Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-31
COUNTY AFFAIRS.
A Gard from the President OF
The Board Of County
Commissioners.

We give for what /, is worth the follow
ing card from Barbour Lewis, in which
the author attempts to explain away GER
tain charges preferred against him by
the Municipal Court Grand Jury:
My personal friends Of both political
parties have requested me to make a
brief statement to you Of certain pur-
chase Of County Warrants, which has
recently been the subject OF unfriendly
comment by a portion Of the newspaper
press OF our city, and has been greatly
magnifed and misrepresented. Last
year, Msjor Richard ]. Person was the
holder OF note against me for balance
Of seven hundred and fifty dollars, due
sometime 10 the fall Of 1867. In the
early part Of June he asked me 10 prepay
the same, Offering me an ample discount.
I had not the money to spare, but finally,
urging il as an accommodation to him,
/ stated that on the 30th Of June the
county would owe me seven hundred and
fifty dollars as my salary for my first
three months service as President Of the
Board OF County Commissioner. That
on or about the lst Of July / would re-
ceive q county warrant for said salary,
and that said warrant would probably be
below par ten or twelve per cent That
If he chose to take said warrant for said
sum Of seven hundred and fifty dollars,
due in the fall, he would be welcome to
il. MOTOR Person, whose conduct
throughout in this matter has been
strictly honorable, said that would suit
him very well, and be would accept II.
In the beginning Of July / received my
warrant for my salary. Major Person,
however, did not come for it for some
time, and concluded that he had
changed his mind. Needing some money,
i therefore disposed of my warrant
Very soon after that, however, Major
Person came in with my note, and said
he had called to receive his warrant for
seven hundred and fifty dollars, and to
give up my note. / told him that / had
given him up, and disposed of my war
rant, but finally upon his request agreed
to purchase for him and deliver to him
said amount of warrants. went out
and purchased the same for him imme.
diately of brokers, partly from Messrs.
Barrett and J. A. ]. Smith, and the bal
ance, what they did not have, from
Messrs. Murphy Il Cash. / delivered the
same at once to Major Person, and re-
ceived from him my note. This is the
only transaction / ever had in County
Warrants, and was long before / had
ever seen or had my attention called
to section 48l5 of the code. / have
always spoken freely to every one of the
transaction as right and propor, and re-
curing no concealment or mystery. My
enemies, even, learned the facts only
from me Ever since my attention was
called to said section, | have been as.
sured, by eminent counsel, that it had no
application to such an act as this, and
that l had not violated the spirit or the
intention of the law. From that time to
the present, however, bitter personal en-
emies have used every exertion in their
power to have me indicted. They have
literally besieged FIVE or six grand juries
to accomplish their object. Thus far
they seemed to have failed. They may
succeed hereafter, or they may not /
am perfectly willing to leave the matter
to the judgment of all fair. minded men,
whether / have done any wrong to any
one, or deserve their censure. i
have constantly submitted to much unde-
served abuse from a portion of the press,
and personally, bitterly hos
tile to me, because | am satisfied that
the public will in the end judge all these
matters correctly. When passion and |
prejudice shall have subsidized justice will |
prevail. am content to wait for that,
and appeal to the reason and the sense Of
right of my fellow-citize / am con-
fident that they will decide justly and |
rightly. BARBOUR LEWIS.
MEMPHIS, March 80, 1868.