Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-03-29
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Editors Merephis Appeal:

MENPHIs, March ., 1857.
Editors Memphis Appeal:
The metropolitan police tax, the new
county commission, and the new muni-
cipal court attract good deal Of atten-
ton, and IL may interest many Of your
readers 10 know how they came 70 be
enacted Just st the close Of the session
of the legislature. Doubtful measures
can generally be most easily carried
amid the pressure Of business toward the
close of a session. Everybody has some
fayorite bill that must be passed, and no
one cares to crlticise closely the requests
Of others. Each of the bills enactDg
the local tax to pay the police and make
good the expenditures Of the state to its
Dolice appointees. that abolisning the
county court 10 create board Of county
commissioners, and that establishing the
new municipal court, wRs introduced
as an indepeudent measure. Some few
weeks before the adjourn me1t OF the
Legislature and in due course, eacn was
referred TO a committee for examination
and report IL remember rightly, the
eountv commissioner bill was first Of
fered. and excited no remark. Then the
municipal court bill was offered and fol-
lowed The usual course. The best mem
bers OF the committees to which these
bills were referred, were understood to
doubt their constitutionality, as one OF
them, by special enactment for single
county, abolished court established by
general law, and the other was IN sew
eral respects very Objectionable. The
committees suggested amendments, but
did not report back the bills for the con-
sideratiou Of the house. The bills were
originally introduced into the house, be-
cause there Is not, comparatively, as
much legal ability there as Ia the sem
ate, and consequently the bills were
more likely to get through than il
originally proposed in the senate.
smith, Of Hardeman, when there
seemed a good opportunity, offered the
metropolitan police tax bill, and after
few remarks, moved the previous question
40 as to cut off all debate or investiga-
ton, at the same time that party infiu-
ences were strongly used to carry the
measure. The house refused to sustain
the call for the previous question, and
Smith Withdrew the bill, rather than
have it discussed.
A movement has been started to have
Mr.. Lewis, the receiver of the Ciarks
vile railroad turned out, and Mr..
Richards, Mr.. Wines and other members
of the legislature, each, expected to get
the place, which pays S5OOu year and
is easy. Each Of them knew that II he
opposed the metropolitan police tax bill
he would stand no chance 10 get the re-
ceivership, as Gov. Brownlow regarded
it as q measure lust as essential to his
election to the governorship as Harde-
man Smith considered it necessary to Sc
cure his nomination for congress. Each
determined to work Hard for il. They
and Gen. Eaton, who is owned sy Beau
mont, went about toIevery radiealmember
Of the legislature urging them to support
the bill. Many Of the country members
were told that no union mans life or
property would be safe in Memphis if
this bill was net passed. When all was
considered ready, Smith again offered
his metropolitan police bill, to which the
county commission and municipal court
was added, and it was without discussion,
read the first time and referred to the
Judiciary committee. To make this
committee right three friends OF the bill
were added to the committee. When
the bill wss discussed in committee, six
members were found to be In favor OF
the bill and six opposed TO it. The COM
mittee proposed an amendment 70 re-
quire q popular vote upon the bill. When
the bill was called up, this amendment
of the committee was not mentioned.
A call for the previous question
to preclude discussion Of the bill
was lost. Messrs. Able and Cole
man made able speeches, mainly
agaiust the metropolitan police tax part
Of the bill. Richards, Wines and others
made brief remarks in support Of the
whole bill. Smith, Of Hardeman, made
2 speech eulogiZing himself, declaring
that L was slsndeF to say Bsaument
ever was with the rebel army, ana ap-
pealing to radical members to support
the bill, protect the union men OF Mem
phis and-put down the rebel opposition.
When he closed he called the previous
question to prevent reply. The con-
glomerste bill finally passed the house,
and was transmitted to the senate, where
il was, as a matter of course, read the
first time and referred to the Judiciary
committee. Before this committee had
made report, or even examined the
bill, night session of the senate was
called 10 pEt the bill through the
second reading. This hasty procedure
was defeated by Senator Smith leaving
the senate chamber, which consequently
was without 8 quorum. Old Mullins
wrote out a resolution 70 expel Mr.. Abe
from the house, for loaping his bat 70
SenaIoF 5LAftn on Nns nlShb HhsA hF
left the senate chamber pnceremoni-
ously. The next day the bill in that
shape was Withdrawn and INTRODUCED as
senate ameD-nent to bill that hsd
previously passed both houses, and had
come to the senate for concurrence in
some house amendment. The previous
question was called, and thus the sens-
tors gagged. The measure passed the
senate and went back to the house
which without debate eoneurre e5 in tAe
se1ateis .4odge. TRe eengioEaetate bill
thus BECAME law.
Yours, d.