Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-16

| many of them high iODed gcntlemen-ar,
necessary to the welfare Of society, am
give aid TO the other classes in getting {
market for their produce and labor, bu
are not SO much the builders of society a.
the other above mentioned classes. Tht
| caravans were great Asiatic band OF
merchants, and transported much produce
| and manufactured material across the
sandy deserts, on the backs of camels.
| Tyre was great commercial metropolis,
and all the great commercial cities of the
world must be thecentre of navigation by
| natural streams, canals, or railroads.
Who constructs the canals, railroads. and
vessels of burden that carry the com
merce from one portion of the world to
another? Where does all the produce
come from that is transported in these
various ways? All must come from labor.
But cast our eyes at our own State-seven
hundred miles of railroads in it-all built
by labor and the greater amount of the
money used came from the hands of the
farmer in stock taken, for which he gets
no dividend The balance by the issuance
of State bonds, for the redemption of
which, the farmers property is pledged.
Our State owes at least $50, 900, 900 now
for railroads. Were these roadsnot built
more for the transportation of commerce
than any thing else? Are not the mer-
chants the commercial class of our peo-
plea Then do they not derive more
benefit from them than any other class I?
Yet the mechanic and farmer have fur
nished the labor, material, and money
that built them, except what was fur
nished to the State greatly on their credit.
These roads are not paying the interest on
their debt to the State by $1,000, 900.
Must the laboring class then build the
roads, furnish the stock, and pay all the
State debt, and let the merchant enjoy all
the benefit? Change our system of taxa
ton as the committee proposed from the
Constitution of 1884, under which all
these roads were built and kept up, and
the effect is, almost the entire burden is
taken off the merchants and placed upon
the shoulders of the men who have done
all for the roads and made all the i'm
prOVements in the interior of our country,
and these are the ones that build up all
countries and demand protection at home,
for they circulate their money and labor
among US, while the merchant takes
il away to be circulated and
enjoyed by foreign people.
| do not think it is right to discriminate |
against either one of the great founda-
tional classes of society, but render equal |
and exact protection to all This is done |
in Constitution of 1884, and any depar-
frOlg IN ha. |
be, think, Misrepresentation of the will |
Of our constituents, instead of rejecting
i. | fear any change on this subject |
Will gather cOmbustible matter over our |
political horizon in the future, and the
heavy peals of thunder will tear down |
he magnificent structure we are here
seeking to erect. We must look forward
o a long and bright future, that will cast
IS silyery wings over every iuhabitaut in
he State, and tender equal protection in
life, liberty and property to the mechan
c, merchant, and farmer, the rich,
Door, white and black. We must try to
mite the interests, feelings and desires of
III in sustaining and loving the organic
aw here made, that peace, happiness and
,ood will may reign throughout the land
nd that the wheels of government like
he ponderous orbs rolling in ether over
.ur heads, move along by the laws that are
made to control them through all time to
ONE. TO accomplish this great end is
he uppermOst desire and most cherished
Iope of my heart Aided as we are by
be kind protection of Providence, and
uided by the great wisdom of this bodyE
re can carry the ship, if we do not load
too heavy, safely across the waters,
mid the gathering angry clouds to the
reat port of her future destination,
where she may rest in peace and safety
or generations to come. Having already
too long upon your time and
must close by bestowing upon
his honorable body my heartfelt thanks
or the kind attention they have given
nc WHILE speaking.