Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-08

I have entertained hopes that ere this The roa
would have been restored to the company, in whose
hands il would, to a great extent have been under
the control and management Of Directors upon the
part OF the State, appointed by your Excellency,
composed of men living along the line of the road,
most OF whom have been long and fsvorably known,
and have long been identified with the interest Of
the State and of the road but in this well-grounded
hope have been disappointed. And now the men
selected and appointed BY your Exceleney to guard
and protect the interests Of the State in this road
are subjected TO the humiliation of seeing themselves
discarded and set aside their counsels wholly dis
regarded in the management of the road and them
selves practically denied the right TO perform the
duty 10 which you assigned them, or to discharge
the high trusts confded to their hands. Under ex-
sting circumstances they are compelled TO stand by
in silence with folded arms and witness day BY day
the destruction Of the interests they expected to
protect, without the power to arrest the Of the
destroyer and to the credit of the State parayz
ed, and the pockets Of her people plundered with
out the power 10 prevent it.
wish most respectfully 10 call your attention TO
conceded fact, that the early completion of the
branch road from Huntingdon to jackson is mat
ter Of vital importance TO the State in enabling the
company, by increase of its business to pay the
interest upon the State bonds. And in this conHec-
ton, It must be remembered, Receiver has no
power TO build & railroad. All he can do is to run
and manage road already built and the hands of
the company is now so paralyzed it DO nothing.
wish also again, most respectfully, to call your
attention TO she fact that the company has never
accepted tho State aid rendered by the act of De-
cember last except upon the condition that the road
should be restored TO the company. This condition
never having been complied with, consequently the
offered ad has never been accepted, and the issu-
Rnce Of such bonds TO any one is wholly unRuthor-
lied by any law, and being issued without authority
Of law and the consent Of the company, they con-
part of the company. But being advised that one
hundred thousand dollars of the bonds of the State
had been Issued to the Receiver, in order TO meet
the question which must come and to protect the
interest Of the State on account Of said bonds l
procured the adoption Of resolution By the board
pledgng the company, ia the event the road should
be promptly restored to the possession and control
Of the company, to assume all liability ON account
OF said bonds in so far they had been applied to
the purposes for which they had been designed, as
fully and to the same extent if they had been ac-
cspted by the company and delivered to its officers
/ wish also sgAin, most respectfully to state to
your Excellency that having had an interview with
you touching the question of restoration of the
road to the company, at your special request pre-
sented your views to the board and stated the terms
upon which you had announced to me your willing
ness TO turn over the road to the company and
notwithstanding all the terms dictated By you in
that interview were promptly and cheerfully COM
piled with by the board, the road still remains in
the hands of the Receiver.
have been advised that subsequent to my inter-
view with you, your purposes underwent some
change, for reasons of which l am not advised but
which doubt not were regarded by you as good
and satisfactory.
And am further informed that the reason the
road has not been restored TO the company, in ac-
cordance with your original purpose is because of
reelection of Mr.. Burns as President of the Com
pany, who, perhaps, because of some fact which
come 70 your knowledge, subsequent to the inter
view before alluded to, has become obnoxious to
you. Upon this subject wish to state to you that
am not the champion of Mr.. Burns. The great
and leading object which I had in view and by
which believed the board was governed, was to
secure the interest of the State and of the stock
holders by placing the road again under the control
and management Of the Directory
The board earnestly desired to cooperate with
you in the accomplishment Of this object and had
no desire TO thrust upon you officers which were OBJ
jectonable TO you, or TO ask you TO determine the
merits Of an unpleasant issue between Mr.. Burns
and Mr. Innes. And have no doubt but that the
board is still willing, if within its power, TO obvi
ate any difficulty existing in your mind upon this
subject by The election Of TO the Office of
President OF the company who will be unobection-
able, and in whom yourself, the company, and the
country will have confidence. Mr.. Burns assures
me that in order TO effect restoration of the road
10 the company, and to avert the impending ruin,
he will resign any day and give place 20 another.
Feeling, as do, thoroughly convinced that the |
interest Of the State and of every person interested
in the success of the road demands an early resto-
ration Of the road to the control of the Directory
would most respectfully invite your attention to
recent act of the Legislature, by which authority
is given you 10 remove Receivers whenever you may
be of the opinion the interest of the State may re-
luire it.
The board, at its last meeting adjourned to meet
sgain on Friday next.
In view of these facts, and of the many others 4
with which | know you are familiar, do most ear
lestly invoke such action upon your part will |
give confidence to the country, the interest of
he State and stockholders the of the
enterprise, and insure the gratitude Of sli right
thinking men who are interested and are now /
watching the matter with such deep and anxious |
.olicitude
think l can assure you, that should you restore !
The road to the company, under the peculiar circum
stances thrown around it. not single voice will be
heard against it it be the voice of despi
cable Shylock bewailing the loss of pound Of flesh
And you may rest assured you will have the hearty
cooperation of the board in every reasonable effort
10 protect the interest of the State. I have now |
lone my duty The matter is with you.
Now, dear Governor, in conclusion, let me say, |
should these views meet your approval let me hear
from you upon the subject by Friday next, SO that
he board may take such action may be necessary
for the accomplishment of the end so desirable to
III the people of the State
Respectfully yours,
ALVIN HAWKINS.