TENNESSEE. 



681 



We deny the validity against the State of all that 

 part of our alleged indebtedness represented by bonds 

 issued for or on account of railroads, and declare they 

 shall be left for settlement where they belong, in the 

 judicial controversy between the bondholders and the 

 railroads. 



We deny the validity of bonds issued for war in- 

 terest, and assert that the demand for such interest 

 and its concession by men pretending to represent 

 the State at a time when we were disfranchised, is a 

 crime against the people, and no part of such debt 

 shall be recognized in any settlement to be made. 



We declare that in no event, upon any settlement, 

 shall the coupons be made receivable for taxes. 



We recognize the sovereignty and supremacy of 

 the people, and declare that no settlement of any part 

 of our alleged indebtedness shall be made which is 

 not first submitted to them for ratification or rejection 

 at the ballot-box at a special election to be held for 

 that purpose only. 



We favor the widest dissemination of intelligence 

 among the masses, and will encourage and promote 

 the mo^t liberal and efficient free-school system. 



We oppose the competition of convict with free 

 labor, and favor the enactment of such wise and 

 salutary laws as shall restrain it, so far as the best in- 

 terests of the free laboring people shall require. 



We favor such regulation of the taxes as shall lift 

 a part of the burden from the shoulders of the labor- 

 ing land-owners and place it on railroads, capitalists, 

 incomes, and salaries. 



We favor the enactment of such laws as will secure 

 the collection of railroad taxes, and as will compel the 

 railroads to deal justly with the people of the State, 

 and prevent unjust discrimination between through 

 and local freights. 



On this platform of principles we invite the co- 

 operation of the honest men of all parties. 



Before the final adjournment of this Con- 

 vention, commonly called that of the Repudia- 

 tors, its president appointed a State Executive 

 Committee, consisting of fifteen members, 

 chosen in equal numbers from the three grand 

 divisions of the State East, Middle, and West 

 Tennessee. 



The regular State Convention, in the Hall 

 of Representatives, after the majority report 

 on the platform had been adopted, on the third 

 day of its session proceeded to nominate a 

 candidate for Governor. John W. Wright, of 

 Shelby, was unanimously declared the nomi- 

 nee. 



The Republican nominee was elected by 

 an exceedingly great majority over either of 

 his two Democratic competitors. The aggre- 

 gate number of votes polled in the State for 

 Governor at this election was 243,396, of 

 which Mr. Hawkins had 103,964; Mr. Wright, 

 78,783; Mr. Wilson, 57,188; Mr. Edwards, 

 3,459. Two votes were reckoned scattering. 



The Legislature was divided as follows: In 

 the Senate Democrats 15, Republicans 10; 

 in the House of Representatives Democrats 

 36, Republicans 37, Greenbackers 1. 



As to Congressmen, the Republicans had 

 three of their candidates elected in the first, 

 second, and tenth Congressional districts ; the 

 Democrats seven of theirs in the third and 

 following districts to the ninth, inclusive. 



The Forty-second General Assembly of Ten- 

 nessee met at Nashville, on January 3, 1881, 

 and the two Houses were duly organized. 



By prudent legislation the expenses of the 

 State government have been steadily reduced, 

 while the population has largely increased. 

 The census of 1880 returns it at 1,542,469. 



The literary education of youth is well cared 

 for, and progressing. The State University is 

 reported to be in a flourishing condition, and 

 the common-school system as accomplishing 

 the best results. The summaries presented 

 show an increase in enrollment and average 

 attendance, and a larger number of schools 

 taught and of teachers employed. The re- 

 ports of county superintendents, with a few 

 exceptions, indicate also a better class of in- 

 struction, a higher standard of teaching, and a 

 spirit of improvement in all the details of 

 school management. The school population in 

 Tennessee, white and colored, the number of 

 her free schools, and of pupils enrolled, are 

 given in the subjoined official statement, em- 

 bracing six years 1875 to 1880 : 



SCHOOL POPULATION. 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



PUPILS ENROLLED. 



The charitable and other public institutions 

 in the State are generally under excellent 

 management in all respects, realizing the pur- 

 poses of their existence. 



There is no reform school in Tennessee for 

 the correction and education of wayward 

 youth, the offending ones among them, who 

 are not few, being committed to the State 

 Prison, mixed up, as it were, with the adult 

 hardened convicts under sentence. There are 

 at present in the Penitentiary 308 State pris- 

 oners, whose ages range between twelve and 

 twenty years, and 637 between twenty and 

 thirty years. 



The whole number of convicts in the Peni- 

 tentiary on December 1, 1880, and at the same 

 date in 1878, as well as of those discharged, 

 pardoned, and deceased during the interval 

 of the said two years, with other particulars, 



