Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-05
WHAT TO PAY.
Meeting at the GreenlaW OperahOuse
Last Night TO Discuss the State
Debt Problem.
The Resolutions Passed-SeTeral Prom.
ineDt Speakers-A Good HarmO-
NOUS Meeting.

nouncement In the papers, the people OF
Memphis assem- led, irrespective of party, to
take action regarding the State debt. The
meeting was very harmonious, and the only
discordant element a little gentleman
who wanted to speak all night, and who was
not in sympathy with the meeting.
The meeting organized by the election
OF Judge ]. B. Heiskell as chairman, and
General G. w. Gordon as secretary In as
Stunning the chair, Judge Heiskell said:
I'VE have met here tonight TO decide how
lar We are willing to submit 10 the Legisla-
ture OF the State to decide upon the settle |
ment Of the State debt. We made one at
tempt, by a proposition to settle at 1908, |
which was disapproved. Modesty dictates
hesitation, If we make any settlement what |
ever. The governor is TO consider the propo- !
sition from the hondholders. The people |
had settlement to make with the bond |
holders for 1908. Tamperipg should be |
rebuked by the people. Are we satisfied |
with the proposition of the bondholders?
Are we willing to let escape the opportunity |
to rebuke our agents? Confidence is the tie
| that binds the people 10 each other" He |
| returned thanks for the honor conferred.
Minor Meriwether moved that the men,
bers Of the press be secretaries of the meet
ing. Carried.
General G. w. Gordon n,avAd that oonn-
mlttee OF hfteen be appointed on resolutions. |
The following gentlemen were chosen: G. w. |
| Heiskell, Z. A. Hamilton, G. w. Frazer, B. |
K. Sampson n. Hill, Ed Shaw, w. ]. Chase. |
J. Lott, p. NJ. Winters, W. 1. Jones, w. B. |
Gibson, J. Harvey Mathes, II. J. Lynn, J. |
E. Bigelow and ]. Il. Goodwin.
MR.. I. NJ. HILL
being called on, said: sit is not proper for |
me to address yoH. You came here to adopt |
| resolutions to instruct your representatives |
l am here because there is no quorum in |
Nashville. prefer to loaf around among |
| my fellow-citlZens with one eye on Nash |
| vile. l came to look on. My first interest |
is Tennessee in my mind and heart 1t |
would embarrass me = pledge myself. You |
will hear from me there, as you have always |
DONE"
THE HON. CASEY YOUNG
spoke shortly, as follows: at is more agree
| able to me- safer and wiser your part to
| listen to Others who are present. There are
| many more able to counsel you than myself.
hesitate to give you my views; but convic-
| ton, firmly fastened in my mind already,
| suggests the serious peril that surrounds
| public questions. This question has become
| SO vital, overshad allowing all others that it
is no longer political question in Tennes-
see, confined to either one or the other, but
inherent in the sense of right of the people
| of this State. This is one of the most i'm
portant questions ever brought before you
The party is at length united. If my own
views were sufficiently defined could not
present them in such guise as would be sat
isfactory 10 you. There is one view, how
ever, in which 1 think we all agree that is,
that any settlement by the present Legisla-
ture would be impolitic in the extreme. 1t
would destroy public confidence. | repel
the idea that the State of Tennessee would
wantonly repudiate a single honest cent of
the State debt. l aware that
there is a dread of reputation.
But the sturdy manhood of the
State will honestly discharge it. 1t is, how
in cd dol
which it should not pay, its highest duty to
repudiate any unjust debt that il may have
incurred. There is a step beyond which it
will not go. This is peoples government.
The people have decided TO settle this
question and no course in opposition
to their opinion will be sustained
Therefore, to preserve the good name of the
State, would urge upon those at Nashville
to pause before they adopt any course that
would bring upon them the condemnation of
the State"
MR.. J. B. BINGHAM
said that before the resolutions were adopted
he wanted to say few words. If the Legis. ;
lature didn't know any better than to pass
such law as it did, he hadn't have any use {:
for them. The governor accepted it before
he knew what it Mr.. Bingham then
offered the following resolution:
Resolued That as the bondholders of Tennessee
not owe the debt incurred on account of the con-
strucuon OF railroads In Tennessee, and are now
Htgating before the Supreme Court to compel the
railroads TO pay them the debt they owe, all prop
State debt at this time proceed upon the assump-
ton that no imposture is too monstrous for the
popular 6redulity, and are as ill-tmed as they are
impertinent.
