New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-26

l
gentlemen. as snording opportunity for this exac
| ton Thus public sentiment was directed almost
solely to this one question" Reputation" or "ns
repudiation; honesty or dishonesty "Stats
| credit or mo State credit" The Middle and Wea
Tennessee Democracy were largely for low taxes'
| another name for repudlation); East Tennessee
Democracy were opposed. In this condition all
honest State credit persons looked forward 10 the
| Democratic platform upon this question when they
met at Nashville IN August last. The result was
| the following:
IL has attempted meet all the obligations OF the
State Just aud unjust by OF circumstances over
which have had control. we are no longer able
now 10 meet the requirements OF our creditors The
cost OF all productions exceeds their market VALUE
Our mechanics and laboring people are without
munerative employment Our merchants are making
and We recognize amour M
ourselves wide differences OF opinion as TO the time
mode and measure OF the payment OF our public o6xa'
OGs, but for the present these dferences OF opinion
afford M just occasion fnr disturbing thai unity wheh
essential TO the complete OF cur party In ITS
great struggle for the liberation OF the eOuntry We
cordially unite. however IN declaring that we are ~
posed the Reputation OF the Just Indebtedness OF tho
state that we are In ayor Of an equitable Of
SHT Pmee a 3 % b Su n 20 s en- teS
clare that for the submissou to tbs people 0-
separate elecTion OF any adis Of the STATE deb,
which may be made by the LEGISLATURE aud unnl sHeh
people, declare that OppOs.d 10 the levy OF
any greater tax upon the people than may be necss
eminent, economically administered
ii would have seemed that the sentiment of the
people was already sufficiently well know to have
enabled especially Legislators yet to be elected TO
act directly this matter unless a. was evidently
the case, the design is. first. TO save individual
odium TO the legislator who would vote repudis.
ton n and secondly. to exercise such delay III the
receiving. acting upon, and referring " to the peo-
pie" of any proposition that. as IN the case Will
N
until its meaning is harmless, and like lost hope"
the bonds and the credit and honor of the State will
sink together. This Democratic platform was pre-
pared in the interest largely of Colonel Collier.
though written by Judge Marks. who was after
ward nominated for Governor.
That this platform means reputation no sane
man can contradict. Here is what one OF their most
reliable organs The ClarksriIIs Chronicle, formerlys
State credit paper, says:
The Democratic Convention. whose labors have il.i
terminated demands its transactions the serious az
tention OF all interested In the history OF par
ties in thu State These TRANSACTIONS IN act the adoP
NOMINATION. Of Chancellor Marks, determine an era N
the politics of Tennessee; they bring to clos the
struggle between the sections OF the Democrats
pa w. which three years have been known as the
State credit and the low section This struggle we
saw, terminated ~ favor OF the latter by the adoption
OF a Ow-tax platform aud the nomination OF low-tdS
candidate for Governor II would he intile as wen 90
10 dsDute the fact that this decision
or the people the delegates VINO determined
1t carried the us rrucOus of their constituents and
their il clearly the peoples act OF course We DOW
IT, Tue people aud they alone have the ght 10 .et
power resist their clslOn. We do not retraet sin
gle opinion We have expressed We DeHeve AS We
always have DONE that the interest on tue debt Ough
DO regularly provided for year Dy year. sbl, IN
face " the stereOtyped ak about srnkage IN values
believe that the people are well able so 70 prvlde
but il has been decided DIN rently the people OF the
State have decided against us. We do not say as the
tne cGntTry Ne beiievc that they have been deIoraby
plIsled this instance. bui we ADMIT Vhtt, rgnt y.
hive decided H. W. are going engage in ntils
struggle against the inevitable to spend our tms
In cry recriminatIOns or DOOtess regret-.
Another paper SO regarding the platform, but be-
lieving more in the Democratic party than In
honesty The PuIGsh Citizen, says:
The success of the Democratic party s paramount no,
only tn our uny opinions any and all Questions Out
to the state debt Of Tennessee tseil IN al o. va
immense proportions. The platform adopted assur"'
this so far as Tennessee Is concerned
In striking contrast TO this, the Republican Con-
veutIon. which met q few days later. declared
That opposed 20 repudltlon or any ang ot
liabilities Of the state according to tne terms Vi aet
obligations rxeept far the creditors may votnD
tariiy eoncede able and toat the lass
Democratic Legislature. in failing 10 honestly ADJUST me
the office of legislators ana unht representatiye OF an
honest people Willing to do right aud anxious To AVOID
D Ne arraIgn the Democratic party OF the State Of
Tennessee Inconsistency and rrereaney to pubic
tIua IN failing meet the grat question or the Stao
Liabilities with rInkness and honesty IA its declaration
OF principles to-calle0 as set forth at It's 'e CONVEX
REPUBLICANS UNITED FOR PAYMENT.
You will see that this question Is Of National I'M
portauce The effect upon the morals and the honor
and integrity of people in State which repudi-
ares her honest obligations can scarcely be fOretod.
And is 1t not of some moment that upon tnls lssuo
the Republican are united, and IN their weaAness
numerically so unitedly making this hghtf And
is il not n shame that in this they cannot have the
open assistance of every one-though Democrat-
who is not IN sympathy with repudlatIonf lhou-
sands there are of Democrats IN this State who ars
at heart opposed to this, we'll as their party pat
form in favor OF an irredeemable currency, ana
vet they have not the moral courage TO let their
voice and influence be felt Marks himself dlseourses
quite freely upon Questions OF National FINANCES,
attempts to throw suspicion upon tae s,s hnt
no measure to suggest short of reputation as
way out of this trouble. As to this he Is cohtent,
for the people, as both party ana IuusT eA 49,
ment was tried few days ago IN the good Deiho-
cratic County of Williamson, as Colonei Collier
tells me, and not one affirmative vote was cast on
the proposition TO pay even lZis cents on tue uoii@
of our bonds. =, -.
Has the time come when party strength and party
lash are suc as to elevate TO the chair OF Governor
a man without policy; or. II having one, aifalu 10
ayow lti Both III the Platform and IN bis speeches.
there is studied attempt 10 confuse ana $500 re-
any one The Ctdrkspiiie Chronicle (DemocIatich OF
October 5, thus comments on Judge Markss speech
made Just before at Franklin: ,,h ,,
large portion OF tue speech Is occupeu Will VIZ
pur OTIS be history oftne debt bur when we come 70
anaiyzsit It is whether correct or erroneous Shly MS
Iar, IN that small fraction debt which was M
enrred since the war while the Repunleans were
nSsr,son of Tue State Government. from looo thit 10
70 1865 aud which. according TO his own eomPuIso.
does not amount to more tEan . million, Will 'ns
whole debt Ii over S22,00O,00o NeVerthenss, oSy
x r,sses himself that lis bearers VIII Ne leu W 'pp
10 the whole debt the argument M oasns uPon
small fraction of IL. He points that thls. tne
Dggers portion, incurred wnen tue state g. or
fra,,calsed: wnen the .axpaycr5 could ho' SAY 49,
no TO t; that IL was sold laTg ~ under par; hal
mo-, onpied 10 the purposes intended, but ahsoroc W
caIpt-oagsers under the uise uf legislators y :,
tractors: that the quarts which were thrown dIut
10 prec ue fraud IN the disposal OF IL were dsregauu
and the bonds In many respects SOFA III com
tiun of the law, OF winch ALLEGATIONS we WI ~.
dispute Dut starting these alegatl'ns 10 80.