Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-09-02
4 PLEA FOR STATE cSfDyry

The following extract from the
Louisville Courier-Jo1rnal is such
forcible presentation of the Demo.
cratic view of the situation in Ten
nessee we cannot refrain from Civ
ing it a place in our columns. Ii
appeared in the editorial columns
of the Courier-J Journal in the month
of May of this good year 1882. 1t
is good and wholesome reading and
we commend il to the careful atten-
ton of Democrats III this State.
This i, what the Courier-J Journal has
to say:
Monday the Senate of Tennessee,
by vote of eleven to fourteen,
passed the bill to compromise the
State debt, paying 60 per cent. at 3,
4, . and 6 per cent. interest. Ii
goes to the House, where ii is GER
tain of immediate passage.
The debt of Tennessee is Just
debt, which the State is abundant
ly able to pay. 1t was contracted
for the purpose of building the pixies
and railroads, for erecting a hand
some capitol, for buying the Her.
mitage, the home of Jackson. The
principal of the debt is $20, ,206, 300 !;
the accrued interest April /, 1882,
was SS, 1886 so, making total of
$29,389,8 ,85l 80.
Tennessee has resources not sur
passed by any other southern State,
and they are of the most varied
character. She has a system of in
ternal improvements superior to
any State which seeded, and, after
the war, her waste places were
built up more promptly and self
government was restored sooner
than in any State which left the
Union. Unfortunately, the per
cent. of illiteracy is larger there
than elsewhere; she has been cursed
by the most constituencies dema-
gogues outside of Virginia, and
they have ridden the Democratic
party to defeat, if not death.
Reputation under the thinest
disguiseS has been the popular pre-
text of the trimmers and office
seekers, and under one plea and
another they have succeeded in
postponlng action or in defeating
q settlement for ten years. Any
sane man, any man with any polit-
cal ideas, knows that by this post
ponement and. constant agitation,
by this tampering with public cred
it, by this sycophantish Difference
to the viii of the mob, Tennessee is
kept back in the race for wealth.
Her educational system is demoral-
lied, public morals are debased,
cipitsl shuns her borders, cQmmu-
nism grows apace. The debt stops
the way to all progress. Ii is the
issue in all party
contests. 1t has been prolific of
every kind of scandal. Ignorance
and corruption have. Joined hands
and the Very name Of the State has
become a word of reproach.
The proposition to settle at sixty
cents, with low interest, is certainly
a liberal one, and the Legislature is
wise to accept it. \ year ago a bill
to settle at 100 cents and per cent.
was passed by the Legisla-
ture, and the bill made the coupons
receivable for taxes. This feature
was seized on by the repudiatOrs
and tested in the courts. Reaching
the Supreme court, it was decided
by a majority of that body uncOn-
stitutiOnal, in an opinion as re-
for its narrow partisan
big0try as was the opinion of the
for its logic and legal
learning. This decision only touch
ed the coupon feature, and the bill
Just passed by the Senate does not
the obnoxious clause.
Every dictate Of patriotism and
every motive of party
policy, will command for the bill
the support of the Democratic par
ty. The only possible way to re-
trieve the lost honor of the State is
to settle the debt the only possible
way to reunfte the Democratic
party is to settle the debt. There
can be no harmony otherwise; all
pretense of cooperation is decep-
tive.
Yet there is large element in
the Democratic party opposed toy
any action by the Legislature.
These men, now seeking to force
into prominence, con-
tend that as one bill has been de- |
clared unconstitutional, this LegiS-
lature, elected TO deal with this
very question, should adjourn and !
90 home without takingany action.
Such course would be suicidal.
The people demand a settlement ;
- ,,in .a1TIyn hNy fhn 1tnfntn
of honor and of policy. The 60-3-4-
j-6 bill will be passed and be signed
by the Governor. To its support the
are pledged in adj |
vance. The Democratic Conven-
ton meets next month a harmony |
coalition, a cOmprO.
mise convention, and it will be con-
fronted by this bill. What will it
do with it.
At the election two years ago,
after the bolt of the repudiatOrs,
the straight Democrats Out-Voted |
the repudiatOrs, casting 79,003 bal |
lots for Wright to 81, ,546 cast for !
Wilson and 103,97l for Hawkins. !
The zeal OF some men who have |
been masquerading as Democrats
5o6Ill5 10 nave edlcH tncln up |
They have insisted on harmony
with theAboltefs at any price, and |
allowing them virtually to name |
the terms, call for joint cOnven-
ton was issued for the Goth day of |
June.
1t cannot nov be guessed what
that convention will do. If it en-
dOrSeS the new bill, well and good ; |
that ends the matter. If, on the
other hand, it fails to do this, If it |
shirks or shuffies, or if it openly !
there will be bolt for
enough to alarm time
servers. The men of busines, the |
men who look to the future growth |
and prosperity of the State, the
men who believe in Tennessee and
love her, who have served her faith
r.,il 4 n.,;l