The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-12-03


management of State affairs by the Rad
zeal party from 1865 to 1869. Never had
there been more reckless mismanage-
ment of State finances than during Gov.
BrOwnlow's administration. 1t IS not
our purpose to censure Gov. BrOwnlow,
others were perhaps more to be blamed
than he was.
The author and promulgatOr of the
DISTINGUISHING oath, which deprived cit
liens of Tennessee of the right of voting,
and thereby created a Government not
representing the people, is as much TO
be blamed as Gov, BrOwnlow, if not
more. Gov. Brownlow's administra-
ton had peculiar difficulties to contend
with, and the great error of those times
was in DISTINGUISHING the people of Ten
nessee, and preventing them from hav-
ing voice In the Government.
The railroads which had been built
before the war, during the administra-
tons of Governors johnson and Harris,
with the appreciation of both of the old
political parties, and which had received
considerable amount of Stale aid, were,
by the fortunes of war, very much in
jured and deeply involved. What had
been ample security before the war was
now in many instances worthless.
Something had to be done. These rail-
road loans had received the sanction of
all parties previous to the war, and the
bonds had been properly and legally is
sued. Gov. johnson, in his Inaugural
address in October, 1858, said ''ThC sub
ject of Internal Improvements by our
local authorities has also excited deep
and lively interest among Onr people in
many portions of State. A well regu-
lated system of Internal improvements,
intended and calculated to give all rea-
sonable facilities to the mechanical, ag-
ricultural and commercial pursuits of
the country, ought to receive such aid
as viii come clearly within the financial
ability of the people. If such aid has
to be given by the creation of State in
debtedness, the Legislature which Gre
ates the debt should never fail to pro-
vide the means to meet the annually ac-
cruing interest and principal as they
fall due"
Again, in his message Dec. 10Th, 1858,
he said: "a we'll regulated system of
Internal improvements would seem to
indicate that the leading and most prom
inent works of improvement intended,
and calculated to connect the three
grand divisions of the State, should be
first selected and completed. Such
other works should then be undertaken,
as experience and the interest of the
country might suggest. 1t should be
the primary object of the General As
sembly to bind the State together, from
Carter to Shelby, by railroads and other
improvements, which would secure the
great end, in making us one and the
same people, in agriculture, commerce
and mechanics.
A system like this, connecting with
other roads beyond the limits of the
State, would seem to accomplish the OBJ
ject of the Constitution. The system
should always be so regulated as not to
involve the State in heavy liabilities be-
yond what can at all times be met when
they tall due by the Treasury with
promptness, without having to resort to
heavy and burdensOme taxes upon the
great mass of people"
What was here suggested by Gov.
johnson, is exactly what was done by
Gov. Brown aud the last Legislature.
In order to prevent buIdensome taxa
ton upon the great mass Of the people
to meet the bonds and coupons which
were due, they obtained an extension of
time, so that the debts might be paid
with the increased wealth of the cOun-
try, when they might fall due without
burdensome taxation. The General As
sembly, then i'm session, passed bill in
mendations.
The bonds issued under that Act were
doubtless properly issued, and we have
no reason TO doubt properly sold,
since Gov. johnson, whose business it
was to see that the laws were faithfully
executed, made no objection to the sale
of the bonds, and said nothing in any
of his messages about the illegal sale of
bonds. In fact two years thereafter, in
his message to the Legislature in 1865,
he said: "Our various works of inter-
nal improvement are steadily and con-
SANITY advancing by the timely and jul
dicious aid of the State, developing our
hitherto hidden and latent resources and
bearing of to the markets of the world
at cheap rates, the mechanical, agUicul-
tural and other products of the country"
During the session of 1855 and 1856
the Legislature, in conformity with
these recommendations of Gov. John
son, still further extended aid to various
railroads.
Whilst Andrew johnson was Govern
or bonds were issued to the amount of
81, 100000, and during Gov. Harris adj
ministration, bonds TO the amount of
$7,S74,000 were issued. Nothing was
said by either of these Governors in re-
gard TO the illegal issue or sale of bonds
during the administration of either of
them. The Legislature of 1884 au-
thoriZed the appointment of a railroad
commissioner by the Governor, whose
business it was specially to look after
railroad matters, and see that nothing
pointed II. G. Payne, of Maury county,
railroad commissioner, who faithfully
performed his duties, so far as we know
or believe.
Gov. Harris appointed II. +. Cum
minis, of Henry county, one of the best
officers the State ever had. Ii is fair to
presume that Governors johnson and
Harris, aided by the railroad commits
sionerS appointed by them respectively,
would not have permitted an illegal is
sue or sale of bonds, without communi-
eating that fact to the Legislature. To
suppose that they would have done so
would be rejecting upon their official
acts in a manner we are not willing 10
do, and which would doubtless be very
unjust.
Another fact which shows that moth
ing wrong was done is that the whole
amount of the liabilities of the State in
1861, including the State debt proper,
was only $50, l05,6 COG, although all ofthe
important railroads of the State had
been completed except the Nashville.&
Northwestern, upon which much work
had been done. The Legislature had
provided for the payment of the inter
est and of the principal of the debts as
they fell due, but the war came on and
caused securities otherwise valuable TO
/ be in some instances worthless on ac-
count Of the destruction of the railroads
and the accumulation of interest.
Other portions OF this "review" by our
! West Tennessee contemporary will be
published hereafter, as It is a defence
/ not so much of Gov. Brown as of the
! Democratic party from the attacks OF
radicals and semi-radicals. We ask
nothing for Gov. Brown but simple JUS
tice; but we do not wish TO see a man
assailed for doing what the Democratic