Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-03
THE FUNDING BILL.
Governor Browns Charges Against
Ex-Presidenf JOhnson-RePresenta
tive Bond and Senator Robertson, Of
Haywood County, Take q n and.

In his speech at Memphis, last Frida
night, Governor Brown said-we' quot
from the AUalanche's report:
So far as the funding of the debt in
creases 1t, have to say that be who tell
| you that your debt has been increased on,
dollar by the funding bill, either wilfulll
tells an untTuth or else heiknows not of whai
he is talking. 1t is simply consolidating
the debt, and in funding $4,000, 900 We
have saved interest TO the amount OF
81, l22,OO0 to the State. IApplause. /
Horace Maynard says that the funding bill
IS iniquitous, yet his party has twice
funded the debt contracted by il, and Of
forty-four votes in the House for this same
funding bill nineteen were Republicans:
and DR.. Jones, one of the most prominent
Republicans in the Senate, who worked
and voted for it, is to-day a candidate for
reelection. Emerson Etheridge says the
bill was the work of clique TO fiist raise
the bonds and then lower them to bull and
bear them by men on the outside.
IN THE LOBBY.
One Of the principal men in the lobby
working for the passage of this bill was Al
bert A. Freeman, his now party companion;
and whom / seen him nearly kiss, so glad
was he to meet him to-day at the train; and
there was William Rule, who left his paper
and home in Knoxville and came to Nash
vile TO help put that bill through, which
he to-day, in supporting Horace Maynard
for Governor, says 1t is so Ubiquitous. Then
there was one more distinguished than any
whom have named, Judge Houk, who
even wrote to Washington to still more
dicfinorafchad
be consistent with the tenets of the
Republican party TO vote for the
funding bill, and that distinguished
gentleman replied in the affirmative; and
then for fear that he might not receive the
letter IN time, sent a telegraph dispatch
saying, "by all means vote for the funding
bill" That distinguished gentleman in
Washington who was so ANXIOUS for the
Judge to vote for the funding bill was Hor-
ace Maynard, who now prOnounces the bill
iniquitous. II charged this against Mr.. May
nard in Knoxville in the presence of Jadge
Houk, and when turned and asked: "Judge
Houk, is not this SOP" that gentleman nod
ded his head. Mr.. Maynard SAYS now that
ne never wrote such letter. Judge Houk
says he did, ami with that controversy
have nothing to do; they can settle that be-
tween them. have said that Mr.. johnson
the funding bill.
EX-PREsIDENT JOHNSON
was the friend of the funding bill. TAp-
plause and few Kisses do not want to
hurt the feelings of any of Mr.. Johnson's
friends who may be present, nor do want
to hurt the feelings Of that gentleman.
Mr.. johnson was in Nashville at the time
hat the funding bill was passed from the
lime that it was first introduced by Mr..
James until after it was finally passed. All
IF the johnson men, with the exception of
perhaps two from this city, voted for that
measure. Mr.. John b. Robinson, a per
'onal and political friend of Andrew John |
'on, waited upon that gentleman in his |
Dom at the hotel, and asked if he should |
7ote for the funding bill, and Mr.. John
on told him yes, to do so. Then |
here is John X. Bond, of Brownsville, a |
terling young man, one whom no man can /
Iispute his veracity, he says that he also |
waited upon Mr.. johnson, and asked if he |
hOuld vote for the funding bill. Mr.. |
ohnsOn replied that while funding as a
olicy was bad one, yetlthat certain emer-
rgencies arose at times rendering it neces-
airy, and that he thought such time had
ONE in Tennessee now. [Applause.1 L
ont ask you TO believe this without teSti-
lony, for / have it here in letters from
hose gentlemen to me. will read them:
ohm c. Brown, Nashville, Tenn.-Dear Sir: In
sspOnse to your letter Of former date, Hwould
ate that while a member Of the last General
ssembly, called on eN-President Andrew
ohnsOn, at his rooms in the Maxwell House, for
he purpose Of consulting him in regard 70 the
Inding bill, which was then pending before the
legislature, and asked him what he thought OF
le FUNDING bill then pending, 10 which he re-
lat there was eriOd frequently in the history
the States when they had TO resort to funding
order TO preserve their credit. He thought
Iat time had come in the history of Tennessee
e further remarked that he knew of no better
)licy that could then be adopted by the State
ian to fund her past due bonds and coupons.
Respectfully, JOHN X. BOND.
BROWNSVILLE, Oct %, IS74.-Hon. John c. |
rown, Governor of Tennessee: Your commu-
cation has been received, in regard to what |
T. johnson said TO me about the funding bill.
called upon Mr.. johnson, az the Maxwell
ouse, while the bill was pending before the
enersl Assembly, and asked his views in re- |
Ird 70 the funding bill. He said il the State
as not able 10 meet her obligations, and the
ople would not stand higher rate of taxation |
meet its interest, then ne would advise fund |
g as the best policy. Yours respectfully,
K. W. ROBERTSON, State Senator.
Now, here was a rising young man, a
,ung man full of promise, just entering
ION his political life, elected as the friend
Andrew johnson, to whom he, as if to a ,
ther, went seeking advice, and he told
IN to vote for the funding bill, and yet
e hear Mr.. johnson at Nashville denOunc-
g this same bill, which he advised this ;
Jung man to vote for, as iniquitous. ZAP
ause.l And when Mr.. Bond went to Mr.. ,
,hnson, upbraiding him for giving him
rong advice, what answer does he get,
You are a young man, and just say when !
ey talk to you about it, that it was an er- :
r of the head and not of the heart" Yet,
y friends, with all his opposition to this
famous and iniquitous funding bill, after }
came along, he quietly came down and !
nded sixteen State bonds. [Applause.l :
that funding bill was infamous, l be !
me infamous when sanctioned it, and ;
cry man who favored it became infamous
hen he voted for it, and he who advised ;
hers, especially young men, to vote for it,
rtainly became tainted with infamy.