Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-01-14

enough Of most kinds to last several years. un-
der an order Of the County Court and by drec-
ton Of It's Clerk.
The bin Cor The work was $iJOo. II was sew
eral times before the Court. which did not ques-
iion haylrE authorized the work, but objected
70 the amount. Whether II was the right
amount or not. II was less than the magistrates
had been allowing themselves. Six persons
swore that the work was done at fair rates.
The Briieiin sued out mandamus. knew
Of no Just defense, and unwilling to put the
county TO increased expense. obeyed the man
date Of the Court. and in obedience to section
525 Of the Code ' II shall be tho duty Of the
Judge or Chairman Of the County Court to
draw his warrant upon the County Treasury for
payment Of any judgments recovered against
or debts due from, the county" drew the
warrants TO pay Il. had no understanding
that any private claim Of the Buiietia against
me was TO be considered paid. Il II got the
warrant for what the county owed IL. / never
got or expected one cent for my course. Tho
bulletin got the money for the blanks. but it
did not pay. promise or credit me with the
value Of one cent for my drawing tho warrant.
Weeks elapsed before the matter was agi-
tated. and in all that time the Baiiefm neither
profercd to give anything or release any claim
against me. The story that got or expected
anything is entirely false and malicious.
WASTE AND ECONOMY.
Some persons, who think this payment to the
Bulletin for work ordered by the County Court,
a waste Of public money, see no waste In pay
ing $500 to lawyers TO contend with the State
relative to the Police. nor any waste in en-
ploying three lawyers at an expense Of four or
Eve thousand dollars TO do something about
trying 20 get back from the Bulletin the money
that was paid TO It for work done. Such econ
omy is Of a piece with that which urged mo to
take care Of the needy and sick during the
prevalence Of cholera. and attacked me in the
newspapers for not doing enough. yet now.
af.er paying $500 TO doctors, objects to the
1000, for every dollar Of which l have
vouchers. that / expended to take care of the
destitute, the sick and the dead, and thinks
that was maybe waste Of meney.
RI HARMONY DESIRED.
regret that have to say this much, as
desire to act in harmony with all the members
of the County Court. lido not like personal
alterations with gentlemen. Conscious that
have AZ all times sought to do my duty. and
have in no case been untrue to the ingesests Of
the county. defy any ono TO show that have,
in single case. acted illegally or corruptly. l
may have sometimes been betrayed by indig-
nation at unjust attacks into acts of discour-
tesy. but / have always, in every case, been de-
voted to the interests Of the people of the
county, and have done my duty faithfully.
There is not faint Of corruption on a single
one Of my acts, and no one making the false
and malicious insinuations can produce any
better proof Of il than / refused to draw money
out Of the public treasury until assured that II
was rightfully due.
If there has been in any case waste Of pub
lie money, have not been responsible there
for. rrt
/ sincerely hope that hereafter the County
Court may get along more tremendously. moro
economically. and with less waste of time than
heretofore. Ii il does not. the people may
begin to think that County Court, the mem
bers of which. without legal authority. have
voted themselves each $40 per day, and which
has for the time il is in session, cost more than
the Legislature of the whole State, does not
do public business more satisfactorily than
would a surrogate for the case Of probate Of
wills and administration, and for county BUSH
ness board of three or four supervisors. Sc
lected with some reference to that portion of
the county which yields three -fourths of the
county revenue. THOMAS LEONARD.