Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-19
THE COOKE COUNTY AFFAIR.

NASHVILLE, Feb. II.
EDITORS CHRONICLE: Your readers in
Cooke county will, no doubt, be interested
in the probable fate of bill now pending
before the Senate to remove the court
house to Newport. 1t was reported by the
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee a
few days ago, recommending the repeal of
all former enactments on the subject,
which, of course would place it back at
Newport
+ To have a correct understanding of the
matter, it is necessary to make au eXpla
nation or two. The last General Assem-
bly,, it seems, passed an act authorizing the
county to locate the institution at Clifton,
flourshing town about one mile and
half from the old town referred to. In ODE
dience to this authority, suitable grounds
were purchaser, title secured, and imme
dlately work was commenced in erecting q
Jail, which is now completed, and costing
the taxpayers upwards of four thousand
dollars. This created some dissatisfaction
OH the part of some wealthy property
holders near the old site and, as a result,
resolved to get up "big fuss" on the sub
ject, which they did by getting a number
of persons to sign petition to the General
Assembly, asking that body to repeal the
act of the last Legislature, and locating
the court house at Clifton. This is a fair
Some days ago the judiciary Committee
of the House brought the matter up, and
after protracted discussion, killed it out
right by granting the request of the petit
TONERS. | was not present when it was
done, and, therefore, do not know the par
ticular line of argument adopted, but am
informed that there was a constitutional
barrier in the way, which the integrity Of
the House could not brook, How this is,
your correspondent cannot say. | have no
right, certainly, to impugn the motives of
any member of that honorable body who
voted for the measure i'm the form indicat-
ed. l have reason to believe that they vot-
ed conscieniiously.
The action of the Senate demands at the
hands of your correspondent an explana-
ton and some criticism. A bill, similar
in substance to the one reported by the
committee of the Honse, was reported by
the judiciary Committee. Senator Nc
Cornell at the moment being absent from
his seat, Senator White, from Hawkins
objected to the passage of the bill, urging
strongly that it was an important measure
and should not be acted upon hastily. He
alluded, in BETTING terms, to the present
condition of the old and dilapidated town
of Newport, remarking that it was de-
serted that there were not more than one
or two white families living in the place,
and that jurors, witnesses and lawyers
were compelled to go one mile and a-half
to get their meals and lodgings He re
lated an amusing anecdote of a certain
judge, who remarked that of two choices,
the one to stay all night in Newport and
the other to take his blanket and sleep in
a grave gard, he would take the latter.
That, he cOntended, would give a correct
idea of the fitness of this place to hold
Court.
Senator Patton, from Washington, did
not agree with the gentleman from Haw-
kins. He made one remark, however,
that your correspondent did not fully com
prehend, to the effect that there was a
good hotel at Newport That is news to
us, and L suppose to the quiet denzens Of
that venerable town. If there is such
desirable institution there it must be in a
very obscure part of the town, as it has
never yet been seen. / could not imagine
why Mr.. Patton evinced so much acrimo-
NOUS feeling IN the subject. He was ex-
ceedingly bit err, and could not suppress it,
But before Senator Patton got through
Senator Mcconnell made his appearance
and took h sseat. 1t was reserved for him
to set the matter at rest, at least for the
time being. Cooke county being part of
his Senatorial District, he felt called upon
to represent his people and do them ample
justice, which he did do in the most salts
fsctory manner. He made a telling argu-
ment, grew strong and eloquent as he pro-
ceeded with his argument and finally
wound up by moving that the bill be re-
committed which was carried by decisive
majority. Thus ends this question for
while longer when it will again come up
for further discussion. How it will termi-
nate cannot be foreshadowed,
Therere was one significant remark OF
one of the Senators to the effect that he
had been informed that there was a long
counter petition that had been suppressed
and had never been submitted to the com
mi tee. If this be true, it demands inves-
tigatiOn. Alamo DANTE