Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-12-30
Legislative Wrongs to Merchants.

from the Memphis Avalanche
The following, bearing so directly on
the prosperity of Tennessee, cannot fail to
lie read with interest. We hope the mer-
antile classes will relax no effort until the
dlious discrimination of the State laws
,gainst them ceases to exist:
MURFREEsBoRo', Tenn,
December p, 1871. !
Hr. YIN Il. Moore, Memphis, Tenn:
DEAR SIR AND FRIEND: Having felt
deep interest in your efforts, and fully APP
rreciating your labors in behalf of the
merchants of our State, / feel that ] owe
you my thanks, and take this opportunity
to present them most sincerely. Although
YOU failed to accomplish the desired OBJ
ject, still you have done your whole duty,
and have, in common with myself, the
thanks of the business men of the State.
Our Legislature has adjourned, and left
the merchants without relief-the odiOus
discrimination still pollutes the statutes of
tennessee. Still L think your efforts
ought not to cease. Never despair in a
operation of all the merchants in the State
in your endeavors. Ert
As you, with. those working with you,
failed, | would suggest that different pol
lev be adopted for the future, tO-wit: That
YOUR Board of Trade,n your city being
the largest, and having taken more interest
than any other city, form a " Merchants
Ring" if you please-anything to accom-
plish the desired object-and address q cir
cular letter to one or more merchants in
each and every town in Tennessee, request
ing an organization Of all the business men
in the towns and counties, making it their
duty to have a merchant or some good man
nominated in their County Convention,
who will work and vote to put the mer-
chants on an equal footing with the bal
ance of their fellow-citiZens. l believe
this plan, if adopted, would secure from
half to three-fourths of our Legislature
made up of merchants and good practical
business men, men that would do honor
to our State. I think our State would be
greatly benefited in many respects, espe-
cially in its financial condition, by having
good practical business men to make its
laws. and carry it through its present finan-
cial difficulties. | think if the matter was
properly brought before the business men
of the State in practical manner, headed
by your Board of Trade, all could be ac-
complished that we desire, not only in re-
gard to taxes, but the entire interests of
the State. 1 would be glad to hear from
YOU on the subject. Yours truly,
H. G.. WRIGHT.
MEMPHIS, Dec. %, 1871.
MT. III. {. lVrtght, OIuIJrceSOOTO', Ie1H.:
Ny DEAR SIR-I have pleasure in re-
plying to yours of the 2lst instant, sympa-
thizing with the merchants of the State in
their failure to receive from the recent
Legislature the passage Of an act placing
them upon a simple equality before the
law with other classes of their fellow citi-
zens. Not getting protection from that
source, they are forced to apply very re-
luctantly) to the courts for equal justice,
and are now arranging to bring the ques-
ton speedily up for action. The sugges-
ton which you make about getting up
an organization throughout the State to
bitterly oppose all candidates for any
offices hereafter who refuse to give mer-
chants equal justice, is already discussed
by us, and will be acted upon vigorously
when the time comes for candidates to
ask the suffrages of the merchants of Ten
nessee. You may rely upon it that no
candidate hereafter-from Governor down
to Magistrate-will be enabled to receive
the merchants vote until he pledges to
them justice and equality.
Very respectfully, etc.,
WIN. r. MOORE.