Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-05-24
The New Court House In McMinn County
Opposition to Building 1t.


Corresndence of the Chroniclel
ATHENS, May %, 1873.
Arriving in Athens on the morning
train, 1 found quite crowd of the honest
yeomanry in town. They were collected
in knots on the street corners as if earnest
ly discussing the result of some election.
Inquiring the couse of all of this,
| I learned that few individuals
had succeeded in working up quite
show of opposition to the new court
house. Three or four districts were repre-
sented and petitions numerOusly signed
were in circulation.
| 1t will be remembered that all prelimi-
nary steps had been properly and legiti-
mately taken-a building committee ap-
| pointed and empowered to receive bids for
the erection of the court house, subject to
regulations prescribed by the County
Court. The committee advertised the
time for receiving bids, which time was
up to II NJ.
THE CONVENTION
In opposition to the new. Court House
movement, was called to order at IL o. lock,
Elijah Cate, Esq, was called to the chair
and j. r. Sloan, elected Secretary. One
JnO. M. ClementsOn proceeded to explain
the object of the meeting. In the course
OF his infiammatory remarks he reflected
severely on the action of the Court in re-
ference to levying tax for such pur-
pose. He said that twenty-five thou
sand dollars was extravaganza, that
the fruit crop was failure; the wheat
crop nearly half failure; taxes were al
ready burdensome; the people could not
meet all these demands they had assem-
bled in order to petition the Building Com
mittee to resign, and to postpone it's action
until the next term of the court. He
claimed that the matter had been rushed
through with Indecent haste ;" that SO
would vote against this measure. 1 would
here state that Mr.. Clementson is
simply mistaken when he prefers the
charge of "indecent haste.n The mouths
of the people were not closed as he states,
by designing men. The Chairman of the
Court fairly and squarely submitted the
proposition and stated positively that if
any member of the court had anything to
say that was the time. Very little dis
five magistrates of the county voted for the
measure, fourteen against it, three
were absent, two of whom [ am informed
were for the court house. The vote was
taken on Monday. The court was in SEES
sion the following day. No word of re-
consideration or indecent haste " was ut
tered. Important business was before the
court and if promiscuous discussion had
been allowed by outside croakers, the bust
ness would have been left undone.
-rNUCEEDINtTS or TILE CUNvDtrrr0-.
After this surprising bit ofeloquence the
same Mr.. G.. moved that committee of
five be appointed to draft resolutions, ex-
pressive of the feelings of the convention.
Jas. Parkison was appointed chairman of
the committee. After retiring they brought
back a list of grievances, set forth in regular
legal parlance. The list contained seven
objections of tremendous moment. The
dear peoples wishes had not been consult
ed. Some of the magistrates voted with
out knowing what they were voting for.
MR. G.. wants little time to post these
men, 1 reckon.) The tax was extravagant. |
CA court house for one of the foremost
counties of East Tennessee should not cost
more than fifteen hundred dollars. This
is your correspondents view.) The taxes
were already oppressive; few months
delay would hurt nobody. Many of the |
taxpayers thought they had been wrong
ed.
The. report was received. The friends |
of the court house movement took no
stock in this convention.
A committee, consisting of Jas. Parkison |
and twenty-nine others, was appointed to |
wait on the Building Committee, then in |
session and present the list of grievances.
This being done, the Building Committee |
quietly replied: Three of the five mem |
bers signing the reply, thata prior obliga- |
ton forbade the postponement of
the work in hand The reply was in every |
way respectful.
Mr.. G. in another speech did not think |
so. jotted down some very hard things |
which he said, but will not burden your |
columns with them. Suffice it to say he |
regarded the reply as an insult at the dig
r;ty of tax payers. The Secretary made |
like statement.
THE RESULT
1 will not predict. Many men of respect
ability and influence are opposed to build
ing a court house at this time. Y.