Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-05
The Railroads Of the State-His is
Financial and 0the Policies
IndOrsed by the DemOe-
raey in 1913.
The Funding Bill FayOrably Over
hauled - The Penitentiary
Lease-LaWlessneSs Sup
pressed with Strong
Hand.
The Agricultural Bureau The
Free School Systematic As
sessm snt Law-The Gov
ermOr's Attitude be-
fore the COun-
try.

From the Jackson whig and Tribune, 2sth.
The election is now over, and we can
examine public affairs with calmness
anj impartiality. During the recent
canvass, the administration OF the State
government, under John G. Brown, was
severely criticised, not only by the Rad
ical candidates, but by some who were
considered members Of the Democratic
party, from whom a different course
might have been expected. We have
taken occasion, since the election, to
give this matter q thorough investiga
ton. with a view of arriving at the
truth, and OF ascertaiDing whether these
complaints and fault-fndings were well
founded, or whether they were the re-
suit either of want OF information or Of
a mere prejudice, growing out of person
al rivalry, or of political antagOnism. Il
is due to the truth of history, tnat an un
vanished statement Of facts, drawn
from official sources which cannot be de-
MED or doubted, should be publishsd,
not with q view of benehting John
c. Brown as an individual, but for the
purpose Of vindicatiLg the Democratic
party, which on two occasions, IN
convention assembled, indOrsed that
administration. When Governor Brown
was inaUgurated, in IS7l, he found
the State burdened with q heavy
debt, caused by the mismansgemelt Of
State affairs by the Radical parry from
from lS65 to 1869. Never had there
been more reckless mismanagement OF
State finances than during Governor
BrOWnIOW's administration. Il is Lot
our purpose to censure Governor
BrOwnlOw; others were perhaps more to
be blamed than he. The author and
promulgator of the disfrauchising oath,
which deprived citizens oi Tennessee Of
the right Of voting, and thereby created
a government not representing the peO-
Die. is as much to be blamed as GOver-
nor Brownlow, if not more. Governor
BrownlOW' s administration had peculiar
difficulties to contend with, ami the
great error Of these times was in dis
franchising the people Of Tennessee,
and preventing them from having a
voice in the government.
RAILROADS BEFORE THE WAR.
The railroads which had been built
before the war, during the administra-
tiOps OF Governors johnson andsHarris. !
with the appreciation OF both Of the Old
political parties, and which had received
3 considerable amount OF State aid, !
were. by the fortunes of war, very much |
injured 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 bad received the sanction Of
all parties previous to the war, and the
bonds hsd been properly and legally is
sued. Governor johnson, in his inEu.
gural addreslin October, S53, said: "The
subject Of internal Improvements by our
local authorities has also excited a deep
and lively interest among our people in
many portions Of the State. a well reg
uiated system Of internal Improvements
intended and calculated to give
all reasonable facilities to the me-
chanical, agricultural and commercial
pursuits Of the country, ought
to receive such aid as viii come clearly
within the financial ability of the peO-
pie. If such aid has TO be given by the |
creation of State Indebtedness, the legis- /
lature which creates the debt should /
never fail to provide the means to meet
the annually sccruing interest and prin-
cipal as they fall due.n Again, in his /
message. December 18th, 1858, be said: /
~ ~
improvements would seem to indicate /
that the leading and most prominent |
works OF improvement intended, and |
calculated to connect the three grand |
divisions Of the State, should be first Sc /
lected and completed. Such other /
works should then be undertaken, as /
experience and the interest of the coun- /
trv might suggest. 1t should be the pri- |
mary object Of the general assembly 20 /
bind the State together, from Carter to |
Shelby. by railroads and other improve
nents, which would secure the
great end. ia making US one and the
same people, in agriculture, commerce
and mechanics. A system like this, con-
Meeting with other roads beyond the linn
It's OF the Stale, would seem TO accomplish
of the constitution. Thesystem
should always be so regulated as not to
involve the State in heavy liabilities be-
gond what can at all times be met when
hey fall due, by the treasury, with
without having to resort to
heavy and burdensOme taxes upon the
great mass of the people, What was
here suggested Dy Governor johnson is
exactly what was done by Governor
Brown and the last legislature. In Or
der to prevent burdensome taxation
upon the great mass OF the people to
meet the bonds and coupons which were
due, they obtained an extension OF time,
50 that the debts might be paid with the
increased wealth OF the country, when
they might fall due, without burdensOme
taxation. The general assembly, then
In session, passed a bill 10 accordance
with Governor JOhnsUn's recommenda-
tions. The bonds issued under that act
were doubtless properly issued, and, we
have reason TO believe, properly sold,
since Governor johnson, whose business
it was to see that the laws were faith
fully 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 there
after, ia his message TO the legislature
in 1855, he said: "Our various works
Of internal Improvement are steadily
and constantly advancing by the timely
aud judicioUs aid Of the State, develop
ing our hitherto hidden and latent re-
sources and bearing of TO the markets
Of the world az cheap rates, the me-
ch2nical, agricultural and other products
Of the country" During the session OF
1855 and 1856 the Legislature. in con-
fOrmity with these recommendations Of
Governor Johnson sill further extended
aid to various railroads. Whilst Andrew
johnson was governor bonds were is
sued 10 the amount of 81 ,220, 600, and
during Governor Harris's administra-
ton, bonds 10 the zmogBt Of s., S74, 900
were is ued Nothing VAS said by
either Of these governors IN regard 70 the
Illegal issue or sale OF bonds during The
OF either Of them. The
OF 1854 authorized the ap-
pointmeDt Of q railroad commissioner
by the governor whose business It was
specially 70 Look after railroad matters. /,
aud see that nothing wrong was done
Governor johnson appointed r. G.
Payne, OF Maury county, a warm PEG
sonal and political friend, railroad COM
missioner, who faithfully performed bis
duties, so far as we know or believe.
Harris appointed n f. Cum
mins, Of Henry county, one Of the best
officers the State ever had. lt is fair TO
presume that Governors johnson and
Harris, aided by the railTosd commits
sioners appointed by them respectively,
would not have permitted an illegal is
sue OF sale oi bonds without COMMUNE