The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-15

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Under resolution forty-four, adopted Eebrus
Is, 1873, 1 appointed a commission 20 preps
and report to you such bill or bills, as NAV
necessary to quiet land titles. A vacancy W
| Occasioned in the commission, by the resisu
ton of 5. w. Cochran, Esq, which has not Be
| filled The other two members will submit a I
| port at an early day.
| 1 respectfully recommend, tina until SON
means can be devised 10 quiet the confiictii
titles to lands which are held by virtue of the e
try and occupant laws, further entries be pr
| hibited.
DEBT TO THE UNITED STATES GovERNMEN
| The attention OF the 81 tn General Assembl,
| at its special session in March, 1872, was Gale
| to the indebtedness of Tennessee to the Unite
| States Government, CT Gated in 1866, for Iailwa
| material purchased for the Memphis Clark
| vile and Louisville Railroad, and the Edgefiel
| and kentucky Railroad, by the respective con
| State.
By Act approved April 1, 1872, chapter 10
| the Governor was directed to effect a settl
ment of mutual demands. | reported to the est
General Assembly, that it had been ascertaine
by applying to the heads of proper department
at washington, that the credits and offset
claimed by the State Of Tennessee. could no
under existing laws be allowed, and that friend
ly Congressional legislation was necessary. Ac
cOrdingly, at my instance, a bill was introduce,
in the House of Representatives, providing for
just and equitable settlement, which was re
ported to the 3Sth General Assembly, with al
the correspondence on the subject, and will b,
found i'll the Journals of that session. Sine
thai time, L have visited Washington twice [,
promote its passage. The bill in modified
form passed the House, AMI after two reading
i'll the Senate, was referred to the Judiciar,
Committee, who have made no report. The
passage of this bill is of great Importance to tho
State i'll her present financial condition. And
recommend that provision be made for employ.
ing an agent TO promote this desired result and
to superintend the settlement of accounts, after
the legislation is secured.
1t is proper to add that suits had been ordered
ON these bonds, but, upon application to the
proper departments, the orders were suspended
until the result of Congress iOnal action could be
known.
The bonds bear interest upon their face for s.
Jer cent per annum, although the act directing
their execution is silent upon that question, and
at their date, there was no conventional interest
law in Tennessee.
The contracts were made and the bonds exc
CUted In the city of Nashville.
OUR FEDERAL RELATIONS.
The trcGu mt conflict of jurisdiction between
State and Federal Courts is a question of in
crea>ing Importance, aDda proper subject of an
earnest memorial to the Congress OF the United
States.
The State authorities are often embarrassed
and their efforts to enforce the law frequently
thwarted, by the interference OF the United
Sta'es Courts. few months SgO such fragrant
instances OF this character occurred as to incite
corr espondence between this Office and HIS
Excellency, the President, and the Attorney
General, which is herewith submitted.
UNITED STATES GARRISON.
III th's connection IL Is my pI' as re 10 inform
you that the officers in command OF this military
district have cheerfully and promptly manifest
ed both a willingness and desire to cooperate
with the State authorities, if necessary, to pre-
serve the peace of society. Fortunately, no
such emergency has arisen.
The relations between this department and
Gen. Pennypacker and staff, and all other Of
fceTs of the Post at Nashville, have been of the
most amicable and pleasant character.
RELATIONS WITH THE STATES.
1t my duty to transmit the correspondence be-
tween myself and His Excellency John l.. Bev-
eTidge, Governor of the State of Illinois. have
no communication from him since my letter OF
date the 18th of October, 1874. may add that
| had no knowledge of the arrest of the fugitive
until informed OF the fact by Gov. Beverage,
nor was the arrest of him i'll Illinois by my au-
thOrity or consent. Our relations with all tbs
other States have been OF the most amicable
and satisfactory character.
VIEsNA EXPOSITION.
In obedience to resolution No. Is, OF the last
General Assembly, commissioners were appoint
ed to attend the International Exposition, at
Vienna, as representatives OF Tennessee. They
have not yet filed report in this office, as re
quired by the resolution.
MINERAL HOME RAILROAD.
Under the advice of the Attorney General of
the State, and associate counsel, the litigation
in the ChanCerv Court at Knoxville, with this
and other parties, was compromised
under authority OF resolution No. SO of Acts of
1873. The accompanying papers Will show the
terms of adjustment. The cash payment is i'll
the Treasury, and the balance is well secured.
ARBITRATION COURT.
Hon James f. Bailey, of Montgomery, and
Jno. W. Head, of sumner, were commissioned
as provided for by resolution No. 10,
adopted Feb. q, 1873.
