The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-19
rHE cIrY couNcrL QUESTION.


Editor Union Appecl In your issue of this
morning an ingenius writer, under the sigma
ture of "a Citizen fwhy not sign it Alder
man Tighe?) endeavors to protect the Mayor
and Aldermen from the legitimate impress
sions which my resignation or protest he, 10
doubt, fears will produce. In the first para +
graph of the article the Citizen" Alderman /
makes tacit acknowledgement Of the truth /
of the allegations of the protest. but hopes no
doubt, to break their force by making it appear
that was governed by personal pique or sell |
| fish ends" This is a poor subterfuge my mo-
tives or ends nave nothing to do with the facts
charged, and the Alderman need not think to
cover the facts with any such mask. he and
1 a II the Board, together with the Mayor, stand
charged with having violated the charter, and
with inelgibility and the public good, as
we'll as their own self-respect, demand that
they should facet the charges manlike, and, if
they be true, vaeate their seats il false,
establish the same.
The "Citizen Alderman informs your
readers of an interview between some MEM
bers of the comDlittee and myself, and con-
veys the idea that was informed in advance
of a regular investigation, that was ineligi-
BILE, and, of course, would be expelled. What
sane man would not waive an investigation
under such circumstances and before such
| tribunal
The "Citizen" Alderman discloses the fact
that was out Of town (why not say city? Is
it because you know that it has no Mayor or
Aldermen y for some time, on official business
for COL w. r. Hunt, and that, too, during the
''six months next preceding the election"
True, but not until after had been incarcera-
ted by two of the police of the city of Mem
phIs Kirby and Sullivan), for no other offence
than that of having voted against secession
and representation, and could not conscien-
tiously say that / was sorry fer it and at a
time when "Citizen" Alderman was member
of the Board which knowingly refused or
omitted to comply with The first requirements
of the charter under which they feigne ed to
cover their acts of disrespect for the
government of the United States, and
of oppression by their subordinates. At
a time too when "Citizenn Alderman was
member of board which spent much of its
: labor in appointing police that seemed to
glory in hunting down Union men, and in
pressing the poor to take up arms against the
United States; A member of board which
wished to have the monument of jackson de-
faced, because his cherished motto was in
scribed thereon; A member of board which
was SO Anti- Union that it wished the name of
Union Street changed to that of Belmont.
Not until after Citizen" alderman had spread
, himself in casting bombs, balls, cannon AID
!, mammoth mortars, to be used against the very
. goverBment to which he had taken solemn
oath of allegiance and not until after the
e Hon. Mayor had made the following decara-
ton in his inaugural address, to the very board
of which Citizen alderman was member:
against the administration of this tyrant,
the South rebelled. They did right. The
! Southern people would have been unworthy
r the name of freemen had they submitted to
, | Lincoln's administration after his purposes
were fully developed.
: 81 have felt it my duty gentlemen of the
4 board, TO thus rapidly glance at the cause and
: condition of the affairs of our country. War
/. is upon US; an invading army has for some
time past been threatening our city; but
:. thanks to our predecessors, and to the liberal
g and patriotic policy of our state government,
we stand to-day prepared to meet the invader"
In answer to the lntsrogatory of Citizen
alderman, why / did not sooner discover the
I ilegality of the board, ETC., have simply to
y say that, like all other questions, this one
y could not be acted upon atntit 1t came up, and
, that the charge of my ineligibility led to the
7 &discovery of the illegality of the board, and
| at the first opportunity after the fact was as
. certained 1 made it known, resigned my seat
, and left the matter with others for their con-
: sideration, content with stating facts without
"personal piques or selfish ends"
}, B. f. e. BROOKS.
a Julv 18th 1862