Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-22

Respectfully, HENRY j. LYNN,
Mayor pro TEN.
MAYORS OFFICE (CITY HALL,
MEMPHIS, Tenn, August IL, 1871
SIR: | have the honor to call your at
tention to Section 20 of an act passed by
the Legislature of the State on the 9th of
March, 1867, amending the charter of the
city of Memphis. You will find the Sec
ton Of the amendment referred to on
page l67 of Bridges Digest for 1867. l
do not find any of the required state
ments in this office, and therefore take
this occasion to call upon you for them.
A copy of Section 20 of the law is here
with Enclosed.
have the honor to be, very respectful
ly, etc. HENRY J. LYNN,
Mayor pro tenn.
To Colonel s. B. Beaumont, Commits.
sioner Metropolitan Police.
OFFIoE OF SUP'T METROPOLITAN POLICE, |
MEMPHIS, TENN, August ~, 1867.
Hon. Henry ] Lynn, Mayor pro tenn;
SIR: Your favor of the 18th instant,
came duly to hand, and has been care.
fully considered.
The question of the Metropolitan Po-
lice Act and amendments to the same
having been submitted to the Supreme
Court, and the amendment to the city
charter to section 20, to which you have
called my attention, having been treated
by the City Attorney as part of the
case, the Board of Metropolitan Police
commissioners claim the right to with
hold such action as you claim to be their
duty, pending the decision of the Court
Should the law be sustained, the Board
of Metropolitan Police Commissioners
will not allow themselves TO be outdone
by the Honorable Board of Mayor and
Aldermen in complying with its require.
ments,
Very respectfully, your obt serv't,
S. B. BEAUMONT,
Superintendent NJ p.
The amended city charter renders it
the imperative duty of the Police Com
missioHers to report monthly, as above
mentioned. Acting Mayor Lynn thinks
it about time the people were seeing a
few properly attested figures in eonnec'
ton with the matter. AS thousands of
dollars are finding their way into the
Police Commissioners hands, the Mayor
respectfully requests these officials to
give an account of their stewardship, as
demanded by the very law from which
this revenue is derived. Col Beaumont
declines TO comply, and contemptuously
sneers at the Board.
The answer is worse than paltry sub
terfuge. The Commissioner declines
because the law is now before the Su-
preme Court to be tested What has that
to do with the matter9 Until declared
unconstitutional it must be obeyed, and
that portion emptying the revenue Of the
Tax Collector into the Police treasury is
still rigidly enforced. We have never
made groundless charges against the
Metropolitan Police Commissioners, nor
will we do so now but the action of Col.
Beaumont in refusing to comply with
the law is suspicious. The clause
quoted is imperative 1t is intended as
a check on the Commissioners should
they attempt fraud and the Superintend-
enfs reply to the Mayor will naturally
fasten the belief in the minds of honora-
BILE men that there is something wrong
in the police department. An honest
public official should not hesitate to ex-
pose to the public scratiny the opera
lions of his department The moment
he attempts to conceal by resort to sub
terfuge and legal bubbles, his star of in
tegrity begins to waue in public estima-
ton.
1t is clear that Col. Beaumont is legally
compelled to furnish the sworn state
ment as demanded by the Mayor. But
if his tender regard for the law will not
permit him to obey it while itremains in
litigation, why does he not act consist
emily? If he insists on the enforce
ment of that portion which fills the police
treasury why does he refuse to comply
with that portion which demands an &C.
count of what he does With the
money! The miserable preiext furn-
ished is simply the difference be-
tween tweedledee and tweedledum. If
Col Beaumont will refuse to receive any
more money from Tax Collector Davis,
and suspend The collection Of the $50
recently demaaded from saloon keepers,
until the legality Of the law in question
is tested, the public will deem bis answer
miseonception Of the law, though it should
be with good intentions. But hiding be-
had contemplate little quibbles which
have no foundation save in his own i'm.