The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-08-21
THE EXCHANGE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 81, 1879.
TENNESsEE DEMOCRACY.

10 com promise our oIiUS ueDt Will
cause a rupture in the Democratic
party. A greater mistake was never
made In the late legislature mem
bers of both political parties worked
and voted for the proposition to settle,
and leading Republicans as well as
Democrats stumped the State for and
endorsed the compromise on the sew
enth of August; then why say the
Democratic more than the Republican
party is in danger of disintegration?
On this subject, we heartily endorse
the following sound doctrine, as put
by the Nashville Banner:
All observing men viii agree that
those who are in favor of paying the
entire debt are but few, and those who
are in favor of repudiating the entire
debt are equally in the minority. Be
tween these extreme, popular opinion
is broken into infinite fragments 1t is
unnecessary to 60 into minutie, it
suits our purpose to suggest only the
more prominent points of difference.
There are some in favor of paying on
ly the Capitol bonds, while others are
willing to include the Hermitage bonds,
and still others advocate paying, with
these, the Agricultural Bureau bonds:
while a smaller class are in favor of
paying all the estate debt, proper" in
GLIDING the bank of Tennessee bonds.
Some go further, and ask for the pay
ment of the bonds of the insolvent rail
roads, issued before the war While
some few demand the indiscriminate
payment of the entire debt of the
State.
1t is an axiom that to succeed, a
given plan must be stronger than all
other propositions combined. When,
therefore the plan is in process of dis
cussion and legislation, it naturally fol-
lows thatall other elements Indifference
will combine against the leading enc,
and only that one is recognized, but
when the struggle is over the different
elements reassert themselves, and exist
as they did before. Hence il is there
can be no party division on this subject.
If it SHOULD be attempted it will end in
disbanding the party into numberless
guerilla bands, without the ability of
defense or offense, but with great pow
ers of mischief. Why, if those who
voted to reject the proposition could
send members to the Legislature here
of their own choosing they would not
beable to agree on plan of settlement
Or if they did succeed in a plan, it is
to be supposed that those who sent
them there would ratify the settlement
We hardly think Sc Sill, even if
they would, what chance would there
be when those who voted the other
way, and those who did not vote at all,
were to be consulted?
The rejected proposition can never
be renewed, for the suits pending
against the railroads will soon be end
ed. And if those suits 60 against the
railroads they can have NJ ability TO
contribute as they offered to do, or if
the suits goin their favor, of course
they viii feel no further interest in the
matter. Until these suits are settled
there can be no possible forecast of the
next proposition. But in the mean
time our enemies will be taking advan
tage of our unfortunate condition. To
us there is but one road to safety, but
that road is plain. We have used it
heretofore because We thought it right
and in this supreme moment We are
not willing to abandon it. We refer
to the principle of the right Of the
people at the ballot box to approve or
veto what ever settlement may be pro-
posed. Here we may stand. Aban-
don it and, in our opinion, We will be
lost. We ak cannot have our will.
We must, therefore. defer to the will
of the majority. The reason Of the
success of Republican government in
America is that our people have ca
pacity to comprehend facts, reason
upon them and form correct Judge
ment upon their relations. That
judgment Of the people is right which
is the result Of the sober second
thought. Passion and prejudice are the
parents of prescription and injustice.
The sober second thought sooner or
later will surely dethrone them. 1t
is possible for the unworthy to sucure
apparent temporary Seneft to them
selves while the sober second thought
of the people is in allegiance, but the
knowledge that the sober second