The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-30
LETTER FROM HON. w. L.
MCFARLAND.

LETTER FROM HON. w. L
MCFARLAND.
HUMBOLDT, Tenn, Sept. %, 80
Editors Exchange:
Democratic doctrine is stated a:
follows:
NATIONAL PLATFORM, 1880.
"The strict maintenance of the pub.
lie faith, State and National. \
STATE PLATFORM. 1880.
ave reassert our opposition to the
repudistion of any of the public obli-
cations of the State or Federal gov
ernment, and declare that the repudi.
alton of either under any pretext OF
disguise would be the most direful OF
evils, moral, financial and political,
and in the patriotic language of the
National Democratic Platform. we
pledge ourselves to the strict mainte-
nance of the public faith, State and
National"
"We recognize disposition % the
part Of the creditors of the state, in
view OF the great losses entailed by
the late war, the great depression of
business and general shrinkage 10 val
ues, 10 make a liberal deduction in
both the principal and interest of our
bonded Indebtedness. And We de-
clare that We favor q prompt settle
ment by the legislature with our cred
itors upon the best terms that can be
agreed upon as result of negotia-
ton"
The whole history of the Demo
cratic party accords with these plain
and strong declarations except only as
to submission, an unconstitutional, un-
republican, dangerous and foolish
principle, injected into the platform
of 1878, in order to harmonic, and
for the purpose of keeping in the par
ty Savage, Wilson and others that
are now doing all in their power to
crush the democracy.
The party has never failed or hesi>
tated to assert the business of the debt.
They have always, at all times, and
in every way declared that we owe it
and would pay it. But now the Will
son Boilers say that the bonds issued
by the state in aid of railroads, are all
unjust and fraudulent, and none of
them ought to or shall be paid. Yet
they claim to be the Democratic par
ty. They deny everything the De-
mocracy has ever affirmed on this sub
ject. The Democratic and Wing par
ties created this debt for good par-
pose and with pure motives. Issued
the bonds, and in the very face of
them declared that "The State ac-
knowledges itself indebted to, &c,
and also that "the faith of the State
is irreyocably pledged to the pay
ment" of each and every bond. They
ratified their issuance from time to
tirse in public meetings, party con-
ventions and platforms, and in num-
erous legislative acts; and in the new
constitution, and in the enforcement
by the State, of its lien against insol-
vent railroads, and in accepting under
the law of the State from solvent rail
roads, Judgment Of their indebted,
ness on account of these bonds to the
State in the bonds of the State.
There is no Imaginable way in which
the validity of these bonds could be
declared, affirmed or ratified that it
has not been done by the whole peo>
pie Of Tennessee. The Whig party
did SO all the time. The Democratic
party has doneso all the time. The peo-
pie have donesoall the time. How then
this.bold assupmtion of Wilson and his
followers. They have departed "frcm
the faith of their fathers" They seek
to disgrace aud dishonor them by say.
ing that they perpesrsted q great
fraud or connived at it, or we're weak
enough to allow an infamous cheat to
be practiced on the people. Can the
Democratic party and the people of
Tennessee. after all they have said and
done in the past about the State debt,
now repudists it without dishonoring
themselves and disgracing the State 7
Most certainly not. Another 4ues-
ton. Will we be mean enough to
yield to our love of money, and do this
great wrong to our rancestors, ourselves
and our posterity, merely to save
few dollars in taxes We hope not.
W O