The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-06-22
CORRESPONDENCE.
Letter From Middleton.
State Debt-Let Both Sides be
Heard.
Ressrs Editors j.:

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If you win allow me a small space in
your paper, will call the attention oil
the people of our county to the great
and vital political question that seems
to shake our Commonwealth from center
to circumference, and that is our State
debt. What shall we do with it, is the
inquiry that is made on every corner,
and by NEST every body. Messrs. Edi-
itors, since l have taken up my pen to
write, thousands of cOnjectures arise in
my mind as to the best method and
means of getting this question of our
State debt before the people. If l write
my views and have them published in
your valuable paper; some one will say,
she is interested in this or that and is a
politician" although I might do my
best to impartially lay the subject be-
fore the people. | visited the Grand
Centennial Tournament at Memphis
last week and on the night of the 7th of
June, 1 heard Col Colyar, of Nashville +,
speak on the que stion of the State debt,
and on the night of the 9th inst, l
also heard Judge Bailey, of GAINESVILLE,
speak on the same question. Both OF
these gentlemen are men of ability and
understand the question much better
than l do, and being placed in the posi-
ton of juror and hearing this great
question debated pro and con before me-
it struck me forcibly how shall We get
this question before the multitude. The
people that they may act on their own
judgement when they vote for their
next representative. The question was
handled with mastery ability by the
above mentioned able speakers, and all
the points in the case were fully discuss
ed by Messrs Coiyar and Bailey, and
the gentlemen represented both sides Of
the question. My plan is this: For our
country papers all over the State to pub
lish in full the speeches of Messrs.
Colyar and Bailey, made at Memphis
last week. Put both speeches in the
same paper, if possible, aud let them
go forth to the people of our glorious old
State. In this shape they will have the
same argument that was before me, and
naturally the people will be forced into
the position of juror or tho court, to
determine this great question of our
State debt IN the next election for
representative. My reason for this
plan, Messrs. Editors, is that it is well
known that very few of the farming COM
munity ever take any papers outside of
their county paper, and viii not have
the opportunity to decide on this great
question intelligently unless brought
directly before them through our country
papers. Then they will have the argu-
ment made before them. If they make
mistake, they will have to reap the re-
ward of their action. l think this the
best plan to give the people information
on this subject Call on the county
papers all over the State, and let the ar
gument be made at once and call the at
tention of the people directly to the
argument and give them time for re-
lection and they hardly ever fail. can
not close without congratulating our
friend Pole Cross, Knight of the White
Feather in tbs Grand Centennial Tourn-
ament, at Memphis on the 9Th inst.
He acquitted himself handsom ely an
won the esteem of every body for his
CALAMITY in refusing to take another
tilt when he he had been defeated on
his first tilt by a man crossing the
track ahead of him while be was on the
tilt have already trespassed on
your time, Messrs. Editors, but feeling
as one of the househald of our great
family, /, myself, in common with the
balance of the great house ,am interested
in the future destiny of our State, but
we cannot talk too much about the
things that concern our future happiness
In my opinion this is the most impor-
tant question that our people have ever
been called upon to decide since our ex-
istence as a State. Generations unborn
will point to the first Centennial year
of cur great Commonwealth as a rule
of action to govern them in time to
come. Then let US mark the signs of
the times we'll, and set an example that
will be honorable and just before all
men.
Respectfully,