Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-13
CITIZENS UNION.
Constellation and Bylaw. Adopted.

Consultation and Bylaws Adopted.
The property-holders Of Memphis held
another meeting in the Chamber of Com.
morce last evening, and, after considera-
BILE discussion, adopted the following
Constitution aud Bylaws for their guild
ance:
CONSTITUTION.
|. The citiz Ems and taxpayers Of the
county Of Shelby and the city Of Mem
phis, Tenn, impressed with the import
ance Of preserving the integrity and
credit Of our city and county, and be-
lieving that a system of reckless ex-
penditure, waste and extravaganza has
been pursued for several years, and that
retrenchment and reform are necessary
to save us from ruin; and feeling conf.
dent that this result can be best &C.
complished by united efforts, therefore
we do hereby agree to unite and form
ourselves into an organization to be called
1.-THE Citizsns Union"
2 The object ard purpose of this
Union shall be to find out and expose all
misconduct and corruption on the part of
public officers; to oppose, by all lawful
means, the reckless administration of the
affairs of the city and county, the inn
provident expenditure of public money,
and the ipjudicious pledging of the public
credit
3. No person shall be member of the
Union who is not taxpayer of the
county of Shelby or city of Memphis.
A. The officers of this Union shall be
President, Vice President, Secretary,
and Treasurer, who shall be elected by
ballot, each member being entitled to one
vote, and majority of all the votes cast
being necessary to choice; and these
officers shall hold their respective Offices
for the period of one year, or until their
successors are elected.
s. This Constitution may be amended,
but all amendments must be proposed at
regular meeting, and lay over until the
next regular meeting before being acted
on, and no amendment shall be made
without the consent of two-thirds of those
present
6. That twenty-five persons shall be
necessary to constitute quorum for the
transaction of business.
BYLAWS
|. This Union shall hold its regular
meetings on the first Saturday in every
month at pm, at such place as the
President may direct, and the President
she'll have power to call meeting at
any time by giving notice thereof in two
of the city papers.
Thn-a ahan he fnur OF pdinn oou,
mittees for the preparation OF business
an Executive Committee, a Committee
on Finance, Committee on Abuses,
and a Committee on Remedies, to be
composed of three members each, to be
appointed by the President, whose duty
it shall be to investigate and report upon
all matters referred to them at the next
meeting thereafter.
s. That no matter shall be discussed
until it has been reported on by COM
mittee, and all resolutions shall be re-
ferred without debate to an appropriate
committee.
4. That the expenses of the Union
shall be paid by an assessment on each
member in proportion to his taxable
property: provided that no assessment
shall be greater upon any one member
for one year than the sum of two hun
bred $4,000 dollars, and all other assess
ments in proportion thereto, taking the
taxable property of each as a basis, the
assessment to be made by the Finance
Committee and collected by the Treas
urer and any member who fails for a
longer period than two months to pay
his assessment shall be stricken from
the roll.
s. The Committee on Abuses shall,
without any special instruction therefor,
keep a vigiant watch on the acts and
doings of all the public officers of the city
and county, and that whenever they dis
cover that an abuse of power and Office
has been or is about to be perpetrated,
they shall instantly report the came to
the President, who shall at once convene
all the members of the standing commit
tees, and if all the committees, each COM
mittee voting separately, can agree upon
remedy for the evil, the Executive
Committee shall at once proceed 10 apply
the remedy; but in the event q majority
of either committee shall dissent, the
President shall call Q meeting Of the
Union to consider the same.
6. In the absence of the President the
Vice President, in bis absence the Secre-
tary, aud in his ABSENCE the TFeaasrer,
shall exercise the powers and duties Of
President
Several gentlemen present, among
them Messrs. j. r. Chalmers, W. L..
Vance, L. Y. Dixon, W. r, Moore, ]. B.
Bingham, r. c, Brinkley, s. c. Mount,
Miles Owen, W. s. Pickett, L, Monte
donico, A. X. Taylor, Joined the Union,
when Gen. Chalmers moved the appoint
ment of committees of two citizens from
each ward 70 selieit signatures as mem !
bers, which was adopted, and the meet |
ing adjourned to next Thursday after
noon.
If you want good old Megibben whisky |
60 to MegibbeH & Bro, 2Sl Main street.
MoRTpARY acknowledgements for |
The Wsek.-By j. @. Hoist d Co. U. S.
G. Kent, ls months, pneumonia; Hugh |
Jones (col), Il years, phthisis; G.. W.
Johnson, 3 months, decline; j. G. Kim
bro, ID days; Henry c. Morgan (col.), |
36 years, pneumonia; Charles L. Larren-
tree, 6 months, Inflammation of brain; |