called upon to assume
it. The sum first claimed was $4,000, and
a suit against the Comptroller for this
amount is now pending in the Court of
Davidson county. How was it that the
clause az now brought before the House
had swelled to $4,000.
Mr.. Dyer spoke in opposition to the
bill. He said: |, sir, am no repndiator.
/ am for every man paying his Just debts
and the State also; bat | must see plainly
that this is a debt of the State. This
claim seems to be- for $4,000. l am in
formed by the Comptroller of the State
that the account was, when first presented
to him, only $4,000. would like to have
some gentleman show me how this $1,000
has accumulated to $4,000.
/ am not willing to vote a tax upon my
constituents to pay for the services of the
Metropolitan Police at Chattanooga. |
think that the citizens of Chattanooga should
pay that. 1t was created, if created at all,
for their own use and benefit. Let the
city authorities levy tax upon their own
citizens and collect the debt, when that re,
bellious element will help to foot the bill.
Mr.. Agee said:
1t has been argued by gentlemen that it
was right, and to deny and refuse the app
| preparation would be tantamount to repu,
diation but they have failed to show any
law whereby the State ever undertook 10
| pay these liabilities / have examined
the law on the subject, and End that the
law provides for the payment of these debts
| by the citizens where the organizations ex.
ist but in no case do | find any law au-
| thorizing appropriations to be made by the
| State 10 meet these liabilities. But il has
been argued by other gentlemen that this
| appropriation is for the benefit of a loyal
man, and therefore it ought TO be paid.
| Now, am unable to see the force of such
arguments. If appropriations are to be
made to men simply on the grounds of 10y
atty, then we may have more such claims
from all parts of the State.
The last Legislature passed law posi-
| lively forbidding appropriations to any of
| these organizations. | ask gentlemen if
/ they are prepared TO make the appropria-
ton at the expense of their constituents.
am opposed to this bill, because it pro.
poses to tax my constituents to pay the
/ liabilities of citizens of Chattanooga
liabilities that the law provides for them to
| pay and not my constituents.
Mr.. Hacker read the law making it the
duty of the State TO advance the money
necessary 10 maintain the Metropolitan
Police, and said if this law did not oblige
the State TO pay the debt now presented
then he was unable TO understand the
meaning of plain English This money
had been advanced by Mr.. Pearson for the
| very purpose contemplated in the law, and
il would be nothing less than repudiation
on the part of the State to refuse to pay
the debt. 1t had been charged that the
| claim was urged because due TO a loyal
man. He denied this. 1t was because the
claim was just and the State legally bound
20 pay it that he was in favor of it,
| Mr.. Speaker Richards explained that the
discrepany existing between the amount
claimed in the suit now pending in the Su.
preme Court and that asked for in the bill
was due to the fact that the first asked
for the amount due from November lst
1866, to February 7th, 1867, while the lattel
included the amount due up to March 9th
1867.
Mr.. Williams denied the obligation Of the
State under existing laws to pay the claim
No lawyer would deny that the citizens o
Chattanooga were responsible for the debt
and il wonld be 30 decided in the suit nov
pending; but if the claim was paid by tn,
State the suit would be Withdrawn, for M
man would care to prosecute a claim wheT
he had the money in his pocket. He wa
credibly informed that Nashville stood
ready to present a similar claim for 70,00I
if this bill should pass, and when would
this business stop?
Mr.. White Of Greene, ,sreplied, that i
would stop when the State had paid all it,
honest debts, and he did not want it 10 stoI
sooner. 1t was poor argument TO urg'
against the payment of an honest debt, tina
another would come up for payment. /
had been urged that members would b
called to an account by their constituent
for their action in thrusting taxes upoI
them. For his own part he was not afrait
to meet his constituents and tell them tha
he had voted to pay the honest debts of th'
State. If he should not come back unit
he was ready to repudiate the debts of tn
State, he did not desire to come back a
all.
AFTERNOON SRSsIoS.
The consideration Of Senate bill to pa,
the Metropolitan Police, was resumed, sn'
after considerable discussion vote wa
reached, and the bill was lost by vote o
28 to 80.
Senate bill No. 142: To authorize th
city Of Nashville to issue $500, 900 OF bonds
for the payment of the floating debt OF TIA
city. Passed third reading.
Mr.. Taylor moved to reconsider the vot
on the bill to pay the Metropolitan Polio
Of Chattanooga.
Mr.. McFall moved to lay the motion ol
the table. Lost.
! Mr. Williams moved an indefinite post