The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-10-06
JUDGE .RzTHEK,s DECISION.

he suits of Amory Stevens and 9th
4rs tboadholders9 against the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
and various other railroada
in Tennessee, for the establishment
Of lieu upon said roads for the
of the greater portion of
the bonds of Tennessee, promulgat-
ed his opinion on Monday of last
week. He renders an absolute de.
cree against the bondholders and
dismisses the bills in all the cases,
deciding that none of the railroads
are subject to any lien of the State
creditors. This decision is the most
important event that has occurred in
many days. Aside from its having
all the merits Of a finality by the
courts that the State Of Tennessee,
and not the railroads, is liable for
the outstanding bonds of Tennessee.
it should lead to the withdrawal of
the Repudiator Wilson from the
Gubernatorial canvass, as the decis-
ion leaves him no ground to stand
upon. The full text of the decision is
printed in the american Of the 18th,
and that paper INDUCES in these per
tinent reflections:
The decision of Judge Whitney against
the State and in favor of the railroads
bears out all we have said on that sub
iect, Judge Whitney is enc of the ablest
of all the Federal Judges. He stands SO
high as a man and judge that his opin-
len in lawsuit is almost regarded as
final. Those who have had doubts OF
who believed that the railroads were Ii.
able for the debt and ought 10 pay il
| without recourse on the State, have nc
further incentive to induce them to re
main with the boilers. It is an oppor-
tunity for men of character and integri-
| ty to get back into the line of that eld
| Democracy which is nearing great
national triumph, which will precedC
| economies and reforms that will dwarf
the State debt.
| We have urged upon our readers thai
the question lay between the policy Of
compromise offered by the true DemOc
racy, and the policy of Republicans Of
dollar for dollar. The boilers extreme
will lead to the dollar for dollar extreme
| as sure as fate. Already the boilers
party have brought this first step to-
wards the Hawkins policy. The mex
step will be taken when the bondhOld
ers, g0aded on, shall have procured {
decision, holding the State liable anC
impounding its revenues to pay the in
! terest at six per cent. on the entire debt
and no abatement. The more the sui
brought for that purpose by Col. Colyal
is studied, the more it will be found ia
! be a dangerous invasion of the rights Of
! the Stnte 1t has been our view thai
the courts would not go so far, but we
! find that they have gone so far in prin-
ciple in cases not, however, involving
as deplorable consequences, The bolt
ing party will say that there is nothing
in it; but the people of this State well
know that there is not a lawyer in thai
party who is recognized as an authority
| by the bar Of the State, not one. They
said this suit would be decided against
| the railroads, they said the Bank of Ten
nessee case could be gained, but it was
not Are we to go on and trust them
until they land US in the mire? Already
the railroads are in position to decline
all contributions of revenue, except on
compuls1on, and with twenty years ex-
| emptions, which made it doubtful
whether they can be compelled to con-
| tribute. If we have lost revenues frsnl
this source, whose fault is it? That
surely of the party who refused to set
| tie. We earnestly call upon the com
| mon sense men, the sturdy and true men
of the State who have never failed in
duty, in intelligence, in honesty of pur.
pose, to come forward and relieve the
State of this boilers extreme, which is
leading only to the Republican extreme
of payment of every dollar at six per
cent. interest. The railroads are elimi-
mated from the contest and the charge
that a settlement is sought in their in.
tcrest must cease. From the charge of
being bought by both sides of lawsuit,
the old cry of being owned by bond
holders will be revived by the boiling
leaders. Is it not time for the people,
the bone and sinew, to see that the State
credit men only desire sincerely to re-
lieve the State from narrow and false
policies?