Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-21
2 RATES.
CORRESPONDENCE,
MEMPHIS APPEAL
F. a. TYLER, EDITOR.

F. A. TYLER, EDITOR.
TUESDAY HOsRIse. DEC. al, 1858.
Edyors appeal: The numberless
amendments and new statutes con-
nected herewith had converted our
Old charter into q perfect gOrdian
knot, which the saber of an Alexander
alone might ~unravel; therefore, every
citizen was gratihed, at the announce
ment of a contemplated revision,
never dreaming that in such revision
their highest Interests and desires
should be utterly ignored
From the profoundly silent and Sc
cret Chambers Of its c~OncOctOrs- a new
bauflllg nov stares Us in the face.
neither seeking approval or rejection
Al our hands, but under the broad seal
and sanction Of the iaw-making
power, commanding Us to assemble on
& given day, organize, and take the
oath Of allegiance! Shall We do it?
demand the right, sir, TO examine
the nature and character of the gov
eminent we are thus imperiOusly sum
mOned 70 obey.
Nineteen sections Of this remarka-
bic instrument are exclusively devoted
10 revising, remOdeling and building
up a system Of corporation contracts,
which, IN connection with a CORES
p0ndIng system Of assessments, fines
and f0rleitures, viii not only Gust
every delinquent property holder
from hs cherished homestead, but by
suil o summary process cOnsiEn
the home or property Of the orphan
and widow to the merciless hammer
OF the huctiOneer at 2 public sale. (See
section 49, But, 70 cap the climax
Of these wrongs and Outrages, defend
ants are placed entirely our Of the pale
OF either appeal or remedy; all this,
too, under the mask Of N-icOlsOniZiRg
our streets, alleys, lanes and ave
nues.'
Is this the banquet prOfered to Us
on the 9th Of January? We shall see. 4
As to the grand workings Of c0rpO-
ration contracts. we have the sad ex-
perlence OI thirty years before Us, fur
nIshiEg TO this generation many grave
and useful lessons.
II il becomes necessary, facts there
with connected should and VIII be
trUthfully and feaTlessiy UnfOlded.
Finally, Mr.. Editor, 1 wishtO be IN
derstood as limiting my objections
mainly to the nineteen sections above
referred TO, whether in whole or in
part, embracing assumptions Of pow
ers alike UnwarrsntaDle and danger
Gus, such a. the most despOtic Bashaw
of Egypt would not dare &c promul-
gale without the imminent hazard OF
losing at least one, if not all three Of
his tails. PIONEER.
The city charter is anything but
satisfactory to the citizens Of Mem
phis, in the feature anima5verted on
by u correspondent, who is Il Of
our most conservative, judiciOus and
law abiding citizens. Senator Cub
bins, beingin the city a few days after
its passage, assured Us the Legislature
would do in this regard whatever
reasonably the citizens might desire.
While, therefore, we proceed to or
ganize under the new city charter, we
would suggest also that an expression
Of the public voice should in some
form be given. We remember to have
said in some remarks at a public
meeting at the Municipal Court
room when the subject Of the Me
olson pavement was under discussion,
that whatever else the poor men OF
Memphis might do, they would not
consent TO take from OvERToN, BRINK
LEY, LEA, GREENLAw, or any other
property holder Of the city, CEN
unJaSHy, and we remember that thai
expression met unanimous and instant
approval from all present. The ma
jority OF eur people lack wealth, buI
they do not want soul or honor.
The poorest men Of the city, who en-
JOY the paved streets, would rather
pay their dollar or two each, than put
the burden wholly On a few. The
merchants Of Memphis, who have just
escaped, ia a measure, from unequal
taxation, do not ask 70 put it on
Others. All see that the principles o. ,
a free constitution, which requires an
equal assessment, on a valuation first
made by wOrn men, Of all property
equally, is the only principle on which !
taxation can justly, and with due re-
spect TO the i~naliensble rights Of the 5
citizens, proceed. All know that to ,
single cut the merchants Of Memphis
to pay the whole expense Of a great :
public improvement, merely because c
il benefited them more than it did I
real stakeholder, would be to Cypress i
them, and would operate to drive bus
mess away. And thsy see equally 6
well Elat TO fix the same expense OF q
the owners Of real estate, viii reduce
It's value, render it u~nsaleabIe, pre- 1
vent real estate holders from realizing Z
reasonable incomes, and prevent 9TH =
ens from coming in to invest. The T;
city cannot thrive under such circum- u
stances, nor on any but on the pTinci- y
pie Of equal taxation on all men and d
propezty alike, according to the true u
value Of what they may possess. G
There Is the same sensitiveness IN p
business matters that there is in the bu- a
man body and in society. Strike one II
member an unjust and cruel blow. and b.
all suffer IT, her. Tax merchants st
unequaliy with other citizens, and "
you drive away business, and at the az
same time destroy incomes from real al
estate, by reducing the population and az
number Of those who use it. Tax "a
real estate beyond its value, and none Il
Will have it, none wiz buy it, and few :
will build upon it. And 50 the pOpu- Z
lation win be reduced, or fail to in u
crease, in consequence, and mer- "
chants viii lose customers. Tax me- &C
and manufacturers more thsn
merchants or landlords, and
you drive them away, or -
discourage their enterprise, and Al
AUST buy many things abroad "
could be more cheaply made at nc
home, have less demand for the buila- o.
ngs Of landlords, and a reduced -
market for the sale Of goods. Tsx h
men, clerks, dray and hack XII
nen and laborers too much, and YOU Of
must pay them higher salaries, higher NJ
have fewer hands, less work Ia
lone, fewer inhabitants, less business, be
,Omfort and luxury, and strike a blow ~
0 the injury OF al property holders, hi
aerchants, landlords, manufactures, ca