The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-05-15
THE STATE DEBT.
VIII Republicans Dirty their
Hands with the Fraud3

1t is plain from a careful reading OF
the evidence on which Gov. Marks has
ordered an election on the 90 and 4
proposition that there is absolutely no
legal proof that the holders Of a major
ity of our bords are willing to accept
the SO and 4 proposal. All the Govern
or had 70 act on was the opinion OF
three men that it was the opinion Of
several other men that If the bondhold-
| ers were all consulted a majority would
accept 80 and 4. Opinions are not legal
evidence. What then shall we say of
opinions formed on others opinions ?
The Commissioners and the Citizens
Committee do not pretend to have con-
suited anything like a majority of our
b%ondholders. They directly state that
they have not been able to sec them,
that our bonds are more largely held
elsewhere than in the city Of New
| York. And yet in the face. not of these
| facts, but in the face of this absence OF
facts, Gov Marks has ordered an cleo
ton!
| The people of Tennessee mightas well
know the truth first as last. The DEM
ocratic party is tempest-tossed and
| storm-driven on the State debt ques-
ton. The party is split wide open
| Disaster L. in its path. The reins OF
power are about to slip from its grasp,
A dreadful emergency confronts it,
And when the Democratic party is in
| danger, what Democrat cares for law
or gospel, constitution or statute, fac'
or fiction? The Democratic party mus
be saved. That Is the beginning ano
the end, the Alpha and the Omega
Everything must give way, constitu'
tons must go down, laws must be over
ridden, truth must be thrust aside
right must be disrcgarded, and justice
must be silenccd.
Acting on this schedule the Democrat
ic leaders, the State-credit men and the
regulators, the tuil-payers n tn
s%calers, the do-somethingerS and thu
do-nothingers, the Marks-ltes and tn
Porter-ites, the Clappers and the Say
ages, all have come together or ar
trying to come together. A few Re
p~ublicans are lassoed and pulled in b.
force, and come are seduced by honiet
sentences, and intoxicating batteries
A grand brotherhood Ia formed. Al
era Of good feeling dawns. 1t Away
dawns when Republicans join in witt
Democrats; but who ever heard o
the Democrats joining in with Repuo
, licans? The lion and the lamb Ii
4 down together. All crooked place
!, become straight, and the political mil
.,Ilennium is dawning in the east.
Gov. Marks appoints two Commits
sioners; the many Democrats and fey
Republicans appoint a Committee, an
, of they 60 to New York. Now wher'
|, Is the man so simple minded as to sup
! pose that the leaders Of this movement
, did not intend to have a report In favo
OF an election? Ifthere be such a ma
he Ia too conhding for this world, an
should have political guardian AZ
pointed at once.
The scheme is palmer than the su
In An u%ncloudcd MONDAY sky. Tn
= programme wac to rope in the RepublI
cans, get q report in favor Of submit
ting the question to the people whethe
I or no, then rush through an eiectio
with a hipl hip hurrah land 10, an
. beholdi the great Democratic party
l once again united and victorious, an
the Republicans left out to shiver |
: the cold
, And the proclamation has been made
The election has been ordered. W