The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-09-25

DR.. j. d. Plunket, President OIL
the State Board of Health, was hung
in effigy to lamp post in Memphis
Sunday night. A card was at
tached upon which was written
Cup with Plunket and down with
order No. g." The dispatch says
the act was severely condemned by
the better class of citizens. This is
gratifying, but the dastardly dogs
who thus sought to ridicule and dis
grace a faithful and true officer
should certainly be punished. DR..
Plunket and his co-laborers on the
State Board deserve the gratitude
of the entire public, not even ex-
ceptlng the ungrateful people of
Memphis whom they have so faith
fully served. They have performed
their duties faithfully and fearlessly,
and to their intelligent and untiring
efforts many other towns and cities
in the South owe their exemption
from the dread scourge which has
.desolated Memphis. We trust these
same gentlemen will be perpetuated
in office and that they may IN fu-
ture act as promptly and intelli-
gently as they have this year. Be
hind their lines we feel safe from
the scOurge. Their praises are on
the liDs of every body outside of a
few spectators in Memphis, and
such dastardly acts as this will
only tend to strengthen their hands
and popularize their administration.
1t may not be known to all con
cerned that, at the last session of
the Legislature, there was a law
enacted forbidding the sale of seed
cotton, and cotton ginned but not
baled, between sunset and sunrise.
The penalty for the violation of this
law may be made quite severe, as
indeed, it ought to be, as it i'm
poses fine of from ten to fifty dol
lars, and Imprisonment at the dis
cretion of the court. The law is
intended to suppress the night
traffic in this staple, and so exas-
perating and costly to the honest
cotton planter has this traffic be-
come, that, we doubt not, the of
fender will receive the seyerest pen
atty by the court. Another very
noticeable feature of the law is, that
any one furnishing information and
proof of it's violation will be entitled
to one halt of the fine.
1t is to be regretted that there
should have existed in ourState ne
cessIty for such legislation, but there
is encouragement in the promptness
of the legislature in responding to
the demand for it; and not too soon,
for the traffic had become very eX-
tensive throughout the cotton re
gion of ourState, and offered peculiar
facilities to those who pursued it.
I ennessee was the last of the cot
ton growing States to to take this
step, which had become necessary
in every one.
In Mississippi the planters with
their characteristic energy, formed
vigilance committees and shotgun
patrols to protect their property
until the Legislature came to their
relief. In Alabama this species of
robbery became so wholesale in it's
operations, that the sale OIL seed cot
ION in the cotton belt has been for
hidden in either day or night. We
trust this further step may not
become necessary in our State of
Tennessee. In Western Tennessee
his traffic has become more extern
,ive and ruinous, perhaps, than in
and the unanimity of the
House in passing the bin, speaks
we'll for the determination of our
representatives to protect honest in
lustry, and to restrain those who
Will not otherwise respect the rights
If property.