Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-29
lEEMPHTS APPEAL
TUESDAY, ;: AUGUST 90, 1875.
JUSTICE TO GOVERNOR PORTER.

There Is still much comment in pc
litlcal circles as to the policy Governor
Porter has adopted In regard to the dis
position Of the accumulated money in
the State treasury. There is as much
surprise at his course as there Is oppo.
sition. The duty OF paying out this
surplus was not imperative, and as Gov
ernor Porter failed to pay the first
hundred thousand dollars on hand, as
he seems to think he was compelled to
do, he had right to postpone the pay
ment OF any part until the meeting of
the legislature. III he had q right to de-
fer any seton until the surplus in tie
treasury had accumulated to near half q
million of dollars, he had right to de-
fer any payment at all to the meeting
of the legislature, which meets In four
months. But we ask suspension Of pub
lie opinion until Governor Porter has al
opportunity Of addressing the people Of
Shelby. This we presume he win do at
an early day, as matter Of justice to
himself and to the friends who have
sustained him, and to the party anxious
to give him cordial and enthusiastic
support. There was q general DISPOSE
ton manifested in the State convention
TO adjourn the question Of the State debt
to the next Legislature, and 10 elect
members to that body Of high BUSH
ness qualifications, with the hope
that they could make a final, salts.
factory settlement, and thereby
take the question out of the politics Of
the State, as has been done in Alabama
aud Virginia, without any detriment to
the honor OF these States or injury to
their creditors. While the APPEAL en-.
tertaips these views, and the earnest
hope that Governor Porter will recede
from the policy foreshadowed by his ut.
tersnces, it will repel any imputsticn
that. be is actusted by unworthy mo-
tives. The insiDustion that he is in a
ring which has made large profits by the
policy he hes announced is simply pre-.
posterous, for there is not In Tennessses
mau possessing more stern, iDhexlbls,
rugged honesty than James d. Porter.
Every man who has known him in boy.
hood, st college, at the bar, on the
bench, as soldier, as governor of the
State, unite in the opinion that his In.
tegri is as impregnable as his whole
life has been pure. He Ii OF that class
Of austere men who, for principle and
honesty can sacrifice the love of friends.
but self-respect he can never surrender.
He cannot be csjoled into wrong doing.
The massive weight of his character
consists Of Roman firmness which can
not be moved. Whatever faults Govern.
or Porter may have, ayarice is not one
OF them, and il q ring had even
proposed what IL insInuated against
Governor Porter, those who might rely
on using him as a tool would have
been spurned frem his presence. His
tastes are simple, and ne does not feel the
want Of riches. His manly bearing, his
frank, quiet manner, his modest firm.
ness in the assertion Of his convictions,
his intense sympathy for everything
that is honorable and high minded, his
scorn for all things mean and base,
should shame into silence those who are
insinuating calumnieS against his un-
sullied name. Let the Democracy of
Shelby county suspend their opinions as
to the policy which Governor Porter
proposes to pursue, and orT faith in the
man is SO implicit we believe he will
satisfy every man as to the rectitude of
his purpose.