He delivered a fiery address upon this
resolution, which provoked a scanty amount
of applause. He said that the last Legisla-
ture was the most abominable that had ever
assembled, but he thought that some of the
brio vIatad ~ II
lature that was organized. He was espec-
tally severe upon the railroads. He said he
would not speak long, but he did. Several a
persons objected to his talking forever but {
he persisted. He was frequently and de- d
cidedly called upon to sit down, but he was b
too uneasy in his seat to do so. l
Major Cooper raised the point of order !
that Mr.. Bingham was rambling along on no j
particular subj ct, and was not speaking to S
the resolutions. .
Mr.. Bingham contended that By reason of i
the first resolution he had right to speak.
But, he said, if the crowd wanted him to sit
down he would do His amendatory reso-
luton was laid upon the table, and the main
resolutions were then adopted. They were
read by Judge Heiskell, and were as follows: d
THE RESOLUTIONS.
We. the people of Shelby county, in masscon-
Rcsolrc That we are opposed to the settlement of
the State debt the basis of Col Sc, because we
and unjust. 1t is unwse because the present | e
Legislature has made one abortive attemptto set o
tie the debt The settlement then proposed to be
made was opposed by very large majority of the o.
people OF IenEes because, among other things e
holders the people by q popular vote, having a
this patent fact and afraid to trust the people,
and in violation of their known will, it IS now n
and Instantaneous settlement than the one L
happily defeated. 1t is impolitic because, in ad C
dition to the above reasons the question ought TO
be discussed before the people, and the settlement il
made by sentatives fresh from and Instructed
ment is more than ought to be paid. and more 81
than the crippled industries of the State bear
Resolred That we believe the people OF Tennes- 81
see desire no notion upon the State debt by the a
present legislature and if it should take the &C
ton proposed, or any similar action that they VIII n
reject the same and be swift to undo it. Public b
fulfllment OF public obligations, and in N
view OF this fact it is not difficult Sc
tempt at a settlement It will still further shake o
the faith OF the people and the curity of the d.
Resolved, That acting upon our constitutional
right to instruct our representatives in matters
our children we hereby Instruct our Immediate 81
tatves in the General Assembly to vote tc
10 every honorable and fair means to defeatit it
" appeal to the Gen. raj Assembly as body not o.
to pass any bill settling the State debt at COTS
or on any other similar basis al
ResOiTed That earnestly request the people of ii
every county i'll the State to give public expression
to their views upon this subject once and with
that emphasis that the gravity and Importance of
the situation require. %
Resolred, That copy of theze resolutions be for
warded to the speakers Of the Senate and House OF
Representatives with request that they be read 81
10 those bodies. 81
GENERAL G. p. N. TURNER Al
said he thought the people had been sui OF
iciently bored for the evening. and he would ii
use a very small gimlet. The generals 20
Eiews on the financial question were not al
clear to settle it forever but his a
anxiety 10 get off the stage may be pleaded ~ ~
m paliation therefor. He did not think
we'll of the pre- eat Legislature, and he pro- Sc
bounced the bondholders a bevy OF hungry y
1Uzzards, who wanted to fatten upon the co
carcass of the State. He proposed to appeal
% Congress to pay the debt OF Tennessee He 81
wanted the people to stand by the skirts Of ii
GEORGE Washington. He wanted the Legis- to
ature TO go home where they belonged, and ~
pursue the avOc ltion OF splitting rails, for in
which nature had fitted them Few 10
# them would ever be called from N ~,
he oblivion TO which they were entitled ii
o assume legislative functions again. an
The members of the Legislature were the 81
ervants OF the people. If Alvin Hawkins, gr
urrounded by Roderick Random Butler and 90
he soft-shelI Democrats attempted any more Ia II,
u ~ II