Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-15
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Quite a spirited and heightened dis
eussion marked the proceedings Of the
City Council ut the late special meeting,
convened to consider the message ofthe
Mayor recommending the prompt exc
cution OF the former action ofthe Board,
ordering the removal Of the wharfboats
from the city landing, revoking the
licenses or privileges heretofore granted,
and now assumed TO be held at will Sr
suiferance of the city. The, general
policy Of granting licenses Of this char
acter was fully ventilated, and the various
arguments in favor Of and adverse to
the same earnestly and ably presented
by the respective contestants. The hos
tile bearing upon the public welfare,
commercial interests and general trade
Of the city in the hasty abandonment Of
a policy which II had maintained, with but
rare intervals, since its foundation, was
clearly illustrated in the presentation Of
Alderman Passmore, who seemed TO
have risen to the hight Of the argument,
and grappled the subject with all that
earnestness of nature which ever marks
his action when questions Of general
and admitted public significance and
interest are under discussion.
While not assuming to advocate the
policy in its present extended and too
general scope, he contended that accom-.
modations Of this character, fortified by
restrictions and conditions which would
prevent them from being perverted to the
detriment of home interest, were not only
necessary to foster and protect the com.
merce and trade Of the city, but so far
from being inhibited, should receive a
liberal encouragement. he instanced
the St. Louis and Memphis Packet Com.
pany's wharfboat as specially beneficial
in this respect; referred to the petition,
heretofore presented, of two hundred and
fifty of our most intelligent and substan.
tial merchants and business men, COM
pri,ing the body Of those most deeply in
terested, favoring the cause, and contend
ed that this was voice potential, which
should not be ignored in the decision o.
the question, and if there was a doubi
| in the minds Of members, this weight
cast into the scale must control the bal
ance. He further protested against
present final action, upon the ground
that fuller and more thorough presenta
ton of the facts was necessary to secure
judicious and acceptable disposition o
the subject, to which end a reference o
the matter had, at former meeting o.
the Board, been made to an appropriate
com mittee for report. He further con
tended that the Board would be acting
in violation of the rules of order to tax,
action as recommended, until this com
mittee had reported or been discharged
from further consideration of the refer
ence, being sustained in this position b,
the chair but overruled by the Council
r His comments upon the Mayor we're Ger
tainly more severe than called for; char
acterizing, as he did, the acts of this Off
Ger in attempting to enforce the forme
action of the Board, pending reference
involving reconsideration ad occasion
as not only ill-advised, but, in his view
of the case, q palpable and most glarinl
usurpation of power. gEhAE
The Mayor pro tenn, Alderman Me
Davitt, by courtesy of the Council, beinI
permitted an opportunity for reply
availed himself of it, indicating will
much earnestness and feeling his course
and repelling, Indignantly, the sever
structures and rather unaimable crit
cisms of the impulsive, and at times i'm
petuous, assaulting Alderman. =.
Alderman Passmore, perceiving that
deeper significance had been given t.
his language than designed, and that b
had wounded where he had only intended
to correct, with the instincts of the tru
gentleman, disclaimed any imputatiol
of corrupt motives to the Mayor, saying
that he intended only to assert the exer
else of unwarranted authority on the par
of that officer; not wantonly, or will
corrupt purpose, but through misconcep
ton of his official prerogstives or al
over estimate of his official powers. Thi
candid and frank disclaimer was receive'
and accepted in the spirit prompting IT
and the former kindly relations between
these officials were Immediately rein
stated, though for the moment threatene'
with harsh, Earring and, perhaps, last
ing disruption. 1889. -
The result, as we have stated in
former issue, was a full Endorsement o
the Mayor, directing him to proceed t
the immediate removal Of the wharf
boats. We heard, howevef, on yester
day, that petition receiving very gene
|, raj support was being circulated, to b
presented to the Beard, asking recon
sideration of their action in the prem
|, ises Another on dit, was that the in
terposition of the cdarts would be in
yoked, in arrest of the action of the coun
! ell, until certain legal questions supposed
to arise in the case had been permanently
: disposed Of However,this may be, if any
new feature is to be presented in thi
: vexed and perplexiug question may W