Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-28
THE TEN MILLION SCKEME.
Its Friends Protest Against the
Union and Americans
Plain Talk.
But the House Could Not See 1t
in that Light.

But the House Could Not See 1t
in that Light.
During the session Of the House yeSter-
day Mr.. Jamison, the member from Ruth
ford, presented the following
PROTEST:
Mr.. Speaker: We the undersigned, few
Of the supporters Of the ssbill to be entitled
an act to redeem the bonded Indebtedness
Of tie State" beg leave to enter this our
solemn protest against the appended article,
which appeared in the UNION AND ANiERI-
CAN Of Feb. %, and request that the same
be spread upon the journals Of this House.
1. said paper had then published none Of
the discussions on said bill which have
taken place IN this House, setting forth the
utility, the pFacticability, the constitution
ality, and the necessity for said measure.
Neither has said paper ever published the
bill referred to, nor any part Of it, and
therefore we consider its criticisms
and comments unfair, unjust and
intended to prejudice and mis-
lead the public They seem to
forget the time has come when, concerning
our finances, reason and not "bosh" sWays
tAAG Al4uAo u Tic AcIIllc VI Ills A0Ns1lcs
2. In our opinion portion Of said article
is an indirect insult Haunted in the faces Of
certain Democratic members Of this Legis-
latuTe who don't deem it right 30 look.
through the Eyeglasses Of the UNION AND
AMERICAN on all questions Of State policy.
Said insult is expressed in language unOe-
coming a Democratic newspaper, especially
one that presumes TO be the Democratic
mouth-piece for this State.
Respectfully submitted.
J. II. JANnsOE,
D. J. NOBLITT,
JAS. 2. ODELL,
j. Z. p. HARRISs,
W. II. MORGAN,
II. II. NORMAN,
II. SHACU EFORD,
L. WALKER,
n, B. SPEARS.
The portion Of the article referred to in
the protest is as follows:
OUR STATE DEBT AND A HOME CURRENCY.
The bill entitled "An act to redeem the
bonded Indebtedness Of the State" now
pending in the House, and proposing to is
sue State Treasury notes to the extent of
$4,000, goo, is a scheme worthy Of the
palmiest days Of eaTPet-baggery in any
Southern State. This bill would make
these Treasury notes legal tender for all
taxes and other obligations due TO or from
counties and municipalities as well as the
State. It would make them legal tender
in the PAYMENT of interest on our bonds
held in other States or even in Europe.
Sill further, it wOuld make them legal
tender in payment Of the bonds them
selves issued before the war on a gold
basis, no matter whether the holder be a
citizen Of Tennessee, New York, or Eng
land. Such are its practical provisions,
and the bare statement shows its arTant
absurdity, injustice and illegality. As 70
thelrelief these $4,000, 900 OF treasury notes
woulC afford the people in the way Of cur
renCy, We have had ample and varied and
costly experience with incOnYertble paper.
If any one cares TO approximate what such
paper would be worth as a circulating
medium, let him took to those Southern
States which the caTpet-baggers have
flooded with State scrip; let him look back
TO home experiences with county scrip and
CITY scrip. Such schemes have always re-
suited in cheating out Of his wages the man
that labOgs either IN field or shop. The
upper classes and merchants endeavor to
accommodate their transactions TO them
and succeed in a greater or less degree, but
the lower classes, with none below on
whom to shift the loss, mus bear the
bruut. Ten million dollars of such cur
rency would deranCe business calculations,
disturb al existing values, and impair con-
Edence and credit between individuals.
Mr9Cates objected to the reading Of the
protest, but the objection was Oyerruled by
a vote Of the House.
Mr.. East said that any gentleman had
the right to enter his protest against the
action Of the House in passing any Objec-
tionable measure, but lie did not think it
was constitutional Orpclite 10 bring in out
side discussion and spread 1t upon the
journal Of the House, at great cost to the
State. Il was not right TO load down the
journal with the private quarrels Of outside
parties,
Mr.. Cummins said that, while he
might conlede that the paper in
question had not accorded to those gentle
men the journalistic respect which they
were entitled to receive, yet he did not
think this was the place 10 correct it and
set it right.
Mr.. Gibson remarked that if the protest
was spread upon the journal, he also had
one to present. He had been animadverted
upon very much by a 'dirt-dOwn, slang
whanger smut machine, and he desired 10
protest against il. when lie had conciu-
ded his remarks, Mr.. Gibson explained that
he had not referred TO the UNION AND
AMERICAN, but to a Chattanooga paper
Mr.. Jamison said il was not a question
that came under the provisions Of the Con-
stitutiOn, and it was not one that was ex-
cluded by the Constitution.
Mr.. Spears asked the friends to the
measure to repel the insult fOUted (Sic) in
their faces, and the only way to do it was
by protest.
AIr. East concluded that the UNION AND
AMERICAN would have a right 10 cTiti-
cze the action ofthe House if it should al
low the protest and offending articles to be
spread upon the minutes, at a cost Of over
a thousand dollars. The country did not
want to know what was in that protest;
and, if the article was unjust, those men
could vindicate themselves in their
speeches Oh the bill when it came up for
consideration.
Mr.. JamisOn was sorry that the House
had been worried so much over the pro-
test. Il involved a mere question of cOurte-
81; bat, as there had been objection made
10 its going on the journal, he would with
draw il.
And SO the matter dropped; the world
rolled on as usual, and the House went
back to its regular order OF business.
NEW YORK.