Blount County democrat. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 1879-1883, 1880-04-14
An Apology for the People.
EDITORS DEMOCRAT :


ing, are doing the people ofthe county
of Blount, or their agents, the men,
bers of the County Court, injustice,
when they directly or by implication
charge the people or their agents, the
Court, with being guilty of repudia-
ton in failing to assess, and in oppos-
ing the assessment of, tax to pay
the interest on the bonds issued to the
Knoxville and Charleston Railroad
Company. And it appears to me that
the term Reputation is used rather
flippantly than wisely and appropri-
ately, when speaking Of the action of
cur County Court in not assessing the
tax. The word repudiate, in the con-
nection in which it has been used,
means to fraudulently discard, to re-
fuse TO pay a debt. A debt means a
just obligation; or, if you please, an
obligation the performance or pay
ment of which can be enforced by
law. What has the County Court of
Blount county done? The action of
the Court in refusing to levy tax,
and the condct of very large part, If
not majority, of the people of the
county in their sympathy with the
Court, IL in no sense reputation, un-
der the circumstances and in view of
the facts attendant upon the creation
of our alleged bonded debt. There is
not an intelligent man in Blount
county, or elsewhere for that matter,
who is at all conversant with the
manner in which the bonds of the
county were issued and disposed of,
but knows that the people of the
county were grossly defrauded, and
if the bonds must be paid, that the
people, the taxpayers, will $50 far as
their agency in the matter is concern
cd be burdened with an unjust and
grievous tax, one that will be an in
cubus upon their thrift for years and
years. Upon that point there is not a
dissenting voice. Whether, however,
this fraud and injustice in the issuance
of the bonds. has so attached itself to
the bonds themselves, in the hands of
all persons, as to make them of no
legal obligation upon the county, is
another question, but one also upon
W.T. ne people and the lawyers are
'od If the bonds are
~.ccounty;
-, or legal dishon-
% pay them to do SO
liquidation. To test
of the validity of the
30. county Court giving ex-
presto, Se public sentiment, re-
fused to ass tax to pay the inter
est on til onds, thereby throwing
down the Sc of legal battle to the
holders of the bonds. The challenge
was accepted by some of them, acting
in the interest of all and suits have
been instituted and are now pending
in the State and Federal Courts to
determine the question of the rights
and obligations of the county in
reference to her bonds.~ When the
Judgment of the law has been made
known in the premises, if it is declar-
ed by the courts, that, notwithstand
ing the fraud practiced upon the peo-
pie of the county in the creation of
the debt, and from other elements and
considerations subsequently arising,
the bonds are legal obligation upon
the county and must be paid, then our
County Court and our people, both
Democrats and Republicans, will say,
the majesty of the law must be sus-
tanned and its orders and DEGREES must
be executed. They will say, that il is
the law which protects us as COM
inunity and as individuals in our
rights, and its Judgments and DEGREES,
though seemingly hard in our case,
must not only be respected but cheer
fully obeyed, and that there must and
will be no attempt at repudiatlop,
The people of the county of Blount,
on the members of the County Court,
will never repudate an honest and
lust debt. or debt which was unjust
in its creation, but which by reason
of other and subsequent considera-
lions has, by the Judgment of the
| Courts, become legal obligation.
Yet they have a right to test these
questions in the courts, and in doing
50, we protest against applying to
them the rather odious title of REPU-
DIAroRs. This is all that the County
Court and the people have done, and
if the courts decide against the coun-
ty in the present litigation, onerous as
Il ii -, ho l1nOu tIln npOplpE