Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-16
TnE COUNTY A
Reply 10 the Grand Jury Re
port.
OFFICE OF COUETY COURT CLERK,
Memnhaz March II 1870

the January term, 1869. 1t is lengthy,
full, complete, snd, as is now customary,
complime tAry. Eulsnsting from thir-
teen well known ciCz ms, whose sugges-
tons sre entitled tosprlCus consideration,
and nc doubt the evils or errors spoken
Of by them, will be speedily corrected,
il, on investigation, such appear TO ex
ist. Having been frequently before them,
[ am sure it was not their intention t.
iniure any one, or do aught which would
tend to destroy the credit of the county.
Hence, as one OF the officers of the coun-
ty, on whom the people have by their
kindness placed grave responsibilities,
and to whom account should ever be
made, willingly, either through officers
appointed by courts, grand Jarfes, or to
cinZeRs individually F; | have TO ask
space in your paper to repubiish a part
Of their report, with q few words of re-
ply. They say on
COUNTY FINANCES.
We would most respectfully submit
: that we have endsavOred ~assiduousiy TO
inform ourselves on thisimportant branch
Of the cOunty's interest. IT'S true we
have learned of a probable d~efalcati0n
OF over a hundred thousand dollars, and
that the expenses for 1868 are about q
hundred thousand more than 1867, for
jurors, salaries, Jail, poor-hOuse, rental,
etc. IT'S true we see the bills of the I'M
d~ertakers, for burying the poor, have
been approved TO the amount of fifteen
thousand dollars, for ten months of 1868.
Yet the acquisition OF a detail Of the re-
oaipts and disbursements OF the county,
appears to involve such 8 labyrinthine
complication that il would take too much
Of our time for its accomplishment, there
I fore NJ M uf aarna=f1r pannro m and xour
honor to appoint, without delay, compe-
tent experts, with plenary powers, to
thoroughly examine the books and papers
Of the various county officials, and re-
port TO your honorable Court as soon as
practicable"
The foregoing being that portion of the
report OF thirteen good and lawful citi-
Zsns, duly sworn TO inquire into and re-
port al matters pertaining to the viola
ton OF the laws of the State, and the in
terest of the county, which relates TO the
finances of the county, l have to say, as
an officer, that 1 have not the slig ltest
idea from whence they derived their in
formation and I am certain that every
county official, Or citizen, who has taken
the trouble to inquire into the financial
condition of the county, will be as much
surprised as am at the report made by
the jury.
First, 1t is not known to the officers of
the county that the county has, or will
lose one hundred thousand dollars by de-
fslcatiOn, or any other sum in any way.
Second, "rhat the expenses for 1868
are about one hundred thousand dol
lars more than 1867, for jurors,
salaries, jail, poor house, rental, etc.,
could have been easily accounted for,
had inquiry bean made. One item alone
Of disbursements for 1868 was 5000, 282 20
on account of the nTW jail.
That SIS coo had to be appropriated
for the burial of paupers in ten months
is to be regretted but the jury did not
suggest any cheaper mode OF burial for
the dead, ami the Board of County Com
m%issiOners are unable TO have labor per-
formed at a less price, compatible with
the wishes of q Christian community.
They say:
"Yst the &C quiaition Of q detail Of the
RECEIPTS and disbursements OF the county
apDsafa 20 involve such a laOyrinthine
comDiication, that it would take too
mucn of our time for It's accomplish
ment, therefore we most earnestly
recommend yOgr Honor to appoint,
without delay, eompetEnt experts, with
pleuary powers, to thoroughly examine
The books and papers OF the various
county officials, sHd report to your hon
orable court as sooa as practicable"
Now, Messrs. Editors, as l have al
ready said, ! YES frequently before that
Grand Jury, and 1 beiisEe : gave N.Y.
self more trouble to endeev0r TO Inform
them on the financial condition of the
county than any jury that ever sat in
this county, since l have beer IN ONCE.
D. .,h rorr-hnr of fnn inru Ufil am aap-
tain, admit their frequent apologies to
me for their want OF comprehension of
the stf,irs Of the county, or the isw
thereto pertaining, and my willingness
to respond to every call made by them.
They were furnished with every trans
cript they required, with every book
from the Office or paper on file that was
asked for, and when occupied IN Court
myself, / had q gentleman to read and
explain every item to them.
So far as their report seems TO ref Get
on me, by their statement that " the &C.
auisiiion Of q detail OF the receipts and
disbursements Of the county Involve
such a labyrinthine complication
that it would take too much
OF their time for its accomplishments, |
have but little 70 say. They asked me
for the total Disbursements. Il did not
take five minutes to furnish II, with q
detail Of the cause Of the disbursements.
And l know had Judge Lewis (whO is
the proper oHjcsr according TO the isW OF
1881 been asked for the receipts, he
would have furnished the Information in
q few minutes. Consequently but little
of their tHenby-fouF dsys' session might
have been occupied with that labyrin-
thine cong iicatiOD, Notwithstanding
gL... Ea.uak "a pafouIataH IN ipiurp the
credit OF The county by implying 8 reck-
lezsness 10 disbursements and deislcatiOn
by Collectors or others intTusted with
public moneys, at distant points where
the facts are moi known. | believe that
the Board Of County Commissioners are
ss careful or ths public money, comply
ing strictly with the letter Of the Law, as
is possible, having due regard to the
rights of the citizen, and that the hnan-
ciAl condition Of this county Is as healthy
IS that of any section Of the country Of
Ike Importance, When it is remem-
bered that the Honorable Court was in
session eight days after the report was
submitted, and that no such committee
OF experts rs was recommended was ap-
pointed, il is evidence that none were
needed, which should be conclusive to
the mind Of every citizen that the affairs
Of the county are carefully attended TO
according TO law that no just cause
exists for the general distrust arising
principally from reports not well con-
ceived, but often emsnsting from sources
which should be respected. What the
intention Of the jury was in sending for
me so often and waving the q1alifca-
tion prescribed by law, l know not.
Yet had I known THAR object, or had
they made iIquiry of the proper parties,
or called at tue several county offices
and examined the records of the county,
I believe a report would not have been
submitted to The Court and published,
which is calculated to injure the credit
OF the county abroad, and which, if in
yestigsted, at home, is not creditable to
the intelligence OF citizens who are
called on to act as Grand Jurors.
Respectfully, JOHN LOAGUE, Clerk.
B. L9wENsTEIN & BROS. offer great
inducements in Irish Linens this week. T