Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-01-04
Railroad Meeting at Clinton.

\ remarkably large number of the citi-
zens of Anderson county assembled at the
Court House in Clinton on Monday, the
I'd day of Jan, 1871, to take into consider
alton the question of the interest of said
county in the Knoxville and Kentucky
Railroad, the people having voted and the
county taken stock in the said railroad, to
the amount of one hundred thousand dol
lars.
On motion of Hon. d. X. Young, Col.
VIM. Cross. Chairman of the County
Court was called to preside, when Oliver
HOskins was chosen as Secretary. Judge
Young addressed the meeting, touching
the proposed sale of the Knoxville and
kentucky railroad, and the legal business
of said sale as to the stock of Anderso n
county. He was followed by Judge Houk,
who also discussed the question Of the right
Of the Legislature to divest the original
stockholders OF their rights of franchise
vested in them by the act of incorpora ION
and charter. He and Judge Young both
contended that while under the various
Acts appropriating money, and loan1ng
the credit Of the State in the shape of
Bonds, the right of the Legislature might
exist to sell the Cars, Iron, and other prop
erty of the Company, yet the fran chise
had never been transferred from those to
whomit was originally granted-that un-
der the legislation that exists on this sub
ject, the franchise conferred by the char
ter remains with the Compony, cannot be
transferred by the Legislature through the
medium of the auction block, to the high
est bidder as mercantile remnant.
The meeting was also addressed by Z. Z.
Edwards and others. After full discus
sion and consideration, the following res
olutions, introduced by J.. c. Houk, were
unanimously adopted:
ReSolUcd, That we, the people of Ander-
son county, in Mass Convention assembled,
do hereby request our County Court now
in session, to appoint committee consist
ing of three gentlemen, whose business it
shall be to take such steps as may be neceS-
sary to guard the interest the people of
Anderson county have as stockholders in
the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad
Company.
Resolved further That said Committee
be known and designated as the Railroad
Committee" and he invested with full
power and authority TO look after, guard,
and in every necessary manner protect all
the rights Of Anderson county as stock
holder in said Railroad COMPANY; and
that said Committee be fully invested by
the County Court with authority to insti-
tute proceedings, If necessary, to prevent
the county from losing the stock taken in
said Railroad, and also to enforce the col
lection OF the taxes due on the county sub
scription by citizens of the fractions of
Union, Campbell and other counties. In
a word, we, the people, demand that said
Committee be invested with plenary pow
or to act in the premises, so as to prevent
money sharks and SWindlers from defraud-
ing us of our just rights.
After these resolutions were adopted, on
motion. it was resolved that L. G. Houk,
ID. X. Young and John S. Ross be recon-
mended to the County Court as the proper
persons TO constitute said Committee.
This was by far the largest public meet
ing held in this county for many years. A
deep and earnest feeling prevailed.
After requesting the CHRONICLE to pub
iish these proceedings, the meeting adj
journed sine dc.
WM. CROSS, Chairman.
OLIVER HOSKINs, Secretary.
Tin accordance with the suggestion of
the meeting, the County Court appointed
the Committee named, and invested them
with the authority recommended.-EDs,
CHRONICLE.