Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-04
AND HlANCHEsTER
RAILROAD.

Sp6Cuuly 10 CAil your bltcutOu 10 some
facts concerning this road, and to ask your
thoughtful consideration of them, in which
statement will not burthen your minds
or OCCUPY your time with the origin or an
tecedents of the road, but begin with a
plain, impartial narration of facts, which
have occurred since your official notice to
the stockholders of your intention to sell
the road, by the authority vested IN you
by an act Of the Legislature. After the
company had been legally notified through
the President OF the Board of Directors, a
meeting of the stockholders was called
to meet at Manchester, the usual
place for such meetings A large
number of the stockholders, more
I think than a majority, met to learn the
objects of the meeting, and to consult as
to the policy right and proper to adopt
and pursue. After long and full consUita-
tion, and the best legal advice, openly and
publicly given, it was resolved to employ
the ablest legal counsel to answer in be-
half of the stockholders your bill filed to
subject the interests of the stockholders TO
sale for the benefit of the State, and the
President of the road was instructed to
employ such counsel to defend the rights
of the stockholders to the last extremity.
The meeting adjourned, the stockholders
returned to their homes, confident that
such would be the course taken by a
Board SO charged, that their rights, what
ever they might be, were trusted in safe
hands, ard that the expressed wishes of
the meeting would be complied with. But
no; greatly to my surprise, on the after
noon of the 9th, 1 accidentally learned
that the President of the Board had called
meeting of the stockholders to meet at
McMinnvile on Saturday, April 1. I did
not hear word about the object of the
call. When l reached Manchester, the
usual Injecting place of the Board
and stockholders, l was able to
find a printed notice from Gen. Hill,
calling the meeting, but could not find a
single iRtimation why or for what purpose
the meeting had been called, nor could
any one saw at Manchester give me such
information. When the up train from
Tullahoma arrived ten or fifteen minutes
before twelve o'clock and others from
Manchester, who had heard of the call,
got on board and went to McMinnville,
certainly not the usual place Of stockhol-
ders' meeting. Reaching there at late
hour, we thought, to attend to important
business-no lighticculd be had on our way
up touohiDg the objects of the meeting-we
were left wholly to conjecture. l heard
soon after my arrival from Col. Smart that
some report was to be submitted for sp-
| provsl by the stockholders, bat did not
| learn definitely what it was. In less than
| five minutes after 1, in company with
| other stockholders entered the Courthouse,
an organization was called and most IN
expectedIy, was called to the chair. On
taking the chair candidly stated my want
Of information as to the objects of the
meeting, promising TO conduct it on the
basis Of equal rights without any preten-
sions to parliamentary rules, as l was igno-
rant CT such usages.
then called upon General Hill,
the President of the road, to
inform the meeting of the objects
he had in view. He proceeded to state
| and explain the action Ct the Board and
| of the counsel which the Board hsd en-
gagged, and then called on Mr.. Smith, one
of the counsel, to read what was called an
| agreed case for the sale of the road, which
| he read with comments at great length,
which more fully enlightened that portion
| of the stockholders from Coffee. Mr..
| Colysr, the other counsel, followed, read,
| ing portions of what was proposed as an
| agreed case between your noble body and
| the stockholders, commenting on your
neble generosity; al Of which the meet,
ing fully appreciated and most heartily
| thank YOU for, and the case would have
been readily agreed to by all or nearly all
present if it had not been for one prOvi-
sion in it, namely: that any number o.
stockholders, at the expiration Of sixty
DAYS, would, in the event of the company
failing to comply, be allowed to purchase
the road at the came price and on The
| same terms. Col Smart offered q resolU
ton, authorizing the counsel TO confirm
the agreed decree, on which he, Messrs
Colyar, Carnes, Berger, Smith anC
Savage made speeches, followed b,
his Honor Judge Hickerson, whic!
closed the debate. A motion was made
TO adjourn, to meet at Manchester on tn
Saturday after the third Monday in April
and seconded. A motion to adjourn being
alwaysIn order, l could donothIng less thai
put the question, which was carried by &C
clamation, or nearly so; the meeting brOk
up, and large number left the hall. Gen
Hill made loud calls to order, and urged N
to keep the chair and preside for farthe
business, threatening that they would ap
point another chairman if did not. lin
formed him that had no power to do SC
as l had presided for the meeting tina
called me to the chair, and that meetin
had adjourned to meet at Manchester. n
count was made, but l think four-fflhs {
the meeting voted for the motion to ad
journ-so large majority that did nc
call for the negative. Before l got out {
! Al III BALLAD TN,1 Ern0oln
the chair, who had acted as Secretary {
the adjourned meeting was informe
after was seated on the cars on my wa
home, then dusk, that resolution offere
by Mr.. Berger in the first meeting,
lieu of Col. Smart's and one offere
by Col. Martin at the same time
were taken up and rejected, and that Co
Smart's resolution was taken up and adcp
ed, which authorizes the confirmation {
the proposed agreed decree. This, gentle
men, is fair and unvarnished history
the case. | stated to the President of th
road and to the meeting, that the stock {
the road was not fully represented.
know such to be the case; that 1 ha
learned of the meeting by accident, an
had not time or opportunity to notify oil
er stockholders; that we should give mol
time and a more general notice, that mol
, of the stockholders might be consulte
| | You, gentlemen. will know what weight
: give to such authority from the stOckhoi,
, ers as this will be if presented. 1 have n,
, q word to say as to the motives Of Il
! gentlemen who are in such urgent has
for confirmation of the agreed case.
harbor no unkind feelings, bat on the col
; trary, feel most kindly TO all that were
the meeting. have no other motive ths
: the good of the company and State, al
would not be a party to Gny plf
l that would advance my interest TO the pr
t iudice of any other inte1est-particular
l to the injury of the stockholders WI
E responded hopefully to the call of tho
9 who sought means TO build the road. Tn
e is the class and interest, gentlemen, that
q ask Won to favor-childrea of the State
8 whom she must rely in peace and war-tl
toiling million-if any need favor and pr
q tectiop, these do.
Now, allow me in conclusion to sly, i
, effort will be spared on the part of Il
stockholders to comply with the terms {
tered, when they have had time to consu
!. and agree on them. Then let us have tim
! - : II. Ill