Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-10-25
THE GOvERNOR's MESSAGE.


THE GOvERN0Rss MESSAGE.
The message of Governor John G.
Brown to the Legislature Of Tennes-
see has been received with joy and
gladness by the bOndholder; but it
has produced a profound gloom and
dependency among the tax-ridden
people, whose interest Governor
Brown ives elected to subserve. In
spite Of a message which they can
not approve, the people Of Tennessee
will still love and cherish in their
memories the gallant soldier who led
their armies on so many glorious
fields. His message is most distaste-
full; yet we presume the people, like
ourselves, will be kind in their iudg-
ment upon his course, prefering to
sscribe it to a di~sinterested and con-
scientious, though mistaken, sense Of
public duty. They will be 10th to
yield up that generous opinion, and in
their behalf we venture to iexpress
the hope that ne will yet heed the
clamors of the people for g reduced
taxation.
The message of Governor Brown is
disingenuOUs. He comes fOrwardsas
a faithful sentinel toguard the honor
and glories of Tennessee, and the sem
sitive chastity Of the legislature must
have suffered many a burning blush
during the reading of his syrupy ap-
peal and rotund curses against repu-
diation. Governor Brown erects a
a man of straw and then
proceeds to demolish it. He says the
State debt must be paid, and we sup
pose he will be ready, in csse he can't
do better, to make good his statement
in the same way in which another
statesman onee proposed to dispose of
the national debt when he said: SIT
must be paid, it shall be paid-hang it,
gentlemen, I'll pay it myself; how
much is it?" No man in Tennessee
proposes to repudiate the State debt,
and in intimating that there is such a
proposition, Governor Brown does in
justice to himself and to the people,
and INDUCES in a f~acetiousness and a
merriment as unsoemly rs that in
which Nero reviled when he
vexed catgut to the sound of
the cracking flames of burning
Rome. Governor Brown, weeps at
the idea Of keeping the innocent"
bondholder out of his pound of flesh,
even if that flesh be taken from the
hearts of the "innocent' taxpayers.
He says: Tennessee, with all her
glorious memories Of the past cluster
ing around her, cannot afford to repu-
diate her public debt, nor longer SUBJ
NIT to the humiliation Of having her
securities fiuctuated in the markets
by specializing rings, whose loud SYM
pathy with an Over-taxed people is
measured by their desire to buy
bonds at q sacrifice and sell them at a
profit" We know DINO Specializing
except the bondholder's ring
at Nashville, which is pGrticeps Grim
iRis in the which issued fraudu-
lent bonds, sold them for q mere song,
and who now, in order to ''seII them
at a profit" have placed their friends
on the street corners to pirate
about innocent bOndholders, " ~''clss-
memories ''ssN--d bonor.n
and "plightH~ faith.n Governor
I'd misinterprets the voice which
he hears. He wiIllearn ere long that
the voice which he seems TO think
emsnates from Specializing rings is
the voice OF a bankrupt, tax-ridden
people, who ask the sharks to give
them the time which they are eX-
tending to one another. For four
years the tax-paying people have
made nothing. Grinding oppression
would have forced acknowledgements
diation, if you prefer it. But to pre-
vent such general ruin, you find nearly
every man in the community carrying
a heavy debt-extending liabili-
ties which, if pressed, would incur
loss to the one and ruin to the
other. Is it honorable, repudia-
ton, to ask the inflated bond
holding shark to wait, to do what
our people are doing for each other?
The private citizen scorns to pay a
debt conceived in fraud, and the faith
of a State, instead of being sullied by
re~pudiating a fraud, rather furnishes
its honor in becoming the patron Of
thieves and specializing rings. But
dishonest, illegal and fraudulent ss
are many Of the Tennessee bonds, the
people are so scrupulous of their
honor that they design paying them.
They plead, however, for what every
debtor asks-time. The people of
Tennessee are in no condition to pay
high taxes. Losses and disasters have
Ineapacitated them from satiating the
freed Of bondholders, and ask that
he load Of taxation piled upon them
Be lifted from their shoulders until
hey are able to pay their taxes with
,ut ruin. Such is the universal de- t,
ire of the people Of West Tennessee.
Brown may stigmatize this |
for relief As the elamor Of ''specu-
ating rings" but the members Of the
legislature, fresh from the people and
amiliar with their wants and dis
resses, will not have the hardihood to :
Yote against a reduction of taxes. 1
{
THE West Tennessee railroads are C
he only mes In the State ruined by {
ne war, and rebuilt by the unaided 4
forts Of their stockholders. The
Governor, who was a good Coincide
ate general, forgetful of these facts, T
nd that, except the Louisville and P
FamDhia railroad. not one of thrm ]: