Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-07-23
COLUMBIA, July, IS, 81.


Gentlemen Your kind invitation to
me to address the people Of your coun-
ty while on my visit to McMinnville,
upon "the present status of the debt
question" has been received and most
respectfully and maturely considered.
Whilst l highly appreciate the compli-
ment and return you my most sincere
thanks, you must permit me to decline
the invitation. cannot afford to en-
ter into political discussions, especially
with those of my own political house
hold,
EFFECT UPON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
regret as much as you can do the
difference among Democrats in regard
to this State debt question, which has
for some years divided us, and which l
fear may continue to divide us. What
we are to gain by division cannot see.
A divided Democracy means a Repub-
lican triumph, and how this is to give
us any relief on the debt question pass
es my comprehension. If the present
debt settlement be set aside and held
for'nouGht, what have we made? We
are still divided on this question. some
are in favor of settling the debt at fifty
cents in the dollar and some are not in
favor of paying any more than the
State debt proper, which is little over
two millions of dollars. The setting
aside of the present settlement would
not unite us.
The two Democratic candidates at
the election in 1880 received 1865
votes, and the Republican candidate
102,969 votes. If thirds of the
Democracy vote for one candidate that
will give him l,076 votes, and this
would be less than the Republican can
didate received last year. The same
division would occur in the counties and
: districts and would give the Republi
cans both branches of the Legislature
which will be worse than it was las
year. With Republican Legislature
f the present. debt settlement would stand
and if there are any defects they would
= be cured, or if the settlement be Sc
aside similar one would be enacted
What, then, would any wing of thu
Democracy gain? Would the taxes b.
g lessened or would the debt be reduced
! The next Tennessee election may de
S termine tie political complexion of tn
: House of Representatives and Of tn
/. Senate of the Federal Congress. Ar
e we willing for the debt question to di
8 vide us and give the House of Repre-
l. sentatives or the Senate to the Repub
@ licans? Is the difference between th
9 tax necessary to pay the interest on
h0.4 settlement and a 1908 settlement
t which is only eight cents on SIOOsui
1 ficient to cause this result, or is eve
e the tax necessary to pay the interest o.
h the 1908 settlement, which is 20cent
. on 500, sufficient to cause us to Civ
b the State to the Republicans who WI
}. not reduce the tax? This is the quet
r ton for the Democrats to decide. ]
O they are determined to keep up the d
vision wish now to say l can have n
r. part in it. The results are clear to m
v mind and l do not wish to be in an
d degree responsible for them. I hav
|. said again and again am for ignorin
. past differences and for healing pa!
!. diSsentions, and if this can not be don
l do not propose to engage in the ferC
Y struggle which will take place anon
n members of the Democratic household
II A united Democracy may save us. I'll
a Democracy can never be united so Ion
n as agitation of the State debt questic
h continues.
y STANDPOINT OF A CITIZEN.
Il Having now discussed this questiC
from a purely partisan standpoint,
= will now consider it from the standpoil
of citizen of Tennessee, free, l trus
t from aIR. Partially for or prejudi
against the settlement made, or a
, tempted to be made by the last Leg
70 lature.