Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-09-09

tudt away, dHu to-udyt ala o PV0l AA-~AA'
| have owed and do owe debts that have
been unable 10 pay. / have never availed |
myself of the bankrupt law nor plead the
statute of limitations. have renewed OBJ
legations barred by the statutes and have
never denied just debt. Twice since the
war have l surrendered every dollars
worth of my real and personal property to
my creditors without claiming either ex-
emptions or home stead. simply allude TO
this to show that my personal course is
consistent with my public views and that,
though still poor, have tired 10 BE- honest.
Pardon me, fellow citizens, for this allusioa
to myself, as ii is always unpleasant 10 do
so.
WILSON 4 STICKLER FOR THE
CONSTITUTION,
But introduces bill m the Legislature
which is in direct violation Of plain pro-
vision Of the Constitution.
dent think my competitor vas thinking
much about God when he was trying in
the Legislature to have law passed al
lowing persons who do not believe in future
rewards and punishments to give testimony
i'll courts Of justice.
Which charge Wilson admitted ia his re-
joinder to be true, as follows:
1t was true he had introduced bill
making those who did not believe in future
rewards and punishments competent wit
nesses. He did this because in his own
country there were men whose words was
as good as any mans bond who did not
believe in the tenets of the Christian relig-
ion, and he introduced the bill at their re-
quest, because he believed they were and
ought to be competent Witnesses.
WILSON VOTES FOR A BILL AND
TAKES 81 600 FEE THEREUN-
DER IN PLAIN VIOLATION OF
THE CONSTITUTION.
In Senate Journal, 1879, page COZ, he
voted for All appropriation to pay she inter-
est on Mrs. Folks bonds, and also for an
amendment creating the office Of State
lawyer and appropriating $500 OF your
money to pay said State lawyers, and he
voted for the bill, and he was in few days
thereafter appointed State lawyer, and be-
fore single suit had been brought against
the State, took and receipted for $1,UOO of
his fee, and has it this day. We hear MOTH
ing of that proposition being submitted 10
the people. Oh, no.. You can report, as
you did do on your oath, that ali l~gal REM
edies had been exha listed as to the new is
sue of the Bank Of Tennessee and in few
weeks take fee of 81 900 Of the dear peo-
pies money to defend suits in cases in
which you said ON your oath ard RESPONSE
bility as a representative all legal RENEE
dies had been exhausted.
Again. The Constitution 0f YOUR Gfafe
says: "No SenatorOr Representative shall,
during the term for which he was elected,
| be eli sible>to any office or place Of trust
the appointment Of which is vested in the
Executive or General Assembly, except to
Office OF trustee Of literary institution"
Was not this at least place Of trust!
Again: The Constitution Of your State says
that no person shall hold too lucrative Of
fees at the same time and yet my COM
petitor, Wilson, holds the Office of Represen-
tative in the Senate and State lawyer, both
lucrative, and is now candidate for a
third one, that Of Governor.
SUBMISSION TO VOTE OF THE
PEOPLE PURE DEMAGOGUERY.
| WILSON'S VOTE IN THE LEG
IsLATURE AGAINST THE DOC
Urine.
| say that the people of Tennessee have
never demanded that their representative
system of government should be broken
down and destroyed. Il did not originate
with the people. 1t originated with men
Who being in the Legislature, were sfrsid
to vote till they found out which was the
/ Ia II J;d Y,of oriUin a. ", nnav,ANt
| for the will of the people, but in slavish,
craven fear Of the popular will and an over
Whelming desire to be on the strong side.
Such men are not safe representatives Of q
free and intelligent people. IL would be
both expensive and highly jpconvenient.
When did my competitor get to be so strong
ia friend of the people legislating for him,
instead of himself legislatiag for them?
Fortunately for us all. my competitor has
a record on these questions, not large rec
ord, it is true, but stiil record on the qses-
ton of the debt settlement and on the ques-
tfun Of submitting legislation TO the people.
In 1879 he voted for an appropriation bill
which paid per cent. interest on bonds is-
sued by Gov. Brown Ow 10 pay WAY interest.
| He voted tor except 35l railroad bonds be-
! longing 60 educational and charitable in
s1itutions. Thirty seven(37)oi these bonds
were for war interest and were of what
tthey call the odious Brownlow bonds. He
voted TO pay Mrs. President Polk the full
interest on her S29, 900 worth Of bonds and
voted against including other widows aud
orphans, and then voted against the bill
not, as he said, because he objected to the
principles of the settlements Of the debt nj
80 cents, with graduated interest at 4, 5, G
Der cent, but because Of the amendments.
The votes will be found: Extra session
House and Senate Journals, 1917, pages
| 106-109.
In same book, page III, he signed re-
port with Phelan and Gregg, fayOring set
| Element of all the State debt, all kinds OF
bonds included, and asked for no submits
sion TO the people.
He voted for Phelan's amendment, which
was a settlement at zoe. and 4 per cent
and no submission TO the people provided
| for I}.4
He voted for Senate bill No. II, page 1l5,
which provided for a settlement at gradua-
ted interest, and that no provision Is made
for submitting it to vote of the people
JUDGE wRIGHT's REJOINDER.--
| A SEARCHING CATECHISM.
In opening, he disclaimed any persoal a.
lusions in his remarks, and said that he
had distinctly stated that his remarks were
not of personal chara cter. he asked Dir.
Wilson if he did not vote to pay the inter-
est en- Mrs Folks bonds
Mr.. wilson, did; but
Judge Wright-And did you not vote
against an amendment TO certain bill
providing for paying I'll the bonds held by
widows?
! Mr.. Wilson admitted this.
Judge Wright then asked il hs (Mr. vii.
son) had not said that he was not opposed
| to the 50-4 bill, but that he WAS opposed to
some Of the amendments.
This was also admitted by MIR. Wilson's
! Judge Wright then said that il any Of
the bonds of the State, including the rail-
road bonds, 50 called, were invalid, and
were so declared by the courts Of the State,
or any other impartial legal tribunal to
which that question was submitted, he, as
Governor of the State, would never consent
to their payment, and he Their asked Mr..
Wilson if he assented to that proposition!
Mr.. Wilson then arose, and stated that
L. J;I MT tb;pk ha abouId be called on at