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

wise, judiciousa ana Dehehcens -'o
you and the generations that are TO
come after you; and the very fact
that the debt is.adjustedupon basis
so honorable in you, and so generous
in your creditors. will, in my judy
ment, put a new face upon things in
Tennessee. We want, above all
things, to increase our wealth-to
build up our waste places-to open
the bowels of our mountains-to
clear up and cultivate our vast do
main of unopen lands. To do this.
we must put ourselves in 2 condition
to invite capital and immigration
within our borders. We cannot do
so with this milestone hanging about
our necks. When the invitation
goes forth now. these people mock
at your hospitality, and say you want
them to come and help you pay
this enormous debt, or share the dis
grace of non-payment. A thrifty
emigrant, in search Of a new home,
first enquiries the amount of the pub
lie debt in the country where he de-
sires to go, and what burthens of tax
alton he will buy with the land he
purchases. If these burthens be
light he will, other things being
agreeable, look about him for
homestead. If they are heavy, he
will falter and hesitate, and then 90
away to some more inviting country.
If he be an honest man. and sees re.
pudiation even in the dim distant
future, he will turn away in disgust.
For he knows that the State is the
people, and thepeople are the State.
and that a State once dishonored.
like a woman's virtue once defled,
is dishorored forever. and that all
the holy waters of the Jordan can
not take the foul leprosy away, or
keep the long, significant finger of
scorn from being pointed at its in
habitants, whenever they may wan
Ger on the inhabitable globe.
If this proposition be adopted by
the people, | believe that it will rem
der reputation forever impossible,
either by apathy or by positive ac-
ton; and, when this debts..is adjusted
as now proposed, the wealth of the
State will soon double itself, and you
will be forever secured against heavy
taxes, for the day ofimposing heavy
burthens on the State has passed
away.
People Of Tennessee: In one of
those fascinating Arabian tales, in
which some unknown wizard Of the
Oriental cline has bewitched the
imaginations of old age and child.
hood in the generations as they come
and go, a sailor tells story of an old
man of the sea whom be took upon
his shoulders one day to take over
the brook. The old man of the sea
never afterwards quilted his hold dur.
ing the day, and when the sailor wish
ed to rest at night, he laid himself on
the ground with the old man of the
sea always fixed to his neck, The
sailor at last bethought him of
heavy draft of generous wine, which |
he gave him to drink, and the old |
man Of the sea relaxed his hold and |
fell to the ground, and the poor tired !
sailor took a stone and crushed his
head and slew him. This debt origin |
ally forty-nine millions, still hangs
like an incubus about the neck of this
great Commonwealth. 1t threatens
the public honor. 1t gives pabulum
to the demagogue, and retards
healthy legislation. 1t battles the
energies of commerce. 1t blights the
crop of the farmers. 1t repels immi-
grafton and ,frightens capital, It
oaralyzes manufactures, closes the
mines of wealth in your mountains,
and drives away the industrial arts.
No draughts of generous wine willre-
AK its hold, but sweeter chalice
still, commiseration for your accu-
nulated misfortuues, brings you a
,ender ofliberation, which, in one of
your private creditors would seem
90 generous to be real. Will you
lgree with your adversary while in
he way with him? Will you lose
his golden opportunity, which, if
elected now, comes not back again?
1 have the honor to be, your obedi-
mt servant, JOHN L. T. SNEED.
Shelby county. July IA, 1879.
The Lamar House.