Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-07-01

guardians OF the n0nOr OF the state |
resent any interference with their
prerogative right, and that a major
ity of the Democratic party is OPP
posed to the settlement.
In the opinion of the minority
this doctrine is monstrous. The
question with which we have to
deal is not a political question in a
party sense. IT is one that very
nearly and deeply concerns every
man, woman and child in the State.
The debt is burthen to he borne
by all, and to be paid by each and
every one according to the measure
of his taxable wealth. Democrats
and Republicans alike have an in
tereSt in its settlement. The denial
to any man OF Il right to vote and
act in regard TO it should carry with
it an exemption from payment of
my part of the money. The ques-
ton is domestic one not related in
any way to national politics.. in re-
gard to which, parties have been
formed and will continue to exist.
The doctrine, moreover, is not
Democratic and cannot be justified
under any code of morals. 1t is in
opposition to every just conception
of the duty of a State to its citizens,
and of the purposes of which free
governments was established.
The trainers of the constitution
were not content to leave property
rights at the mercy of the fieeting
purposes of the day, or the caprices
of popular maiorities, nor were
these rights to be subject to "the
views of the people, Experience
had taught them the necessity of
protecting the citizen, not only
against the aroitary rule of one man,
bat against majorities, and there
fore in Article /, Section II of the
constitution, it is declared "that
all courts shall be open; and every
man for an injury done him in his
lands, goods, persons or reputation,
shall have remedy by due course of
law, and right and Justice done
without sale, denial or delay"
And in section q of the same arti-
Gle it is declared "That no mans
particular service shall be required
or property taken, or applied to
public use, without the consent of
his representatives, or without just
compensation made therefor" and
in another section it is declared
''that no retrospective law or laws
impairing the obligations of con-
tracts shall be made
Another reason why we cannot
consent to be bound by the action
of the majority of the convention is
Ia he found in the fact that the reSO-
| lutiOns unjuStly discriminate be-
! tween the creditors of the State.
The holders of the bonds which
they describe as the State debt
proper are to be paid in full, less
what is called the war interest,
Whilethe holders of the other bonds
of equal obligation, are to be paid
only one half the sum due i'm bonds
of the State bearing three per cent.
interest, which is equivalent to less
than 80 per cent. of their just de-
mand. Nobody believes that this
! class of creditors. whose claims are
thus recklessly disregarded, will ac-
cept the terms proposed, and we
are convinced that the tendency of
further agitation and heated dis
cussiOn of this question is in the di-
rectiOn of downright reputation of
the entire deDt, and that there is
great danger that if it is not speed
lily removed from the arena of po-
litical strife, Tennessee will have
to bear the OpprObrium and suffer
the losses that inevitably fall upon
IL repudiating State. We do not
assert that majority of those who
sustain the action of the convention
desire to bring about so unfortunate
conclusion to this lamentable con-
trOversy, but such is the tendency
of their pOlicies-of policies that
are blind and reckless, looking to
weight of numbers rather than to
principles, and for the sake of gain
ing strength at the ballot box, COM
pei great m.ssors Of men to add
millions to the public debt. As
was shown when the convention
having 10y Il vote of $50 to 473 de-
clared against the payment of war
interest, within less than three
hours attcrward unanimously re-
versed its action upon an appeal
made by a distinguished member
who declared, that by so doing,
it would "add $1,000 votes to
| their cause, and your banner will
go to victory"
An additional reason for opposing
the action Of the convention is,
that the new terms proposed,
although unjustly discriminate
ing between the creditors, does
not materially change the sum
total to be paid by the people. In
deed, many persons, we'll informed
as to the different classes of bonds,
do not hesitate to say that the sum
will be paid under the settlement
made by the Legislature is less than
will be paid if the offer made by
| the convention shall be accepted.
Thus, whatever may have been the
motive that controlled the cOnven-
ton, the State will not derive any
benefit from its action, while our
own party will be still further dis
rupted.
The minority is not inSensible to
the fact that they have taken a
course that will subject lhem to
criticism by some, and to cOndem-
nation by others, of those with
| whom they have been associated i'll
party relations.
The responsibility of this course
they are willing to assume. They
believe they are fully justified by
the departure of the majority from
every precedent in the history of
the party in Tennessee; and they
are constrained to take this step by
their love of true Democracy which
requires every man to do equal and
exact Justice to all men and eXacts
from the government recognition
of the personal, civil and political
rights of all.
Moreover, they wish to save the
Democracy of Tennessee and to place
it abreast with the Democracy of
the Union; to align it in 1882 with
the men of other States who have
! declared that the public credit,
State and national, must be MAIN
tanned, and they are convinced
that the only hope of harmonizing
the Democracy of the State is TO be
found in the recognition of princi-
pies that govern men in all civil
lied States-the basis of which is
the "GOlden Rule"
Acquisence in the settlement
made by the Legislature, will place
our unhappy State before the world
in its proper position; it will accord
to its creditors all they ask; will
bring peace and repose to our bOr-