Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-24
Municipal Democratic Ticket
suELBY COUNTY COURT BILL As
TT BECAME A Law.

The morning papers contain the text
If a bill passed in the Legislature of this
State. recognizing the courts OF Shelby
c,un,y. The law constitutes q new
c;rcu;t ont of this county, which is to be
known as the Twentieth Judicial Circuit,
and also a Chancery District. to be
known as the Seventh Chsncery District.
We are allowed two Caaucery Courts,
two Circuit Courts and one Criminal
Court, instead of the present courts,
which are all abolished from and after
the passage of the act. Temporary APP
Monuments will be made to Gil the offices
until the regular day OF election comes
around. which has been designated IN
the act as the fourth Thursday IN May,
1870. The cffice Of Attorney General
for the Criminal Court has been retained,
and the election to Eli that office will
come OF on the same day as that set
for the election Of Judges.
The civil records of the present Circuit
Court are to be transferred to the First
Circuit Court, newly created, while the
records of the present Law Court OF
Memphis ere to be transferred to the Sec
ond Circuit Court. spoken of 10 the bill.
The civil records of the Municipal Court,
ss now existing. wi | be distributed
equally between the said First andSeeoud
Circuit Courts. All records of Grim
inal nature will be given to the new Grim :.
inal Court.
The two Chancery Courts take the
Chancery business of the county, and
have concurrent Jurisdiction pertaining
to their matters. But the peculiar fea-
ture of this new law is that it should es-
iablish Circuit Court q. Bartlett, twelve
miles from Memphis, which court is
given concurrent jurisdiction in all mat
ters. both civil and criminal, with the
other courts of the county, and at the
same time belongs to the fifteenth Judi
ciai Circuit.
Now, we wish our friends at Bartlett
all the good lack possible, but the biz
establishing court there is the most un-
heard of piece of legislation ever enacted.
Why shonld the Legislature ere lie a
court with sill kinds of jurisdiction to ex'
tend over our county, and fix its sessions
Of an obscure way station Of railroad,
twelve miles from the mart OF BUSH
ness2 The pretended excuse for's1cb
legislation was that it saved to the
county The yearly salary of a new judge,
aud that the members Of the Legislature
were carrying out their pledge-a re-
trenchment Of the expenses OF the
State Government. If the above
was found to be soDnd in res-
son it might somewhat psiIis.s so grave
a buriesque as this is upon the people OF
Shelby eoanty. Bat how will it be saving
of money to establish new Court House
at the above place named at cost OF
City thousand dollars, aud & new all at
g cost Of fifty thousand more, and the
other expenses attending on gresd jssies,
lawyers, witnesses, and every one else
Who may becOmsintsrested in litigation
before this grand Areopsgus2
We cannot sscribs this piece of nom
sense to the ignorance of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, who defeated the
original House bin creating three courts
for this county. The men composing
that committee were such as Eihesidge.
Cooper and Nelson, who are regarded as
possessing little more financial acumen
than this act would prove. Was 1t not
malice on the part Of some of these gen
tIemeu against our city that caused
the alteration Of the bill. Perhaps
Memphis is b little too rsbellious 70
anti the notions OF these notorious skulk-
era. We are not sound enough here on
the negro question, and cans, like ar
insia-rubber man, turn ourselves inside
out, which these fellows would have us do
And again, Memphis was much TOT
clsuorous for convention to altogether
please this little tea party st Nashville
WHO looked forward to the fut~rs viii
dark forebodirFs as 10 their owu politics
welfare. II was . foe opportunity Il
give uss dig 10 the stOrs sibs, butwe shal
be able 10 survive il