The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-18
The Ruin Rebellion wrought in Ten

Nashville, January l7.--The message
OF Governor Marks to the Legislature To-
day says that the payment ofsno part o.
the State debt can be renewed until there
shall be an adjustment Of il on such 6
basis as will bring the debt within the
ability Of the taxpayers to meet it. All
the State embarrassments are the results
of the late war and the usurpation
Of her government and , all The
imputations on her honor proceed
from malice, interest or ignorance. The
whole amount OF the debt in 1861 was
s., 1GS, ,S06, for which the State was primar
lily liable. The revenue OF the State OK.
ceeded the interest by about 500, 600. The
geographical position OF Tennessee made
her soil the theatre Of native military Cd,
eratiOns from the beginning to the close oi
the war. The blight OF the war, which fell
upon Tennessee, is without parallel in
modern times. For years her courts were
closed, her laws abrogateds her people left
without protection, the arts OF peace aban-
dOncd, and her accumulated wealth, bank.
ing capital and currency annihilated. Ii.
censed murder, arson, robbery and pillagc
filled the land with terror, want and sIf.
fering The General Government seized
and appropriated to It's use the crops and
stock Of the non-combatant citizens with.
out compensation. 1t occupied and used
all property belonging to o'the State and
all upon which il had . lien for the secu.
rity Of the public creditors. It made the
State capital military fortress. It con.
yertcd the Asylum and University build.
ings into military" hospitals and bar.
racks and, wantonlY destroying part ol
them,=.it seriously damaged them all
1t filled the penitentiaries with its prison.
ers. 1t destroyed ihe turnpike and plank
roads in its military use. It stripped the
branch railroads OF their iron and an.
propriated 1t TO its own use. II operated
the main lines OF railroads from the be,
ginning Of 1852 to the close Of 1866 and ap.
propriated all the profits. 1t took from,
the State the banking power which. had
been 80 profitable TO II and bestowed II
upon its own boudhOlders.
The message reviews at great length the
fraudulent manner OF the issue OF bonds
Of the State, by the Legislature during
Brownlow's administration. The bond
holders appreciate the fact that the debt
cannot be met, and long since compro.
mise would have been had, but for the fact
that the holders OF the bonds OF the sol
vent railroads, regarded their bonds still 4
lien upon the roads, and until that cues.
ton Is settled adversely to them, they will
far a ANN ,,,skI, a
ty OF the Taxpayers. The confusion Of the
Just debt OF the State with the questionable
and fraudulent debt has resulted disas.
trously to her interest and reputation
There has never been time when the
State was not able and willing to nay the
interest on her Just Indebtedness, but by
uniting all payments it has been made i'm.
possible. The bonds which represent the
several branches Of orr State debt car
at least be approximately distinguish
ed, and il so, they ought to be
distinguished and permit each branch q
the debt to stand upon It's own merits, and
be adjusted accordingly, and for this pur
pose an appropriate. committee should
investigate all the facts connected will
the debt and report thereon, in order thai
the justice Of the case Of tho State he OK
hlbitOl and intelligent action had. II al
adjustment Is maqethe coupons ought no.
TO he made receivable for taxes. ThC
demand for this condition implies {
want Of confidence in the integrity O
tho State, and ought for that rea
son to be rejected, but as matter O
principle the State should never consent
| TO put her sOvereignty, which she holls II