Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-09

ing at ten O'Clock, Judge Turner in the
chair.
On motion of Squire Wade the officer o
the court was directed to 80 out and hum
mp absentees.
Squire Baskette offered resolution "a.
tifginp tbs action of the Finance Commit
tee, IN refusing to pay porters OF the seve
raj courts. and directing the Judge not tC
issue warrants to such parties.
The resolution was adopted.
Squire Bsskette also offered the fol
lowing:
Be it re solved by tee County OJugt O.
Davidson county, That tits thesense of this
Court that The Legislature should provide
suitable and efficient laws fr the protec
tiun Of HIVES of persons travelling upor
the railroads. ia this State, that this court
respectfully suggest to the Legislature, the
psop-ieiy OF providing for bridge inspec-
tors Of railroads, two for each grand division
of the State whose duty it shall be to inspect
the bridges on the railroads in thsir re-
spectivs divisions of the State. We further
suggest that s4id Bulge Inspectors be ap'
pointed by the Legislature, and that they
shall in no wise be connected with any
railroad company either in the State or
Curt certify this action of tbs Court t.
the next General Assembly.
squire Maxsy spoke against the resolu.
ticn as pre- juggling the case of the North.
western Z 1llrosd.
Squire Baskstte said that he had pre-.
serted The resolution to several railroad
men, and they had said it was perfectly
right
Cd cd 9TH o-lr
one dissenting vote.
Sogire j sskstte offered q resolution
providing that the coaEty Judge issue nc
warrant to any juror, unless the CLERK Of
the Lsw- Cont cerlifes the fact that the
parties 10 the suit request a venirs q
twelve jurors to Try the said cause in which
he acted as Juror.
The resolution was adopted.
At the request Of Squire Msxey an opin-
ion was read from Gov. NELL 5. Brown,
holding that the County Court had no
authority to take stock in any new enter
prise for which It would be necessary TO
tax the people, without first submitting
the proposition to the people, which must
be ratified by three-fourths vote.
Maj. John G. Thompson then addressed
the court upon tbs resolution before it, in
regard to the Edgeield and Kentucky Rail
read
IS the speeches made yesterday were
We lengthy, we are compelled to cut them
down, and present only a synopsis Of tie
points presented.
After some Introductory remarks, re said
Tat the CONSTIPATION forbade any city OF
county to take stock, with others, IN cor
poIation, company CT association, excep!
noon an election by the people end the as
st5ot Of thtee-fo 1rths. But this provision
referred entirely TO money TO be raised,
AID not to the expenditure of a fund now
IL the treasury, IS the speaker considered
the ceunty's stock in tho Louisville aud
Nashville Railroad 10 be. Ii q company
was organized, with a capital of $500, 600,
he thought majority of the County Court
had the power to convert the county S
stockSn the Louisville road into stock in
the new company. Msj. Thompson con-
tinUed:
Say however that the county Ehall be
required to make the purchase alone,
witch would leave say 5000, 600 still 10 be
raised by taxation, after the con version Of
the Louisville and Nashville stock. Uader
the provision Of the now constitution in
question (sec. % Of art. p the
Legislature may authorize the Coun-
~ Court TO impose taxes for cor
poration purposes, but you cannot lend
your credit to any company or association,
except by q vote ofths psOple. This pro
vision is imperative, bat IL does not pre-
vent the County Court from giving or
loaning the credit Of the county for
county purpose, undertaken by the county
alone, and not in aid Of sny company or
association. You may, therefore, in my
opinion, buy the State debt against the
Edgefeld and Kentucky Railroad Comps-
ny, and issue tho Necessary bonds to do
10. Or you may take stock In q
company 20 be organized for that pur-
pose, TO the extent of our funds,
or convertible stocks you may own; and
you may also give or lend the credit Of the
county 10 such a company to aLyextent to
which you be authorized by the people up
On an election II v hich three fourtLs Of the
qualified voters shall vcts in the atfims-
tive. This leaves but enc other gu stio' :,
namely, WHISTLER or not such expenditure
of money or credits would be for a county
purpose. Fortunately that is decided
question. Il was dec ded sfhrmstivsly by
the Supreme Court Of Tennessee in the
case of NIchoF-vs Mayor and Aldermen of
Nashville, in oh Humphries, AID in the
case of McCalls VS. Mayor and Aldermen of
Caa tiLooga in 81 Head. Ia the latter
case the court said that tie fact of the rail-
road lying almost entirely without the State
made It none the less g corporation Iur-
pose.
This view of tee law, if you shall adopt
it, leaves NJ other question but that of the
cxpedl-Ucy Of this investment by the
county, AMI on that question he under
stood there was not much diversity of
Option in the court after the question OF
their power to act under the law should be
settled to their satisfaction. As to its ex-
pedieucy, he thought there was every
reason tor II AID none against it. What
will yCur (ztoek in the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad Company DO worth
10 GU now that thst company has
adopted the policy OF expendi0g all its
dvidsnds in the purchase Of 0 her roads?
Nothing; Just nothing. But suppose it
should pay a large annual dividend, why
should you remain the poor pensioners OF
Louisville when you have the chance left
by cutting loose from beF to become hoT
successful rival. Thi' is your last chance
TO save yourselves. The speaker said he
made no pTetense 10 speak calmly and DIS
passiousisiy in regard to the harrow and
prasping policy of Louisville-.hat hon in
Iescs and lamb IN war. A treach-
erous friend snd a trescherous en-
envy. Of course be vss not under
stood to stigmstizs in this manner The per
sonal character of the people of Louisville
for ne bad there many friends aud some
relatives. What he referred to wss the
policy of the city which had raised no al
eDem5 against il IN every other city CT the
Union. She nd even come - rs SIS
Joab did 10 AmasG v heu he kissed him and
took him by thr.beard aud sald Art thou in
health my brother? and at the same tin q
stabbed him il the fifth rib. Hs knew it
was customary for persons connected with
that Railroad 60 deny the charge brought
against them by the Nashville merchant.
He had taken the precsution TO furnish
himself With written statement from one
Of the wholesale houses in the city which
he iead, il these woyds: 10 September,
1870, the Star Union Lines rate to Nash,
vile was 81 per hundred. The Louis
viIie and Nashville Railroad charged theih
sixty cents per hundred of that amount,
that being their full first cla's csarges,
they refusing TO pro rata That was TO
freight coming south Of Louisville. These