Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-16

u
On motion, the report and resolution
were taken up.
! Mr.. Gordon said he believed in using
/ plain language. He considered this exOr-
| bitant charge on the part of the counsel as
the greatest outrage on the State that had
! been perpetrated since the war. The out
rageOus extortiOn, for such it must be called
| was disgrace TO the legal profession, and a
| blot on the fair fame of the State. He would
I vote for the resolution, but would cast his
! vote with still greater pleasure if the Ian
| guage had been stronger.
Mr.. Enloe thought it would be premature
| To take any action at present. The resOlu-
/! tons before the House are based mainly on
newspaper hearsay, and without official in
| formation ON the subject the Legislature
| should not be In haste to act. He thought
an investigating committee should be ap-
| pointed to get out officially the facts in the
case and then the House could act intelli-
gently and promptly.
| Mr.. McCampbell offered an amendment
| directing the Treasurer to dishOnOr the
bonds mentioned in the preamble and res
olutiOn.
Mr.. Freeman opposed this, believing a
satisfactory conclusion could be arrived at
without dishonOring the bonds.
Mr.. Chester offered an amendments direct
ing the Attorney General to file an injunc-
ton against each of the counsel mentioned,
requiring them to return the bonds.
Mr.. Spears thought the resolution ought
to be so amended that if the Attorney Gen
eral found out that if the facts were as rep
resented in the resolution, he should pro-
coed as directed, but until such facts were
officially ascertained nasty action would be
out of place.
Mr.. McGhee said his information was
that the counsel had not yet received the
fees referred to. He understood the bonds
were now in the vaults of the bank. He
wanted investigation before further action.
Mr.. Snipes thought it best to appoint an
investigating committee. He could hardly
believe that such distinguished gentlemen
as the counsel named could be guilty of
charging the State such exorbitant fees.
Messrs. Chambers, Cliff and Walters were
in favor Of an investigation, so as to elicit
the facts in the case before proceeding fur
ther.
After further discussion, the consideration
of the resolution was, on motion of Mr.. En-
loe, postponed until tomorrow at three
O'Clock.
Mr.. Enloe subsequently, introduced joint
resolution appointing joint committee to
investigate all the facts in the case, and re-
port to the Legislature by tomorrow at three
O'Clock. The resolution was taken up and
adopted.
Mr.. McGhee introduced a resolution di-
recting the Attorney General to file excep-
tons to the report of the Clerk and Master
of the Chancery Court in regard to the fees
of the counsel, and use every effort to pre-
vent its confirmation by the court.
Mr.. Lewis said it was very important
that this resolution should be adopted, as
the case might come up in the Chancery
Court at any moment. The resolution was
taken up and adopted.
THE TAX QUESTION.
The consideration of the tax bill reported
by a majority of the Committee on Ways
and Means, and the report submitted by
the minority of that committee, being the
special order, were taken up.
On motion, the House went into Com
mittee of the Whole, Mr.. EnlOe in the
chair. 1t was decided to take up the bill
by sections. The first section provides
that the State tax on every hundred dollars
worth of taxable property shall be fifty
cents.
Mr.. FrierSon moved that the cOnsidera-
ton of this section should be postponed
until the other sections had been acted on.
On this motion discussion followed, Mr..
Lewis and others contending it was impor-
tant to regulate the tax on privileges, etc,
first, before deciding on what the ad
valorem tax should be.
Mr.. Crews was in favor of fixing the ad
valOTem tax first as it really was the foun-
dation on which other taxes were levied.
In building house it was important to
commence at the foundation. He thought
the effort to pass over the very first section
a dodge of the high-tax faction. Others
spoke in the same direction, and pending
the discussion the committee arose, and the
House adjourned until 2:45 pm,
Afternoon Session
The consideration of the tax bill was re-
sImed.
The motion to pass over the first section
failed, and the House proceeded to consider
the bill by sections.
Mr. Crews moved to strike out the word
''fifty' in the first section.
Mr.. Freeman, while saying he was oppos-
ed to Reputation in every form, could not
support the bill in its present shape. The