Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-12-20
NASHVILLE.
An Exciting Day-Gstting Down to
BusinsSs-A Majority for
Adjournment
Four Per Cent. Likely to Prevail.
Special to the Appeal

Special to the Appeal
NASHVILLE, December l9.-To-day was
the most exciting Of the season. Several
attempts were made in the house to 60
into q committee of the whole, but
failed, the majority seeming anxious to
CONT TO business.
Mt. Phelan opposed going into a com
mittee Of the whole, urging that there
was only a few days left for work before
the holidays would virtually cad the SEES.
sion, and unless the house went to work
nothing would be done toward settling
the debt. Unless this question was taken
out Of Tennessee politics the next sum.
mel would see the Democratic party torn
by dissension and faced BY Radicals in
concentrated masses. To leave this
great debt to the Radicals was to entrust
it to the criminal hands which created
it, and meant dollar for dollar for the
people to pay. For one, be believed
this country can only prosper beneath e
Democratic administration. he was q
partisan, but in the highest and best
n There we're persons in the house
who desired to keep the question open,
from personal motives, but the house
should rise superior to this and deal
directly with the momentous issue. That
bill introduced by him was intended
only as 8 compromise measure. 1t had
been refused by the high.tax party, as.
sisted by the repudistionists. Day by
day the breach became wider between
those who wanted to Cypress the people
and those who would endeavor to soOthe
the popular indignation.
This afternoon the house went vigsr-
ously 10 work wedding ont a score or more
OF resolutions which had been introduced
from time to time.
Mr.. Frierson's bill providing for a
compromise at fifty cents and six per
cent. was passed up for consideration
amid much excitement. Every vote taken
showed more than a constitutional ma
jority in favor of an adjustment of the
debt.
In the senate the question Of interest
was discussed, and it is regarded as o
certainty that it will agree to fifty cents
and four per tent interest, a conclusion
which, in all probability, will finally be
reached by the house.
An exciting debate occurred in the
house this morning over the liquor-regis.
try bill, which had been recommended
for passage by the finance committee.
Several attempts to get it before the
house, which is about equally divided on
the question, we're made, but failed, end.
ing in its reference to the judiciary COM
mittee.
The governor sent the legislature the
following message in answer 10 joint
resolution No. 5:
Il have the honor to state that the
parties who propose to compromise the
State debt at fifty cents on the dollar,
claim to control g large proportion Of
the debt Of the State. One individual
assumes to control two million dollars.
Ny opinion, founded on information de,
rived from others, is that the parties
making the offer are reputable charac-
ters, but there is no data in possession
or within reach of this department by
which his statement can be verified, or
that would enable me to furnish the in,
formation asked for by the general as.
sembly. JAMES d. POTTER"
Governor Porter, having ascertained
that Judge McKinnon, agent Of the New
York syndicate, was exhibiting TO 9
member letters from one of its agents a
New York, with a view to prejudicing
in the eyes Of the legislature, demanded
and obtained, through a friend, posses
sion Of the letters Of instruction to Nc
Kiunon, which will be published in th,
American tomorrow morning, which
shows up the true inwsrdness Of The
syndicate 10 an unenviable light, ex
planning in detail the means By which
they hope to make millions out Of th,
States distressss. r. D. Wilson Gomez
in for a full share Of the abuse for BIZ
opposifion IL their aohama