Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-23
LEDGER
Tne.a.1 srealsE. az q. Issa.
The Final Vote and the CUES
ton that Survives.

OAACn1 La
AYES - Democrats - Anderson, Of
Madison. Buquo, Cochrane, Cole
Ezell, Higgins, James, Lester Plum
mer. Rhodes and Walker.
Republicans-Agee, Austin, Baker,
Boyd. Of Lauderdale. Boyd, Of Upton,
Butler, Buttrom, Cassells, Dawson,
Eaten, Foute, Grisham, Hall, Harri-
son. Hawkins, Jarvis, Kennedy, Nc
Annually. McAndrew, McLemore, Nc
Teer, 0wings, Poston, Reeder, Rogers,
Smith, Sykes. TIimble, Vernon, Will
son, Wiltz-42.
Nays-Democrats- Bagwell, Beasley,
Buchanan. Coulter, Cox, Davis, Dri-
YER, Dulaney, Fite. Gass, Hash, Head
Haynes, Houston, Jones, Manson,
Martin, of Hardin, Martin, Of Weak
ley, Pillow, Steele, Talley, Taylor,
Thompson, Watkins.
Republicans Lewis, McKenna, Nor
ris, Speaker Ramsey.
observation-disclosures
Not votipg-Allen, Anderson, OF
Cooke and Sewer, Cooper and Means,
the last two of whom were paired.
The bill passed by a majority OF
thirteen out of a total vote cast Of
seventy one. Of the ayes there were
eleven Democrats and thirty-one Re-
publicans; of nays there were twenty
four Democrats, four Republicans
and one Greenbacker. If the eleven
Democrats who voted for the Butler
bill had voted with their party, and
as instructed by the people, it would
have been defeated, for the four Re-
publicans, Lewis, McKenna, Norris
aud Speaker Ramsey, as well as the
Greenbscker, Mr.. Warren, were sin
! cerely opposed to the bill, and could
not have been induced to vote for it
by any Establishment or threat. But
suppose that the four Republicans who
voted in the negative had gone the
other way, and the Democrats had
stood together against the bill, as they
should have done, it would have re-
ceived but 35 votes, and there would
have been 36 against it, including the
Greenbacker. So eleven Democrats
in the House havetaken it upon them
selves to pass a bill utterly repug-
nant to nine-tenths ofthose who voted
in the excitement of a Presidential
election to send them to the legisla-
ture. They went over boldly, or rather
audaciously, to the camp of r. r.
Butler & Co. They have misrepre
scented their party and the people who
sent them to the Legislature. Fortu-
nately, the wrong sought to be done
cannot be permanent; the bondholders
are not likely to fund under such an
act, and even if they we're to it could,
and doubtless would, be repealed by
the next Legislature, even as the
third section of the notorious funding
act of 1873 was promptly emasculated
by the next Legislature. There is
one great Misrepresentation in regard
to this question, at home and abroad.
No settlement will ever stand and
give security to creditors that is ac-
complished by trlckery, treachery or
Misrepresentation. To the mere
Spectator who expects to make
a profit on margins, or the
middle man, who makes his profit in
any event, this is a matter Of no con-
sequence but to the bona 6de holder
Of bonds, who looks to q secure invest
ment and regular payment Of interest,
this is all important. There is an
underlying sentiment Of honesty and
Old-fashiOned good faith in our people,
which is a better guarantee than any
statute ever conceived by Spectator
or formulated in a New York law
Office. But there is an impression,
right or wrong, that the Legislature
has been time and again o~verreached
hattered and misled, and a feeling Of
resentment, that thepeople should be
donounceda as regulators because they
could not accept the statements O
interested parties. The debt shoulC
have been sifted long ago by some i'm
partial tribunal apart from the courts
the Legislature and the bondholders
The people are perfectly willing Il
pay what they rightfully and moral.
owe. provided it is within their abili
ty and can be done without destroy
ing the feeble but expandin
prosperity of the State. N
people should Ibe required
destroy themselves even to pay a jul
debt, and all the moral homeless eve
written cannot change the publ
mind as to this. We need not te
Mr.. Eugene Kelly that it is wori
than useless to fund under this bill
for the interest will not be paid mo-
than once or twice until a readjust
party in some shape or other will ari
and defeat the execution Of the la
If Mr.. Kelly, or any who think as
does, would employ some intellige
man to travel we the State in Il
guise Of a clock peddler or stoI
trader he would learn more in tv
months about the feeling and tr.
condition Of the people than from
the high tax papers aud politicians