Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-11-12

as we view it, and as it is expressed by
the county judges, concluded by its final
action. 1t is a recognized compact be-
tween delegates Of all conventions that
when their differences of opinion shall
have been %crystalized into some COM
mon agreement, that then all are to
work for the furtherance of that agree
ment; otherwise conventions would be
nugatory and ofnon-effect. Take the very
Instance under consideration. At every
meeting but the last one, straight-out
repudiators were really in the majority.
but they always listened to COUNSEL
several times waived their opinion, and
those of them who we're in the last
meeting, and they were not a few, see
ing themselves out-voted, turned in and
worked as heartily as they could for the
plan adopted by the convention. With
out their co cooperation the measure would
have been defeated at the polls. the
question would have been long unset.
tied, and not unlikely the county's bonds
would to-day be worth next to nothing,
Instead of something handsome over
par. So that Col. Davis could hardly
with honor to himself have voted against
the compromise, and we are glad to see
that he does not positively state that he
did 20.
He places his opposition to compro-
missing his own bonds at 20 cents upon
the fact that other bonds,o a higher rate
OF interest. we're placed at 80 cents. We
have examined the record carefully, but
fail to fiud that he ever submitted any
amendment, or otherwise sought t i'm
press that view upon the convention.
We remember no discussion OF such a
proposition, as it was generally recog-
nized that the bonds bearing q higher
rate, should bring more in the new
Skies than bonds bearing a lower rate;
but Col. Davis particular objection to
this arrangement is because "every-
body admits (these -bonds) are the only
railroad bonds that are legal that have
been issued by the county" We cannot
accept this proposition. The q
~ tax payers convention. at its
meeting on February 8, 1875.
after thorough discussion. adopted at
elaborate report setting forth that that
Issue OF bonds was fraudulent, and Civ
ing good and sufficient reasons for its
opinion. The truth OF the business is
that the whole bonded Indebtedness OF the
county vas plastered owe with fraud.
OF course we do not mean that every
man who yer had anything to do with
the various roads or the bonds was dis
honest, but there was q cloud of fraud
over the issuance of all the bonds. In
truth it became a subject of amusement,
which liked to have proved serious at
one time, to observe those who had
handled a certain issue of the bonds
bounding the convention on the track OF
those who had handled some other issue.
The colonel is incorrect, therefore,
when he asserts that everybody &C.
knowledged the legality of the bonds
some OF which he afterward owned. He
is not singular, however, IN his opinion.
All the bondholders we have met, OF
whatsoever issue, think the same re-
garding their particular bonds.
Col. Davis is singularly uncertain as
to how he voted on the final question,
aud does not positively contradict the
qualified statement OF the county judges.
We do not for q moment think that the
colonel would state anything untrue in
the matter. but in weighing testimony
old and we'll known rules should be re-
garded. On one side is a gentleman
personally interested for himself; on the
other three gentlemen who are interes-
ted in the matter for the. people OF the
county, as their public servants. What
other course than the one adopted could
the three county judges have pursuedP
They were all elected with distinct
pledges that they would carry out the
terms OF the compromise, as instructed
to do by an almost unanimous vote Of
the people at the polls. If they had
failed to do SO, even in one instance.
they would have been recreant to their
trust. They would, furthermore, have
done a great injustice to the bondhold-