Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-03-06
OUR DESTITUTE PEOPLE.
Bills for Their Relief Introduced.

Dr. WA. West, Representatives from
Stewart ami Montgomery counties, 10
itrodueed the following bill on the 18th
inst.
Whereas, great restitution now ex-
lists in many of the counties of the State
and wherein the helpless poor are now
suffering from want and from the fact
that the charity of the liberal giger is
exhausted. and they are likely to suffer
still more, unless relieved and
Whereas, the general scarcity of
money and provisions resulting from
failure of crops have put it out of the
power of private charity to afford the
needed relief, and nothing. short of a
public charity by which all are enabled
10 contribute in proportion to their
means,
Section l. Be it, therefore enacted
by the General Assembly of the State
of Tennessee, that the counties of this
State are hereby vested with authority,
acting by and through their County
Courts, to issue bonds or borrow mon
ey, as in their judgments may seem
best, whereby to supply the wants OF
their needy citizens; provided, how
ever, that no county shall for this pur-
pose issue bonds or borrow a greater
amount than ten thousand dollars, and
at a rate not above six per cent per
annum. The said counties are further
empowered to issue said bonds in such
denominations, Of such character,
and payable when and where in their
discretion may seem best to accomplish
the object in view, provided further,
that no county shall dispose Of said
bonds at less than their face value in
the current money of the country, or
in case they are sold for provisions, or
articles to supply the wants of their
needy citizens, and no price shall be
paid for such provisions, or articles, in
said bonds greater than the same could
be purchased with the current money
of the country.
Sec. q Be it further enacted, That
not only shall said bonds be issued
and sold under the supervision and
control of said County Courts, but the
proceeds arising from said bonds, OF
the money borrowed, and the provis-
ions or other articles purchased there
with shall in like manner be under the
control of said County Courts and
agents, and the said County Courts
shall at any of their quarterly sessions
be and they are hereby authorized to
levy tax upon all the taxables of the
county, to raise fund to pay the in
terest on said bonds or loans and the
principal thereof.
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That
any fraudulent, unjust and unequal
misrepresentation in the raising or dis
bursting of. the fund so provided for,
or any article so purchased thereof, or
any wilful or wrongful act in the issu-
ance or sale of said bonds or borrow
ing of money, shall be and the same
is hereby declared felony.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That
the reason of this law rising out of the
exigencies of the times, it shall expire
and the provisions be of no further
force or effect from and after the first
day of January, 1876; provided how
ever, this limitation shall in no man
ner whatever effect the obligations Of
the party to levy tax, and in any other
manner, to fulfil its contract in issuing
and paying of said bonds or borrowed
money, or any contract arising out of
their act or acts in the premises.
A bill somewhat similar to that of DIR.
Vests and made applicable only to
Houston county, was also introduced
by Pollard. the Representative from
Dickson, Houston and Cheatham
counties.
A representative of the Union and
American called upon the gentlemen
above named, last evening, and learn
ed the following facts:
The distress seems to be mainly in
Stewart and Houston counties and in
the southern portion of Humphreys.
1t is attributable chiefly to the failure
of the corn and tobacco crops, and is
not confined to any particular class,
but affects alike the rich and poor,
though greater, Ct course, among the
latter class. Persons who, before the
drouth of 1874, were in a prosperous
are now compelled to mort
gage their property to get means with
which to purchase the common neces-
saries of life. xxx
Horses, sheep and cattle are dying
off By the score, which will greatly i'm
pede the farmers in making prepara-
lions for putting in this years crops.
In Houston county, there is large
number OF people in actual need of
and several families have
gone away. Others would be glad to
move to some place where food is less
scarce, but they have not the means to
do so. Some families are totally de-
pendent upon their neighbors for food.
Many laboring men formerly found en-
ployment on the Louisville and Mem
phis Railroad, but have been dis
charged and are now utterly destitute.
Its claimed by persons who are cog
infant Of the facts that if something is
not done soon to relieve these people,
the consequence will be distressing in
the extreme.
A public meeting was held at Dover
last Saturday, which was largely at
tended, for the purpose Of providing
means for the relief of the people. |
were adopted calling upon
the County Court to ask the Legisla-
ture for authority to issue bonds to
the amount OF $4,000, for the purpose
of buying supplies to be sold by COM
missioners to those needing relief, the |
latter giving security, personal or by |
mortgage, for the same, aud the bonds |
to be redeemed one year from date, and |
to bear six per cent. interest.
Messrs Louis Herndon, VIM j At
kins, K. Ledbetter, Ja<. p. Flood, ed
tor of the Dover Record, and l.. ID.
Hargis were appointed a committee to |
sonfer With the General Assembly |
from the suffering counties. They |
have done so by written communica-
tion, and the result is the introduction
Of the two bills in the House yester-
day.