Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-27

The METROPOLITAN Police APPRoPRI-
ATOMS. The Board Of Mayor and Alder
men held an adjourned meeting last eve
ming, for the purpose of receiving the re
port of the Finance Committee in regard
to the appropriations demanded for the
Metropolitan Police. The committee
reported adversely to the estimates, aud
recommended the adoption of resolu-
ton, THAT the Board of Mayor and
Aldermen, through their Finance Com
mittee, thoroughly investigated the est
mates of the Metropolitan Police, do
hereby approve the report of said com
mittee, and decline the approval OF this
or any other estimate for the Metropoli-
tan Police" The Assistant City Attor-
ney indorsing the above report and rec
ommendation. 80 -
Alderman Walker, Chairman Of the
Finance Committee, made an able speech
in support Of the report of the Commit
tee, in which he said that they reported
adversely, because they considered the
law Unconstitutional and would have re-
ported against the granting Of single
dollar for such purposes. He stated that
he was not opposed to the men at the
head of the Metropolitan Police in this
city, for he had urged one Of them to
accept the position, but he was opposed
to the unlimited power placed in their
hands, and would raise his voice against
it, if his brother or father were at the
head of it He condemned the Legisla-
tire for taking and passing laws for the
commercial cities Of the State, and de-
nying their representatives voice in the
matter, and closed by reading decision
of Judge Catron, applicable to the pres
lent case. rs
Alderman Johnson then rose, and said
the Board shad no power, to call in ques-
ton law of the State, and that 1t must
be obeyed until declared unconstitu-
tioraL If the estimates were too high, he
was in favor Of sending them back to be
modified, aud if, on trial, the law was
found to be a bad law, it would be re
pealed. "a. t.5[sg ~ g1lyrC i /
Alderman Toof desired to explain his
position on the question He is, and has
for years been, firmly convinced that the
Metropolitan system of police is the best
that has yet been devised, and that il
properly and impartially enforced woald
operate as benefcially upon the best in
terests of Memphis as has been the re-
suit of the same system in St. Louis,
Baltimore, New York, and other cities
that might be mentioned. Some features
of the bill were Objectionable and as
odious to him as they could possibly be
to any member of this Board or any citi-
zen, but these he did not desire at this
time to discuss The estimate submitted
by the Board Of Police was in his opin-
ion too high, in several instances, and
hence, as a member of the Finance
Committee and of the Board he was OPP,
posed to concurring in the estimate.
Alderman Morgan made telling
speech against the appropriations, tax
ing up the obnoxious sections of the law
and analysing them in manner that
brought out in strong light the uncon-
stitutionality of the bill and the unfair
ness of giving men such unlimited power
as was conferred in the Commissioners
The ayes and nays we're then taken
on the adoption of the report OF
the Finance Committee as follows
Ayes-Messrs. o'Mahony, Clancy. Nor
gan, Leonard, Walker, Burke, O'Don-
nell, Harvey, TOof, Kelly, Green and
Grace-l2, Nays Messrs Johnson and
Wunderman-2
The chairman declared the report and
resolution adopted, the announcement be-
ing received with loud cheers by the
many citizens present.
----
LADIES silk saques--laee points at far
below cost 10 close at Elson Bros. T
The MRTRoPoLlTkNs The action OF