Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-09-11

Because the democratic party re
fused to repudiate an. obligation
and lay down a principle at variance
with all ideas of representative gov,
ernment, they went off and made 8
boiling platform, and nominated 8
bolter for governor. We have 9
brace of boilers here, for my com.
petitor, Mr.. Edwards, was in 1876
in full harness in the democratic
party, member of the Tilden and
| Hendricks club, or committee, and
in favor of hard money, but now he
wants soft money, and wants it by
the cart-load. But the people have
not bolted yet, and they are not
bound to do so. | come to speak to
you the words of solemn truth. ]
recognize each one of you as dem.
ocrat. i come not to quarrel and
abuse, but to persuade and convince.
/ shall appeal only to your sense OF
honor, your love of truth, and your
enlightened consciences. He then
reviewed the history of the state
debt, showing that it was created
by the state and the state alone, who
gave her notes for it, in which she
acknowledged that she, the state,
owed it, and promised to pay it,
and then affixed her great seal, and
pledged her sacred faith to its pay
ment. He showed that the consti-
tuition of 1884 solemnly enjoined on
the legislature of the state the duty
of encouraging internal improve
ments in the state. 1t was made a
part of the constitution, so import
ant was it considered by our fathers.
1T was recommended by every gov
ernor. whig and democrat, includ-
ing Cannon, Polk, Jones, A. v.
Brown, Neill S. Brown, William
B. Campbell. Many of the bonds
were signed by Andrew johnson
and seven millions by Isham Ct.
Harris.
The laws under which these bonds
were issued were voted for by the
best. and purest men whom Tennes-
see had in her borders-by such
men as william B. Bate, Judge
Guild and others, and who dare
accuse them of fraud or dishonesty?
Subsequent to the war the accumu-
lated interest was taken up by the
issuance of other bonds, a simple
change in the form of the obliga-
ton. About six millions of these
were originally issued, but four mill
lions of these have been paid and
only about two millions remain.
About thirteen millions of other
bonds were issued, with which to
raise money to refit and rebuild
railroads which had been torn up
and destroyed during the war.
These were issued at the request
and solicitation of leading men of
the state, and mostly democrats, and
the roads were rebuilt and put in
running order. There may have
been improper uses made of some
of the money raised by these bonds,
but the purpose of their issuance, to-
reft and rebuild railroads, was
effected. OF these bonds all have
been paid off except about s., 246, 600.
Warren county, the home of Col.
Savage, got $400, 900 of these Brown
low bonds with which to refit the
railroad Lincoln and Franklin got
a large number, and so with other
The great northwestern
railroad also got some. 1t has been
CHARGED that fraud was committed
in the purchase of bonds by the
railroads with which to discharge
their liabilities to the state, But
The fact is that all the bonds of the
state were sold and purchased at |
the same figures, as shown by the |
sworn statement of witnesses, among |
whom is Gov. James ID. Porter.
Another difficulty, suggested by |
our bolting candidate, is that suits
are pending between the creditors
and railroads, seeking to make the /
latter liable for the whole debt.
Well, to that / say, and my friends |
say. let the suits go on. We are not |
disposed to interfere with them, or
delay them, or stop them. They /
had a right to go into the courts and
test the questions raised, and we /
nropose to abide the decision, let it
be what it may, and in good faith
carry il out to all its legal, logical
md eoaitabIe conclusions, WiilIny |
two competitors, Wilson and Ed
wards. do the same? Letthem an
swer this question. We are willing
that the courts, or any impartial
may decide the whole
question of liability, but neither Of
nv competitors will agree to this.
I suppose they are of opinion. that
courts are as corrupt as they say leg
sIatures are. They ought to know
how this is. They have both been
members of the legislature, and one /
IF them, Mr.. Wilson, Is now a
member. tt
Mr., Wilson says, if understand
him correctly, that the state had no
egal authority to issue any bonds
before or since the war, and he says
his Notwithstanding the constitu-
ion of 1884 was plain on that point.
md our Supreme court have repeat
idly held that the state did have
he power. Some of your purest
md most eminent judges, such as
Judges Green and Turley, have so
leld. and | am willing for the peo-
BE to decide which is the better au-
hority, Green and Turley on the
me side, and S. F. Wilson on the
Jther. +.
The Democratic party, whose con-
,ention at Nashville nominated me
aid we must show and exercise
,oOd faith. BY that they meant to
ay, let us by negotiation get the
,est terms we can, honorable to the
tate and satisfactory to the credit
RS. and settle the debt and remove
his incubus from the State and take
ha distracting question out of poll
les. This means, If we can't pay.
IL, we will pay all we can, and II
We can't pay we viii at least be
lonest enough to acknowledge the
Iebt, and pay if we ever get able.
Hhis is a sound principle as between
nan and man and between state
nd people. Why was not this
Iuestfon of fraud, this cry OF Illegal
tv. heard before the war, when the.
,onds which my opponents wish to
epudiate were being issued? Did
nv of YOU hear OF it then? The
PRESENT Democratic party is eem-
,Osed of the best elements of the
Id Whig and Democratic parties.
You of Robertson county were, I
believe. old Wings. Don't You
Inow if the Democratic legislature
lad been engaged in the issuance of
Illegal and fraudulent bonds, the
Wings, such as Bell and Jones, and
your representative men would
ave found il outand told you of it?
And If the Wings had been engage
.d in such stupendous frauds as
Nessrs. Wilson and Edwards say
4 - ..<,,,F.1 ,.r,f e,r.,s, a, old Loco.