The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1877-09-25
Hon. Jesse Turner's Letter.

name heads this article, to the I.ittl
Rock Gazette. Mr.. Turner's letter an,
opinions are entitled to more than ordi
nary consideration, he being man o
clear head, and honest and oonscentiou
in his opinions. lie does not give then
without first weighing carefully th'
whole subject in controversy, If Thu
question Of the settlement of our in
/ debtedness is well understood, there vii
be, il seems to us, but one mind, outsd,
of few papers which are aAuated, ii
their opposition, by an evil feeling to
ward the State Administration, which
they desire to perpetpatc and keep alive
The Little Rock Ring" is the "grca'
bugaboo Of number Of the papers in
this Congressional District, and they LET
no occasion slip, when they can covert
ly attack the policy Of the Garland and
Miller Administrations and, thereby,
throw diseredit upon them.
We are not welded to any particular
settlement Of the States indebtedness,
but we do hare the FULLEST confidence
in the Finance Board, and the admins
tration of Gov. Miller; and are also per-
ioctly satisfied that they have naught
but the best interests Of the State al
heart, and VIII protect 1t on all coca
sions.
The Darlancllc Immigrant, after cop
wing Mr.. Turner's letter, has the follow
ing very clear and moderate endorse
ment Of the policy Of the Finance Board
of the State, composed Of Gov. Miller,
Judges Rose and Compton.
"The foregoing letter to the Gazette,
from one OF our representative men,
whose sagacity, purity and integrity has
never been questioned, and whose long
and intimate connection and acquant-
ancc with the public affairs and finances
of Arkansas renders him fit for the ex-
preston of u sound opinion upon the
present all.absorbing topic, strikes us
with no little force. We have examined
studously and carefully the Adams-Red-
field plan Of settling thepublic debt, and
we have likewise examined so far rs we
could, the objections offered by our va
rious exchanges, and as yet we have fail
ed to perceive any immediate impend-
ing danger to the State, by reason of the
Board of Finance. Fer in the first
place we understand that no matter what
action this board may take, nothing that
it does can bind the State until ratified by
the General Assembly, which will not
convene for year yet, unless specially
called by the Governor. In the next
place, if these gentlemen, representing
(as they claim, the bondholders) fail tt
deposit the bonds rs agreed, or fail in
any essential point of their contract the
legislature need not accept the proposal
neither do we conceive that even though
the proposed contract should in every
respect be fully complied with by al
parties, that the legislature is bound tt
sanction or ratify it. But it is offered il
argument, that the bondholders will no
accept the compromise, as suggested by
Adams L. Redfeld, and that it will b'
impossible for those gentlemen to az
what they propose. Vol, suppose not
then the State is left just where she was
and no damage done. Therefore, we sa.
that we can see no great present DANCE
to the Government. We have often dill
iercd with the Gazette politically, ant
perhaps may again, and we know that
| is currently charged that the Gazette
controlled by the Little Rock Rang, an
all that sort of thing. 1t may DO true
but it is likewise true that facts are facts
no matter from what source derived, an
we have long since learned that in pull
lie life every man must do his own think
ING, and it will not answer to reject
fact simply because we don't like tn
source from whence it came. Whethc
or not what Adams d Redtield and tn
Gazette say be true, time will develop
and the legislature is the jury to try tn
facts. At any rate, it does seem that
the State can cancel all her evidence
of Indebtedness, be they good, bad c
indifferent, and wipe out the whole Il
fair genuine and fraudulent, at the sam
price that it would require to pay OIL tn
honest debts alone, we think 1t would
better, but if that cannot be done, the
we say rcpudiate the fraudulent debt, an
nav of the others. We have no fear ,
the consequences of reputation aitoc
ing our national credit What does
great State like Arkansas want with cree
III Why not be seli-sustaining, instoa
! of being oternally in debt. We have
ways observed that the sooner an extra
asaut individual loses his credit, the sool
er he begins to stir around and rustic u
some cash, and try 10 live within his II
come, and we believe this rule will al
PLY to . State rs well. In the meantin
let US keep cool. and let rs have less Z
/, the bug-nnaer-the-ehip style Of arsnmcn
, and more facts and figures before we co
; denim and publish the highest officials
our land as kgaves and swindlers.'
EeA Memphis dispatch of the lst
says, Reliable information is afoat tn;