The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-01-18

thirty years amounts to enough to pay
the entire debt. Practically so far as
the rate of taxation is concerned, the
people would have to pay as much tax
to carry out settlement at fifty cents
and six per cent. interest as they will
pay under the present settlement. The
taxes now are only forty cents on the
one hundred dollars, as low rate as
any state in the south pays. AS the
state advances and increases in popula-
ton and wealth, which We may rensona-
bly, expect, the burden will grow lighter
and lighter, and he finally removed en-
tirely If in the future we strive as
hard to settle the debtas we have in the
past to defer it, apprehend it will not
be go hard to meet after all. At any
rate it is a question which must be met.
Dodgng and evasion can accomplish
nothing. True manhood and statesman
ship demand that it be met in a spirit
of candor, fairness and honesty. The
state either owes the debt or she does
not. If she does not, then ono cent Of
il ought not 10 be paid. If she does owe
il then she must either compromise it
with the creditors with their consent
! Gar it takes two to make a bargain, J
pay it al, or repudiate it out and out
and take the consequences. There are
few men who value their names, their
families or their state, bold enough to
avow the latter, and yet-when that is
abandoned the other two propositions
are absolutely 'unanswerablc. Every
democratic convention and legislature,
and every governor Of the state, have
admitted the validity Of the debt, and
no party organization Of any kind has
ever denied it. The creditors hold the
notes Of the state, signed by the govern
ors, with the great seal Of the state at.
tached, as evidence Of Indebtedness, and
until We can show that they were OBJ
tanned either by fraud, accident or mis-
take, we would make apoor showing be.
fore any legal tribunal on earth, or be.
fore any honest people in the world, in
denying their validity. There may be
circumstances which in morals would
justify US before the world in expecting
and even in soliciting reduction, and |
think there are and have so declared n
thousand times. But we have been Of
fere'l reductions time and again, and
they have been refused, and the pres
ent settlement is of itself, as have sta
ted, already reduction of seven hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars per an
nun. These considerations seem to me
sufficient at least to induce us to meet
the question fairly and in q spirit of
candor. Men ought to be governed in
all things by reason ofargument, and
especially when they come to act on the
affairs Of state in free country. There
are men, however, who when they can.
not answer an argument, fall to abusing,
slandering the man who makes the ar
gument. Such conduct is mean and
cowardIy, and should excite only scorn
and contempt.
There is another class who seeking to
get into power or who being in desire to
remain, IN order to accomplish such
ends either follow what seems to be the
popular side, or remain silent, dar.
ing not to speak even when they see
danger and disgrace pending over the
state. Amy man who for purposes OF
self'promotion does either of these
things is moral, political and personal
coward, and sooner or later the people
will regret that they ever trusted him.
There is Il right side and a wrong side
to this as to all other questions, and
surely reason and argument can point
out which is right and which is wrong.
II is true that bold and candid man
may loose place and power, even by ad-
vocatng the right when the judgments
of men are temporarily blinded by pref
udice. But though a fearless advocate
of the truth may die, he will often be
the cause of the death of many dema-
gogue and trickster before his light goes
out.
have made this letter much longer
than | intended to do. | would have
preferred to remain silent, but | have
thought that | have been either misun-
derstood or misrcIr3sented, and | felt il
not improper to set myself right | have
no ambition to again enter the field of
political discussion. | am more than
willing that every man may enjoy to the
fullest extent his own opinions on this
and all other questions, l shall neither
fall out with him nor abuse him about
it. Respectfully, your friend,
,JNO " WPJGIIT