The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-07-10
REPUTATION.
The Opinions Of Lady on the Fear
ful Epidemic.

d disease, and shrink back with loath-
= ing from the contagion as we would
e from the foul IeperI
/ We asked for a compromise; it
was given; and if not at the low fig
ure desired, it is a compromise that
we can meet. Shall we stultify our
= selves with rejecting it, wrapping
: ourselves in the disgraceful man
tie of repudietion, and give as
a reason, because we have been
robbed? Shall we set aside the
golden rule, our dignity, our purity
of character, and turn robbers also?
What precedent for great State
full of resources, to set to States,
/ Nations, looking on, ever ready to
f ape the proud, chivalrous people of
} the South! Shall our example be
one of bargain, intrigue and corrup-
ton? and because they have stolen
our sheep, we will steal their mon
ey! and ''tit for tat" henceforth be
our watchword, as we trail the
royal purple in the mire?
Some correspondent of our coun-
ty (Williamson) paper says, "The
people (meaning himself, a0e hope,
are almost united in opposition to
paying the debt and don't think it
morally (the italics are ours) wrong
eitherp'
If it comes SO easily, repudiating
our public debt for which our honor |
is bound, what effect will it have |
upon our private, financial, moral |
and social obligations, one towards |
another?
What blight to the rising gen
erations, the example of father to
soni
Better pause in our madness and
reflect upon the de6aSing conse-
quences before we cast the fated
vote of repudiatIon.
In such a vote lies something
worse than q cyclone, the lava of
Vesuvius, or an inunnation! In
such a vote lies dishonor, moral
death.
Our State is inviting immigra-
tionl Tell US where IS the stranger
to come among set of repudia-
tionists to invest his capital? To
set up among a set of sharpers who
have borrowed money to build our
State House, our railroads, etc.,
and when completed and we are en-
joying what his borrowed money
has given US, turl our backs upon
those who trusted our pledged word
and honor and say, we will not pay !
you!
You dear Northerners! you have
played us wrongfully, and being
''the upper dog in the fight" you
have removed without a 1.-THE of
compensation, the bone we were
both gnawing on, and in revenge we
repudiate the whole thing, or next
to it, Notwithstanding your Presi I
dent offered, before the proclama- !
tion about the bone, to call off mis- :
war dogs and leave US in peaceable :
possession of the bone, and restore ;
the waste, if we would just leave off :
ightingl But we would not, and E
you, the stranger and upper dog .
in the fight took the bone, and be- :
cause you have not paid for that q
bone we will dishonor ourselves, :
bring discredit upon our State, and .
be criminally unjust to oar widows
and orphans, and repudiate the
debt, ont Of the spite we bear you, :
and call it justice to ourselves. y
We are not a holder of Tennessee :
bonds. Once had twenty seven =
thousand; taOenty thousand of which =
were stolen from our private safe. !
Yet, with this terrible disaster to =
us, we were willing to meet our .
share of the debt, and help lift the =
incubus from our State, "
and the withering influence that will a
fall upon us by reputation! +
We have no voice at the polls in r.
this or any other matter involving n
the veal or woe of our State, nor in n
making the laws, good or bad, that !.
we are required to obey, and for the h
violation of which we will be pun n
ished like any man! Nor is it, we Il
believe, considered just the thing in q
polite y circles for a woman to in y
innate a knowledge of politics or .
insinuate in her closet that the right ;,
Of suffrage might place things on a +,
better basis and more equalizing, w
lest epIthets be applied to her II
worse than indelicate, and strong
efforts be made to level her with the n
beasts of the fleld' SO jealous and 81
are the ''lords of creation" .,
Of their peculiar rights and privil "
eges, and the del1cacy of our wo :,
Yet the "delicacy of n
our womanhood' will not screen us -
from being sued or fined, or sent to :,
prison, nor even the gallows! We II
Oedk creatures are held amenable h,
alike with the stronger to the laws ~
hey make, and in which we have m
40 voice. We are not allowed to 70
carry even little shooter to make al
ourselves the equals IN strength to the h,
-uffian that would snatch us from a,
our horse in the by-paths, throttle ri
is, and leave us worse than dead h,
md damned, though life might still r.
be left in us. r
But to reputation zoe cannot sub al
nit without a word of warning; an i
effort to SGve us from the contempt 81
md sneering of outraged justice. 10
Let every proud woman come to the n,
rescue of our State from infamy 10
Let her say to her husband we will n,
our jewels; we will do cC
without silks, velvets, diamonds, gi
aces, and the neso bonnet, but never, Go
rs you honor me, bring this mill bt
lew of Reputation upon the proud 70
lame of our State. Let every n
mother say to her son, have sus- "a
aimed you from by bosom; honor ae
ne, honor your manhood and your h.
State bv voting on the 7th of August :;
,he Accepted" ticket; though al
leavy the debt, increasing our az
oil, our burdens and our pri sr
yet these minor things M
Will be easier to bear than the III
,anker worm of dishonor eating.iDto "
our vitals and the sharp thrust of M
iwindler for US, and for you and
7our children now, and in the years 4
@ come, that will fall constantly
=