Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-09-02
THE BROWNL0W BONDS.
The Democrats Responsible for their
Issuance.

SpceCn vi w Ill. u Oy heS, III
Franklin, on July 31st. 1t will
be observed that Mr.. Sykes IT,
dulges in some pretty plain talk
concerning the Brownlow bonds
In regard to the BrownloW
bonds, permit me to state some
Iplain facts which may not be
palatable, ,thoughthe truth should
not be regretted, because it is
not always pleasing. Who pro-
Icured the issuance of the Brown
low railroad bonds, and who u.s.
ed them, and for whose benefit
were they appropriated? Out
of 13,983,000 bonds issued DUR
ling the Brownlow administra-
ton, 10 rebuild and reft the
railroads, four-ifths of them
were obtained at the instance
of democrats, and issued to, and
used by, democrats. A large
amount were issued to refit this
railroad running through your
town and county, and through
Maury and Giles counties. Who
procured the issuance of those
bonds? Your then representa-
tive, Mr.. Moss, can tell. Who
then objected to the issuance of
them? What man or what
newspaper then said it was a
fraud? While the bonds were
being issued and the money be-
ing spent, no objection was
made; now they are fraudulent,
radical railroad bonds. What
a change. AS here, so in other
counties. IE Warren county,
the home of John II. Savage,
they obtained from Brownlow
and the Brownlow Legislature
100000, to refit their railroad
from Tullahoma to McMinnville.
This was done at the special in
stance and request of the people
| of Warren county, including
Democrats as well as republic
cans. When the appropriation
was obtained, the town of Nc
Minnville was illuminated, so
great was the rejoicing. Where
was Savage then? Why was
his voice not heard then de-
nouncing the outrage of issuing
Brownlow railroad bonds? Who
in all the county of Warren, or
in the county of Coffee, then OBJ
iected to Brownlow bonds? AS
in Warren and Coffee, 80 in
Franklin and Lincoln. Public
meetings were held, and promi-
nent democrats, some OF them
now in office, were sent to n lash
Vile to get the Brownlow leg
islature to issue bonds to refit
the railroad from Decherd to
Fayetteville. 1t was all then
right, and nobody objected that
I ever heard of. So it was in
all parts of the state. Why did
not these doughty champions
of the people, when the bonds
were being issued, then stand
upon the political watchtowers
and cry aloud, and spare not?
If they said anything, they
"cooed !, gently as sucking
doves"
Why did not these stalwart
low-tax advocates, who now de-
nounce so bitterly radical cor
ruption, then do something?
Their eloquent voices were still.
Their tongues were silent.
Where, then, we're the peoples
friends? Having always been
an opponent of the issuance of
bonds, whether by johnson and
Harris, or by Brownlow and
Senter, and having strenuously |
opposed the act of 1869-70, un-
der which the railroad compa-
nies paid their debts to the
state, and which is even now
the law of the land, these friends
of the people never having re-
pealed it, | feel at liberty to
speak plainly. l show my con-
fidence in the people by daring
to speak the truth. = Had these
men who are now clamoring a.
bout fraudulent bonds dared to
do their duty at the right time,
the state would not be in the
condition that it is. / do not
believe in procuring the repub-
llcans to pass laws and then af-
ter they have gotten the benefit
of them, abuse these same re-
publicans for doing what these
men prevailed on them to do.
If any man in the state objected
to the issuance of these railroad
bonds at the time they were Is
sued, let him speak out and
show how and when he opposed
the issuance of the bonds.
The noble patriot, George w.
Jones, always Opposed the crea-
ton of debts and the issuance of
bonds, but as it was done with
the consent of the people, and
the money obtained on them, he,
like an honest man, says we
must pay them according to ourI