Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-12-01
THE COMPROMISE.
Letters from Congressman Atkins
WhitthOrne and House.
Wise Counsel from Three of Ten
nessee's Rest Representative Men

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Wise Counsel from Three of Ten
nessee's Best Representative Men
Gov. Porter has received the fol.
, lowing letters from Congressmen
, Atkins, Whitthorne and House,
! with regard to the State debt:
FROM HON. ]. d. c. ATKINS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Nov. Is, 1877.
Gov. James ID. Porter-My Dear
Sir: have, ever since / saw your
proclamation eonvening the Legis-
lature of Tennessee in extraordinary
session, intended writing to you,
but my engagements thus far have
precluded the opportunity. And
even now l have only the time to
extend my congratulations upon the
prospect of the adjustment of our
public debt.
do not hesitate to say that were
/ a member of the Legislature, i
should promptly accept by my vote
the proposition of the holders of
| Tennessee bonds, to reduce the face
of the public debt forty per cent,
| thus relieving Tennessee taxpayers
of about $40, 100000. Tennessee can
hOnorably accept, but cannot afford,
| in my judgment, to make PROPOSE
tions for the reduction of her public
debt.
l trust the Legislature will make
itself memorable by being instru-
mental in bringing this relief to the
people.
Faithfully yours,
J. ID. G. ATKINS.
FROM HON. w. C. WHITTHORNE.
WASHINGTON CITY, Nov. 10, 1877.
His Excellency, James ID. Porter,
Governor, etc.-Dear Sir: am in
receipt of copy of your prOclama-
tion convening the Legislature in
extra session. Permit me to say, as
one of your constituents and fellow
citizens, that l am glad you have
done so.
The financial troubles of our State
should be solved, and the sooner
done the better it will be, in my
opinion, for every interest of the
State.
The basis of adjustment submit
ted is one that our people can hon.
orably accept, and however desira-
BILE lower terms might be, in view
of their distressed condition, yet / |
am fully pursuaded from your own
patriotic action and that of the able |
legislative committee = conferees
with the bOndholders-it is the best |
attainable proposition, and there
fore one that should be accepted at |
once.
With restored financial credit Ten |
nessee becomes an inviting field to |
labor and capital, and soon, in renew
ed and increased wealth, will rank |
with the first States in the Union, |
and stand the peer of the best in the |
prosperity and happiness of her cit
izens, a result | am sure you desire
by your administration of the State |
Government to aid in achieving. |
Wishing you success therein, / am |
respectfully yours,
w. G. WHITTHORNE.
FROM HON. JNo. f. HOUSE.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 19, 1877.
Dear sir: l have intended for |
several days to express to you my
qualification on reading your pro-
clamation conVening the Legisla- |
ture in extraordinary session on 5th
prOX.
The settlement of our State debt
on basis, satisfactory to our credi-
tors and to our people, is consum-
nation that every one must desire
who values the welfare and honor
of our State.
tits evident that something should
be done. We cannot afford to stand
still. The debt is increasing all the /
while, and at no very distant day,
if let alone to grow, will assume
proportions fearful to contemplate.
Unless we mean to repudiate the
debt outright, which do not be-
lieve our people wish to do, it seems
to me that there can be no two Opin-
ions upon the soundness of the pro-
position that the sooner we act the
better it will be for us, unless, in
deed, it can be shown that the larg-
er the debt becomes the more easy
its honest and hOnOrableadiustment
will be.
[ trust, and will not allow myself
to doubt, that when our Represent
dIlN6S dSS0IuDl6 lu6y Will dppTOdCll
the question with a determination
to solve the problem worthy of the
gravity of the situation. No Leg
islature ever assembled in Tennes-
see has been called on to face a gra-
yer responsibility. hope the ques-
tiOn will be met as becomes men
and Tennesseans.
If L were a member of the Legis-
lature, and our creditors should
make a proposition to settle our
debt on the basis of sixty cents on
the dollar, I would not hesitate a
between accepting such an
offer and the ruinOus policy of do
ing nothing and suffering the debt
to drift on to our pOsterity, growing
in volume every year.
Respectfully and trulyyour friend,
JNo. f. House.
Hon. ], d. Porter, Nashville, Ten
neSSee,
THE PrOtean nature of the vowel
sounds is familiar to all. A few
Il. |