Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-07-23
INTERESTING LETTER FROM JUDGE HouK.
He Gives His View OF Politics Generally
aud the Assessment Law in Pnrticulnr

and the Assessment Law fB Particular.
The following letter from Judge Houk to
Hon. w. 2. Jones, of Davidson county, we
copy from the Nashville Bulletin .|
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.
Junel0 1873.
Hon. ", p. Jones
DEAR SIR-The Committee to wind up the
affairs of che Bank of Tennessee had agreed to
meet in Nashville the 9TH Of July, and unless
cholera, or something else not now foreseen,
shall cause a change of programme, l will be
in Nashville Mt that meeting, when shall ba
glad to see you and talk on the political situa-
tion-past, present and future
In the meantime, rest assured that l shall
surely commit myself ito no man or party upon
funding or anti-funding." Not to indulge in
matters of compliment to myself. l feel justi-
fed in such reference to my personal and politi-
cal course as to remind you, a personal and
political friend, that l was among the first to
identify myself with the Republican party in
this part of the country, and to assure you, in
the most positive manner, that shall be among
the last to consent to see the colors of that party
hauled down, and the standard Of another party
raised in their stead.
When leave the Republican ship it will be
forced by the mutiny of the crew, and not n
voluntary act of jumping overheard If there
ever was time when the Republicans should
keep clear of side issues it is now when the star
of hope is ready TO barst forth, in its full-orbed
glory, attendant upon victory, if we but remain
and giving assurance of the future. For years
we could not approach large portion of the
people of the State so as to commend Republic
csnism to them. We have struggled long to
obtain \ hearing at the hands of the intelligent
and thinking people Of the State, whose minds
had been fed on political poison. In the last
campaign an opportunity WAS luckily offered Of
presenting the principles OF the Republican
party to the masses, white and colored, and the
result was an almost complete victory. Our
final triumph is in the near future il we are still
Republicans, as trust and believe we are, and
will 20 continue, regardless Of efforts to allure
and beguils us to enlist under q new flag.
The Democracy realize the situation. RiveR
into factions, the leaders Of the Democratic party
like the "foI in the fable would be glad to zee
the Republicans likewise divided, and some Of
them ara maneuvering for that reiult. Will
We, as Republicans, be 80 foolish rs to plunge
into the ditch dug by our enemies VIII we
be caught in the Democratic trap? Or, will we
like the old fox that declined new fashions until
necessity made them useful, refuse to abandon
our present party alliances, until overtaken with
similar misfortunes to those that now so pain
fully aff1ict the Democratic partizans So far
as know, there is not ripple in the Republic
can current Of East Tennessee-there is no dis
position nor tendency among Republicans in
this part of the State to form new alliances.
The Republicans have fought together in the
past, for the reason that they have been agreed
among themselves in their adherence TO strictly
Republican principles, Differences of opinion,
tolerated in the past and hear of no desire to
take "a new departure in the future.
The Republican party is pledged to aid in re-
storing, and if possible maintaining the credit
Of the State. ID '...H ..r|.l. =.
While that Is true, It by ne means follows that
Republicans are to assume the role of "Fund>
ers'' or ''Ant-Funders,' for the very good rea-
son that. To FUND" or mot TO FUND are
| financial capacity are not agreed q, the better
| credit measure, and because the Republicans
have not heretofore, and will not hereafter, con-
sent to the abandonment of fixed and well de-
fined platform of principles and enter upon o
struggle over one isolated and single question
of State policy Not at ALL, Ii would be an
extreme act of political folly, and the great mass
of the people would look upon the movement
in that light. However, there is a class of po-
liticsl nondescripts who appear quite anxious
that something should happen whereby they
may be lifted from Obscurity, and insignif-
| canoe, to q prominence and Importance, that
neither their talents nor political code of NOR
ais would Justify. The would be leaders of this
| hoped for movement are rs reckless rs pirates
| They hope ''for something TO turn up" and are
! ever ready for an adventure l have no quar-.
! rel with them-they have no party. and want
one-they are out of doors-who can blame them
| for seeking shelter?
| Their coarse abuse of those they assume to b.
| their opponents-the indicate mode of war.
! fare adopted by the few who are seeking to or
| ganize "a new party" brings to mind the wis
/ dom and philosophy of the exclamation, " {
| that mine enemy would weite o book :" Ny
| motto is to fight on in the Republican ranks
| My faith assures me-tor you know faith is the
| substance of things hoped for, the evidence o.
| things not seer"-thst another well fought bat
] tie on old fashioned Republican doctrines, and
| Tennessee is redeemed-'the enemy will be
| ours ,-Republicanism will have triumphed-
| Democracy will have been finally destroyed II
| this State as elsewhere.
The assessment law has created considersbl,
| dissatisfaction with portion of the people.
! am of opinion, however, that most of this grew
out of tho Hobbs Blanks sent out TO puzzle tn,
Taxpayers. l confess that the law is inner
feet, not what it ought to be, and should b,
modified in some parts, and strengthened il
others. -
But, conceding as l do, the imperfeetions o
the law, there are two things l very much re
| greet. 1t was certainly intended TO remedy {
| great existing evil. The old habit of copying
the Assessment Books from year to'year, had re-
suited in the most unjust Determinations in the
valuation OF taxable property. To put Il stop K
the inhictlon of these public wrongs, the Assess
| ment laws found in the Code, the Acts of 1859
CO. 1866, 1868, lS69-70, and 1912, were com
piled into one Act with some two or three Sigh
amendments and notifications, so as to prevent
one.third Of the property Of the State from es
Gaping taxation and the middle and poorer
| classes paying more than their proportionatt
share OF the burdens Of the State Government
| What regret is, that the few who had been
| screening their property from taxation, and to
! reach whom the new provisions were especially
| intended, have succeeded in arousing prejudice
against, not the new provisions of the Assess