Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-06-17

1of4 on the autnorlty or gentleman
who was delegate to that convention
from this place, and member of the
committee on platform, and ON whose
accuracy we place the most explicit
reliance.
principle, then, laid down by that
convention was that the revenue raised
by taxation should be sufficient to pay
the current expenses Of the State and
also its just debts and obligations as
they fell due. and as, ON the authority
of the State financial officers, the then
taxation was estimated as capable of
doing so, that was assigned as limit.
But to suppose that 40 cts. on the 500
was intended to be laid down as the
prescribed rate for taxation in Ten
nessee for all time, irrespective of the
liabilities and requirements of the
State. is to suppose simple absurdity;
no government of any sort ever did
or ever will admit of an invariable
rate of taxation throughout its history.
The Convention laid down no rules in
the matter at all, except for the two
years subsequent to the date of Its sit
ting, and then only in strict reference to
the estimates of the financial officers;
if they were erroneous. the officers and
not the Convention, were responsible.
We now come to the immoral and
demoralizing position that to urge the
payment of interest is to forward the
cause of reputation because the peo-
pie will rather repudiate than stand
the additional taxation required.
We are glad that this position has
been put forward at last by the Amer
lean. for we have seen it advanced by
smaller journals of but limited circu-
lation, and we have thought that to
answer it would give it a prominence
to which it had small intrinsic claims,
but when we see it advanced by ajournal
once so influential among Tennessee
Democrats as the American we feel
bound to answer it. We hope and be-
lieve that the people of Tennessee are
more honest than this assumption pre-
supposes, and that their first conclu-
sion, if let alone by evil counsellors,
would be that, the debt being just, it
must be paid whatever the additional
burden. But interested sycophants
are forever whispering In their ears
such honeyed poison as this. you
are poor, you are hard worked, you are
hard taxed, oh suffering people, you
can't pay now-you ought not, you
must not pay-sleep on awhile and let
the debts take care of themselves,
sleep on, let the interest accrue--re-
member yourcreditors can't help them
selves, a sovereign State cannot be
sued-sleep on, and let the future take
care of ITSELF" And thus as Satan in
the guise of toad poured the 'leper-
Gus distilment' of his venom in the
sleeping ear of Eve, so the insidious
whisperers use their Internal charms
to lull the public conscience asleep
knowing that if the charm last long
enough that sleep can know no waking.
But the disguised fiend needs but one
touch of Ithuriel's spear (Which is
nothing but the piercing power of
truth) to make him start up before the
awakened vision of the sleeper as the
fend he is-the fend REPUTATION.
With what childish sophistry has the
editor beguiled his conscience when he
urges such counsel as this and still
fancies or wants us to fancy that he is
not himself repudiator?
Listen to him: 1T may be that, at
the end of another two years, the pc
cuniary condition of our people will
enable them to bear an increase of the
rate of taxation: if they be not pressed
to submit to an increase at the next
session of the Legislature they will
struggle on" &C., and at some indef-
mite period get in the notion of paying
their debts. That's what il comes to.
For two years nointerest has been paid;
for two years more at least it is pro-
posed that none should be paid, and
for how much longer deponent stateth
not, and then at some indefinite period
it is supposed that, after conscience has
been so long and so carefully lulled to
rest, the public will, by some miracu-
lous process, be awakened to find that
taxation is after all pleasant thing to
contemplate, and the debt which was
then too heavy for us will be a mere
bagatelle with its accumulated interest
Were it not for such wretched sophis-
try as this the people could be induced
by honest advisers to look into their
affairs and act wisely and uprightly al
whatever sacrifice; but the popular
sovereign is like all other sovereigns,
he has his court fatterers always ready
to advise what is pleasant rather than
what is right, and with soothing smile
withdraw all that would disturb his
repose out of his sight.
But, if they deceive the people, such
counsellors do no not deceive them
selves: they know well enough that re-
pudiation is the goal to which all this
leads and is intended to lead. The
last paragraph of the article we have
quoted shows plainly enough to what
purpose this Withholding of interest is
to act.
The creditors Of the State are to be
wearied out, starved out by the with