J.u. PCCKETT.
In the exercise of the authority conferred by
resolution ST, of the session of 1873, l COmpTO-
missed the reward claimed by j. II. Pickett and
others for arresting the alleged murderers of w.
d. Kernel, at $50, for which l directed the
Comptroller to issue his warrant.
COMPTROLLER'S OFFICF.
Capt. W. W. Hobbs, elected Comptroller by
the last General Assembly, rendered his resig-
nation the first OF May, 1873, which was accept
ed. BY thS provisions OF 2G4of the Code,
it became NY duty to fill the office by appoint
ment until the meeting of the next General As
Semhlv. / appointed Col. John G. BurCh, who,
after giving bond and qualifying required by
law, has since discharged the duties deyolving
upon that officer.
CAPITOL BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
You are respectfully referred to the reports OF
the Superiutendents of the Capitol and State
Prison for Information on this subject.
Since the adjournment of the last General As
sembly, the Superintendent of the Capitol has
made application to the Attorney General of the
United States, and obtained the use OF the
rooms formerly occupied by the Federal Court,
and they are now occupied by the Superinten-
lent of Public Instruction and the Supreme
Court.
CORPORATIONS.
The want of confidence in the validity Of cor
poratiOns organized under existing legislation,
intended to give effect to the provisions OF the
that subject, demands revision
Of the various Acts of the Assembly relating
thereto. In the case of Caldwell ca pdrte, deter
mined by the Supreme court OF tennessee at tne
December term, 1873, a construction was given
to the clause in question, of the Constitution,
which renders further and more specific legisla-
ton necessary; to provide for and proreGt cor
vision within the easy and economical reach OF
all legitimate organizations OF this character.
RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.
The complaint of discriminating freight tariffs
upon our railroads is so general and widespread,
to make it your duty to ascertain the extent of
the grievance, and provide, if possible, appro-
pirate remedies.
teries OF trade and commerce unimpaired on the
one hand and of giving fun protection to the
farmers, manufacturers, merchants, and other
shippers, on the other, is a problem of no easy
solution Among the many suggestions OH this
subject it NAV DC difficult to select any that will
afford practical relief without being at the same
time oppressive or uni ust. COnccdmg the power
Of the Legislature to correct these alleged
abuses, the practical difficulty lies III finding an
adequate remedy
In view of these embarrassmenis surrounding
the question, the appointment Of select com
mittee, with power to collect the facts and
charged with the duty of reporting bill by the
light OF these facts, might develop plan that
would correct the evils. The question demands
serious and careful consideration; and its de-
termination may be frau2ht with such serious
to every industry and enterprise
in the State as TO require OF you more than ordi-
nary elaboration.
CONFESSIONAL INTEREST.
There can be but little doubt that the act Of
Assembly authorizing a conventional rate of IN
tcreSt, not eAcCeuluR ten per cent per annuW,
has not met the promises of its advocates. 1t
has failed to bring money into the State. But it
has oppressed our people, and has prov, q
curse instead of a blessing. l unhesitatingy
recommend its repeal
In conclusion, permit me to express my con
that, unlike the legislative assem-
bly of one of our sister States, you have been
allowed to assemble peaceably, and to perfect
YOUR organization without intimidation No
military force surrounds our Capitol, drives
from their righttul seats the representatives of
the people, The Cdict of a petty tyrant does
not here avail to dispense the States Legsla-
ture. Yet, your immunity from such outrage
is Just now, made the more conspicuous, by the
spectaclcOf Louisiana, tranpled under foot and
dcspOiled of her liberties. If we may credit the
reports that reach us through the daily press,
and which seem to have the sanction of official
ment through its military arm, is being used
for the SbyersiOn of all the liberties the people
of Louisiana have right to hold dear. POSI-
bIy it is not in your power to do more than in
teTpOSe a solemn and earnest protest against
this gIaring crime. Yet, if this be all that the
of so valOrous State as Ten
nessee may do, l trust that your protest may be
made with such emphasis and earnestness as 20
arrest the attention of every patriotic citizen
in the Republic, and awaken the people, every
where, to a sense Of the danger that threatens
our constitutional liberties.
Trusting that your laboTs may result in great
good to the State, / invoke the blessings of
JOHN c. BROWN.
JACK AND JIM REYNOLDS cousins and
loafers, were playing poker in bar-rOom,
near Augusta, Maine. Jack held straight,
with An ace at the head, and, to his intense
delight, Jim put down the money as fast
as he raised until the pool amounted to