Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-05-22
From the Nashville Pres and Times.
Nashville Finances Under a OOnSerVa-
tive City Government.
TAXPAYERS LOOK AT THIS

We invite the attention Of every citizen of Nash
vilte, especially Of taxpayers 70 the following re-
msrkable report on the alarming condition of the
City Treasury, made by the Finance Committee Of
the City Council at the last meeting Of that body.
II reveals an amount Of reckless extravaganza and
laundering wholly unprecedented in our municipal
affairs So appalling was the report that Mr.. Lell-
yett, member Of the council, and one of the Con-
servstive Representative Of this county in the last
Legislature was sn1Oua TO withhold the report from
the knowledge of the people, and actually moved
that it be kept from the newspapers. Let the pub
lie remember that the frghtful debt in which our
city is Involved is the work of Conservative anti
Radical, anti Brownlow municipal government, and
that the report given below is tho report of Con-
sentative committee;
AUDIroRs OFFICE,
NASHVILLE, May g, 1861
To the Mayor and City Council
GENTLEMEN Your Financial Committee and
Auditor under pressing sense OF duty, peg leSVe
10 submit to your consideration certain taets ana
suggestions regarding the municipal finances, and
invite your immediate attention thereto
SORE STRAITS"
This duty ia approached with reluctance, for al
IL II
detailed statement of the corporation debts and en-
barrasments, and the sore straits to which we are
subjected in order TO meet demands already past
due and pressing feel it 10 be imperative TO IN
form you frankly, that the finances of the city are
GREATLY embarrassed, and that some system Of re-
frenohment. and some we'll devised snd iudicious
proyision for the salvation of the financial credit oil
the corporation must be adopted ard r.gidly adher-
ed 10.
This state of things now upon US has not been
altogether unforeseen. Six months ago, as many
Of Won will doubtless remember there was q meet
Of the chairmen Of tho various committees OF the
City Council, in which the impending crisis wa;
5iscpssed II was then determined that tho expen-
dituras for improvements and every variety OF out
Law not absolutely necessary, should be retrenched
If this resolution hsd been carried into enecia
,ronld have materially ouTtailed expenses IN every
department: it would have prevented the great dc.
probation now existing in city cheeks II wouio
/ have enabled your discussing officers out OF cur
rent collections 10 liQGdzte maturing obligations
Il would have maintained the solvency OF me otl
/ Sreohi II would have tended also 70 restore eaet
stnent Of city business 70 its proper ana ieglti
mate Channel, from which MANY Of them are nov
presses all alike.
LARGE INCREASE or ExPrSptruRr..
Ehe failure TO adhere TO ,his wise dsternin .tior
has led 70 large increase Of e1penai,ar.' 49,;
that nearly doubling the amount for The ,sn,s -
ried preceding and in Ice confuion which has -
suited from this apparent rockessness, all though
Of judicious retrenchment has been lost sight Of
Il has placed the current cost Of maintaining th
city government largely in excess of current col
lections Of revsnue-evsn il all collections Wers
had In money and left the interest on funded 50
curtles utterly without provision fer their payment
continuance Of this course can only end in ruiz
and We feel compelled 70 inform you, in plain term
Of contingency which even the most saperfcis
knowledge Of cur R6airs cannot have failed 70 sag
east te ycu already ~ psslihls 81 lvnst