TENNESSEE. 



783 



people by burdensome taxation, and the issue and 

 sale, at an enormous discount, of millions of bonds, 

 the proceeds of which in great part were converted 

 to the private use of its party favorites; and when 

 the control of the State government was recovered 

 by our people, they were threatened with n military 

 government if they_ presumed to question the valid- 

 ity of the bonds so issued. We undertook to provide 

 for these bonds as a part of our public debt. As 

 Democrats we point with pride to the fact that since 

 the accession of our party to power, it has not cre- 

 ated a dollar of debt, but has paid millions upon ex- 

 isting debts. It has steadily reduced the expenses 

 of the administration of the State government. It 

 has attempted to meet all the obligations of the 

 State, just and unjust. By reason of circumstances 

 over which we have had no control, we are no longer 

 able now to meet the requirements of our creditors. 

 The cost of all our productions exceeds their market 

 value. Our mechanics and laboring people are with- 

 out remunerative employment. Our merchants are 

 making no gains. None are prosperous save cor- 

 porations, interest-takers, and money-lenders. Wo 

 recognize among ourselves wide differences of opin- 

 ion as to the time, mode, and measure of the pay- 

 ment of our public obligations, but for the present 

 these differences of opinion afford no just occasion 

 for disturbing that unity which is so essential to the 

 complete success of our party in its great struggle 

 for the liberation of the country. We cordially 

 unite, however, in declaring that we are opposed to 

 the repudiation of the just indebtedness of the 

 State, that we are in favor of an equitable adjust- 

 ment of our public indebtedness, but to the end that 

 this question may be put out of the politics of the 

 State, we declare that we are for the submission to 

 the people for their ratification or rejection at the 

 ballot-box, at a separate election, of any adjustment 

 of the State debt which may be made by the Legis- 

 lature; and until such adjustment shall have been 

 made and ratified by the people, we declare that we 

 are opposed to the levy of any greater tax upon the 

 people than may be necessary for the payment of 

 the expenses of the State government, economically 

 administered. 



The Republican State Convention met in 

 Nashville, August 22d, nominated Emerson 

 Etheridge for Governor, and passed the fol- 

 lowing resolutions : 



The Republican party of Tennessee, while reaf- 

 firming its devotion to the great principles of the 

 Eepublican party, yet with direct application to the 

 present questions at issue in our State affairs, do fur- 

 ther declare that we are opposed to repudiation of 

 any kind, or by any means ; that we favor the pay- 

 ment of all liabilities of the State according to the 

 terms of its obligations, except so far as the creditors 

 may voluntarily concede more favorable terms ; and 

 that the last Democratic Legislature, in failing to 

 accept the proposition of compromise offered by the 

 creditors, showed themselves unworthy the office of 

 legislators, and unfit representatives of an honest 

 people willing to do right, and anxious to avoid the 

 odium of repudiation. 



We arraign the Democratic party of Tennessee for 

 its inconsistency and recreancy to the public trust 

 in failing to meet the question of State liabilities 

 with frankness and honesty in its recent declaration 

 of principles, so called, as set forth in its late con- 

 vention. 



Resolved, That we favor the strictest economy and 

 most scrutinizing care in the conduct of State affairs, 

 and that the present system of allowing public of- 

 ficers to retain fees above and over a reasonable 

 compensation for services is oppressive and unjust, 

 and we pledge ourselves to the enactment of a _law 

 requiring the payment of such excess of fees into 

 the public Treasury. 



Resolved, That we favor a liberal system of public 

 schools, to be nupported by ge-norul State taxation, 

 equul to the education of all children of the Stute, 

 believing it an absolute necessity to the perpetuity 

 of republican institutions. Intelligence and good 

 government under a truly democratic form of gov- 

 ernment must go hand in hand, therefore we favor 

 perfecting and perpetuating the common-school sys- 

 tem on a broad and liberal basin, that u government 

 of the people by the people and for the people ahull 

 not perish from the earth. 



Resolved, That we are opposed to the system of/ 

 leasing convict labor to be brought into competition 

 with the mechanics and other laboring men of tho 

 State, a system inaugurated and persistently main- 

 tained by Democrats, having a tendency to degrade 

 labor and deprive the toiling masses of their just op- 

 portunities for merited reward. 



Resolved, That we favor encouraging emigration 

 to our State and helping the incoming population to 

 a knowledge of our climates, manifold resources, 

 and abundant harvests. 



Resolved, That we demand such legislation as is 

 necessary to insure free and fair elections and a fair 

 return of the votes cast. 



Resolved, That we favor the enactment of such a 

 mechanics' lien law as will protect honest mechan- 

 ics in their just right of compensation for materials 

 furnished and labor performed. 



The following resolution was offered by 

 Xenophon Wheeler, of Chattanooga : 



Resolved, That we cordially endorse the Adminis- 

 tration of President Hayes as both able and patriot- 

 ic, and one which commends itself to all fair-minded 

 men without regard to party. 



Much commotion ensued upon the reading 

 of this resolution, and a motion was made to 

 table it. This provoked animated discussion, 

 in the midst of which the chairman said that 

 if the resolution was rejected he would with- 

 draw from the chair. The resolution was 

 finally referred to the Committee on Resolu- 

 tions, from which it was withdrawn by its au- 

 thor just before adjournment. 



A convention of the National Greenback 

 party, held at Nashville, August 29th, adopted 

 among others the following resolutions : 



Resolved, That we demand the abolition of nation- 

 al banks, and the issuing by the Government of 

 legal-tender paper money, made receivable for all 

 dues, public and private, including duties on im- 

 ports, as well as the principal and interest on bonds 

 of the United States, or in other words made an ab- 

 solute dollar equal in its functions as a measure of 

 values with gold and silver. 



2. That we demand that the Government of the 

 United States shall never more issue United States 

 bonds of any kind or class, whereby the money of 

 the country can be absorbed and draw interest in 

 idleness. 



3. That we demand of the Government the retire- 

 ment of all national banks of issue, and that the Gen- 

 eral Government alone issue the money of the coun- 

 try, and protect the same for all time as a full legal 

 tender for all debts. 



4. That the public lands, belonging as they do to 

 all the people, should be held in trust for the homes 

 of American citizens. 



5. That to afford a safe depository for money, and 

 to protect the people against the fraud and lo.ss oc- 

 casioned by savings banks and trust companies, a 

 postal depository system should be established from 

 which, upon money being deposited, certificates 

 should be issued, which should be payable on de- 

 mand in full legal-tender Government money. 



