Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-03-29
WHOLE NO. 2,262.

!, NOW my friend from Bedford has
] toftA US how rapidly our resources
are wasting away, how our taxable
: properly has diminished Ia value,
/ amt it Il 50. In 1860, just before the
Mass our property was S893, DOO, 600.
AZ ~ true slaves were added IN. The
war came with all its sweeping dis.
| astefs, and we have never errecoVered
from ITS effects. | have heard gem
tlemen talk here upon this floor.
and don't know bat they Thought
we ought TO bring action against the
United States for the damage we
had sustained. / don't know but
taey thought we ought to have all
these disasters compensated for.
When embarked IN thSt contest /
babe farewell to all old ties, and i
nave had no word Of repining since.
The tolls Of a lifetime went down
In that war. From affiuence Il went
down TO the verge Of beggary but
II never east me an hour Of regret.
i said ii was right. ] took my
chance upon the issue. 4 have no
complaint to make against the Fed
eral Government. / staked an that
i had and lost, aud | think II would
l have very little sympathy with
those who say 1 will SO now and
swear, for the purpose Of getting a
few mules that 1 have lost, that 1
havelostsynpathy with my mother,
father and country. / ten my friend
II he goes on the way he Il going,
there will be further shrinkage.
Prosperity flies away from the peo-
pie who act as we are doing. You
can't get rid of this debt, which Is
sitting like an incubus upon the
shoulders Of the State. Ii IL par
alyzing the energies Of your citi-
zens 1t Is destroying their conf
dence in each other; at home and
abroad ii is iniuring your people. IL
you want to see the mercury rise In
your commercial thermometer, re-
lieve yourselves of this crushing
load of debt, make some arrange
nlent for il, provide for Il. and
work il out. You must get this
debt off your shoulders, and when
you do, you will give a new impe-
tus to the energies of this people.
You will let your young men feel
the pride and power of the manhood
that Is within them; when they 20
abroad among strangerS, they will
not be ashamed, as some of Missis-
sippi friends used.to be, 70 register
their names from Tennessee. lt Is
Il proud name. Itstands high upon
the annals of fame and power. Her
eScutcheOn has been untarnished,
and for Gods sake, don't let
us be the instruments Of furnishing
IL. lt is in Otir power to carry re-
lief To this oppressed and depressed
people. In the municipal corpora
tiOns we have been paying at the
rate of three per cent. on the value
of our real estate and more, adding
in the State and county tax, and as
an individual, as a Tennes&ean, as
one who expects to live and die
upon her soil, who Is identified with
all of her interests, say am viii
ling to divide into half this dayand
this hour the little inheritance l
have to remove this stigma and
burden from my State. Like my
friend from Sumner, who disclaimed
any political aspirations, have
none. My career i'm the past has
shown that the height OF my ambi-
tion has been to keep out Of sight.
have no aspirations for the
all desire Is that the little
of my life that Is left. and
It Is brief, ] know, shall be passed
IN state that Is above fear and
above reprOach; that my children
who are growing up may be proud
10 announce themselves as Tennes-
scans, and every man say, "I am
Roman citizen
Now, Mr.. Chairman, / have
greatly taxed the patience and the
Indulgence of this honorable body.
have exhausted myself, il not my
subject. feel deeply grateful for
he attentive consideration that has
leen paid TO my remarks. My
earnest desire Is to cooperate Ia
iOme practically feasible scheme
ipon which the people, the State
md its creditors may unite, which
will relieve US Of this burden, that
We may go home TO our constituents
md say that as honest representa-
ives and Senators we have done all
hat could be done TO relieve you
ind set you once more upon the
Dad to prosperity and glory.