Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-03-23

our capitol; that our debt incurred
for these purposes was aserious bur-
den to us he did not deny, but dis
puted the allegation that the State,
this county, was in a
condition of unexampled destitu-
ton as compared with other periods.
He went over the census returns
and the reports of the Agricultural
Bureau and showed by well authen-
ticated statistics that Tennessee was
producing more at less expense and
getting better prices for it than be-
fore the war. We will not now
give this unanswerable array of
figures. They have many of them
appeared before in these columns,
and Col Colyar himself is not a
stranger to them; they have been
produced before in answer to his
unfounded statements and he has
never answered them. He con-
tinues making the statements as if
they had never been refuted, but
never grapples with the facts which
test them and before which they
vanish as the figments of a diseased
imagination. s
Judge Smith then entered in de-
tail upon the events of the lastsession
of the Assembly. He showed that
the purpose of Col. Colyar and those
who acted with them was to defeat,
not this or that settlement, but any
settlement of the State debt; that in
fact that was the only purpose in
which they did agree, and that they
differed in everything else. Col.
Colyar acknowledged the debt, but
denied the ability to pay, while
Col. Savage denied the validity OF
the debt and held that it ought to be
paid to the last dollar if it were re-
ally due. He showed that the
amendment of Col. Colyar proposing
to include the labor account of the
railroad and the depositOrs of the
Tennessee Bank was not offered in
good faith. but saddled on the com.
promise bill for the purpose of de-
feating it; that it contained accounts
which had been settled long ago
and that Col. Colyar would have
been the last man to vote for it i
there had been any prospect of car
rying it. He closed with a cheering
view of the financial prospects o
the State, the increasing business o
the city showing increasing product
iveness of the surrounding country
He called upon the mechanics 0
GAINESVILLE to cOrroborate his affirm
alton that there was never so grea
a demand for their skill and labor
that building was contracted for OF
a larger scale than at any time sine
the war; that all our warehouses hat
been enlarged in view of the in
creased supply of tobacco pourin,
into the city, and warned the citi
zens of the blight which would faI
on these indications of reviving pros
perityif the creditof heStateshoult
be blasted by reputation. FINAL.
he enjoined upon all truly patriot
citizens to unite in urging the adop
ton of the compromise of last ses
sion if it should be again offered a
the next.
Col. COlyar in his reply gave bu
little material for rejoinder. H
made no attempt at graphing will
the figures of Judge Smith, but salt
that they were refuted by the sign
of distress and destitution visible t,
any man travelling through tn,
country, and he urged his antagonis
| 10 eynzartaotg the people orrrrt 0pO 10
himself. This was an unfortunate
position, for everybody in the hal
was well aware that Judge Snitl
is acquainted with every man
woman and child in this county.
After the speaking was over, DIR
Ussery offered the following resolu
tions, which were carried by accla
nation:
Resolved, BY the people of Mont
gOmery county, in mass meeting
assembled, that Tennessee is neithe
a pauper, nor is she bankrupt.
Resolved, That the proposition t
settle the debt of the State at 5
cents on the dollar, submitted to tn
extra session of the Legislature b,
the Governor, should have beef
promptly accepted.
The victory obtained by our lat
representative is very inadequatel.
realized by the above sketch of tn
debate; the feeling of the larg
crowd who heard it was the tru
criterion Of success. Except a fey
crossroads politicians, who wen
primed and loaded for reputation
the conviction throughout that vas
assembly was that the State deb
ought not to have been brought OF
the stump again this year; the pee
pie are weary of it and would gladl,
have had it settled and done witt
last session, when it could have beer
done so much to the advantage O
the State. A large number of tn
crowd were men who voted agains
i Judge Smith under the infiu
ence of the LOctd.c cry, last election
! but. they were unanimous now il
favor of the proposed compromise
Col. Colyar gained no votes for re
pudiatiOn here.
E-z@Szza1s.sazssz
/ SOuthSitle.
4 EDITOR CHRo MOLE -Themontl
/ of March is usually famed 70
storms, and we had one a
the parsonage last night. How
ever it was one which is not pu
down in Prof. Tice's almanac