The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-07-30

" SFh SOuuS6llOAhs AuA
short time remaining to discuss Il
D. question before the people, promp
rs the hope that you viii make an ear
.e respose. Very respectfully.
'r q .s. 3D.. .s..s --- B. A. ENLoE.
e Hon. B. A. Enloe: A recent il
d ness has pat it out of my power
e respond otherwise than through th
! medium to your letter of the Il
!. instant and to several other invita-
!, tiOns now before me to address th
: people upon the subject Of the publ
3 debt settlement now pending for
, popular vote under the act of 1879
ch. 204. A respectful Difference t,
your own and the wishes of thes
friends, however much they MAJ
overestimate the value Of my opin
ions, will be accepted, 1 trust. as {
sufficient excuse for this intrusion
before the public. Tie question is
indeed, of so momentou character,
and so vital to the common veal and
honor of our people, that no man
whose opinion iG demanded has a
right to be silent, and no citizen has
right to stand neutral. f. .
am not bondholder, or the son
of a bondholder, nor am l the agent
or attorney of any corporation or
individual who holds the securities
Of this State. and in this question l
have no shadow of interest save that
which is common to every man who
loves this Commonwealth. My mo-
tives, therefore, cannot be impugned
or suspected, when l declare that in
my Judgment it will be sad day for
the future Of this State ifthis propo.
sition be rejected at the polls.
1t is neither strange or unnatural
that the people of this State, in view
of the calamitles which of recent
years have befallen them, should be
restive and discontented, under the
exercise of the taxing power. And
yet taxation is that attribute of
sovereignty which, in the govern.
ment of States, cannot be pretermit-
ted without self-destruction. When
the demagogue Nero proposed to the
Roman Senate to abolish all taxes,
the Senate thanked him for his SEEM
ing good will to the people, but as.
sured him that this was certain
means of destroying rather than of
repairing the Commonwealth. This
delicate power Of taxation must be
exercised, however, by the sworn
law givers according to the exigen-
ciss of the public service-and in
determining what these exigencies
are, the irst proposition to be accep.
ted is, that the life of the govern.
ment must be preserved at all haz-
ards, and the public faith protected
inviolate. But, ono people," said
Lord Bacon, "overcharged with tri-
butte, are fit for empire"-aDd it is
necessary in all cases after the life
Of the government is absolutely as
sured, to take into account the abili-
ty of the people to pay, in the levy
ing of taxes for any other govern
mental e1igency that may arise.
Now, the State is as much bound to
pay its debts as the individual. The
difference is alone in the remedy of
the creditor. In the one case the
law affords a summary mode of en-
forcing the debt-in the other, the
debtor is exempt from suit, and the
debt can only be enforced by the
sense of justice and honor residing
in the hearts of those who keep the
conscience of the State. The accurs.
ed word repudiation ought to be
expunged from the yocabularies Of
the English tongue as a phrase OBJ.
solete in all human transactions, as
applied to honorable obligations.
But to neglect or "ignore" a pub
lie debt and make no provision for
its payment, is of itself a sort ofre-
pudiation. but little less disgrace
full than an absolute defiance of the
creditor and refusal to pay. 1t has
been manifest for years that the
shrinking in values--the prostration
of all industries, and general impoy-
erishment" in this State have rem
dered the payment of the public
debt an impossible thing at this
time-and if the creditor cannot
abide the distant day, which I have
trusted in God may come, when the }
uttermost farthing may be paid, then
the compromise of q burthen too
grievous to be borne, is quite as
honorable among States as among
individuals. am not a politician,
nor do I desire to be, but if I we're
the cardinal principle of my action
would be light burthens for the peo-
pie ';until these caIamities be over
past" but at all times and in all
places, !. high standard OF integrity
for the State. h!e s7a7z sa.r .a
s.V fs-,.e ELaas arr lss a.rr $500
In declining, last summer,