Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-29
THE CITY.
MUNICIPAL
Meeting of the City Counen.

Meeting OF 1he City Council
The Common Council met last night pur-
suant to adjournment, and was opened in
due form by calling the roll The minutes
of the last meeting were read and approved.
A communication from the Mayor was
read, Directing to the bill providing for the
election of two city attorneys, and assign
ing his reasons for the same, viz: The in
forrnality of the bill, discrepancies of the
two billspassed effecting the same subject,
and the fact that Mr.. Cooper and his two
attorneys had this specially of the city by
contract, etc He recommended that the
bill be abolished. The following is the
communication
Gentlemen of tie CITY Council: 1t is
made the duty of the Mayor, by the
charter of the corporation (Act of Feb. Is,
1858, section IA, to carefully examine all
bills passed, and, should either or any of
them not meet his appreciation, he shall re-
turn the same at the next meeting of the
City Council to that body in which it origin
ated, with his objections in writing. At
your last regular meeting of the Common
Council, the Board of Aldermen being in
session on the same night by adjournment,
there originated in your branch of the City
Council "a bill to provide for the election
of two City Attorneys and defining their
duties. The bill was passed on three sep
arate readings in each branch of the City
Council, on suspension of the rules. AS
the Council had, just a few evenings be-
fore, passed another act within the same
purview. differing essentially III its provi-
sions. which after full consideration | had
approved, felt it my duty at least to with
hold my approval from the latter act until
| could give it that consideration which the
charter requires. In the meantime, facts
were brought to the knowledge of the Fl
nance Committee and myself, respect
ing the situation OF the affairs
of the corporation in the Chancery Court,
especially, but also in the other State courts
and in the Federal Court, which have led
to the completion of a general contract IN
der the authority of both branches of the
City Council, whereby all the pastlaw bust
ness of the corporation, except afew cases, IS
put in the hands of Judge VIM. F. Cooper,
who becomes responsible for the conduct of
the prosecution and defense of all suits
within the contract, from the present to
their termination in all the conrts. 1t Is
expected that the lawsuits we have within
the contract will require several years,
hardly less than three years. to reach their
final conclusion, and that some of them will
be carried to the Supreme Court OF the
United States. Judge Cooper engages to
employ such assistance as he may find ne
cessary at his own expense, and for the pre-
sent, at least, it is understood that he has
engaged the assistance of two attorneys.
think it proper to add that while the con-
tract meets my entire approval, it was made
as your resolution directed, by the Finance
Committee Its provisions were not sug-
gested by me. Two very desirable Tea
lures of the contract are these: l.
that by its provisions our attorney is to at
tend to our business not merely in David
son county, as provided by your bill, but
everywhere. .. BY the plan thus
adopted, the same attorney Will continue
in the chief conduct of our cases from first
to last. The improperly of changing at
torneys from year to year must be readily
understood by business men as well as law
vers The letting out thus of the legal
services of the corporation, it will be per
ceived, dispenses with the necessity of the
Offices of first and second City Attorneys,
and recommend that the said offices be
abolished. 1t may be best at an early day
to provide by ordinance for the election or
employment of an attorney, at a small rate
of compensation, to take charge of all such
| business as NAV arise not embraced within
the contract, but as there is no pressing
| necessity for such an officer for the immedi-
ate present, / recommend that the matter
be reserved for deliberate consideration,
and that for the present the city attorney
ship as corporation Office be abolished.
There are several matters of great I'M
Dortance to which had desired to call your
| attention at the present meeting, but feel
| that | have not vet been able to collect the
| necessary information to enable me to lay
| those matters before you at this time IN
| full detail Economy must be introduced
into several departments of the admins
| tration not yet materially intertered with.
! Your attention is particularly called to the
| public-school system of the city that de-
partment cost the city from Sept l, 1865
| to july l, 1869, ten months, $50, l37 30.
| While l favor liberal system OF Tree
school education, it will be necessary for
| Won to look well into the matter, and see Il
this large expenditure may not be mate
rally reduced without impair1ng the etfl-
| cheney of the system. | am assured by
your worthy chief of the Fire Department
| that the expenses of his department VIII be
| materially reduced. We hope soon to be
able to change the present system and l
feel confidence in your sagacity and econ
omical disposition to reduce the expenses
of that department to one-half of the pres
ent cost, if not much more.
K j. MORRIS.
The communication also recommended
economy in the financial affairs of the city,
and invited especial attention to the school
interests of the city. The communication
was on motion received and filed. MIR. b.
S. Rhea made some remarks with reference
to the proposed police change. He stated
that he was sure that the petition to the
Legislature praying the continuance OF the
present Metropolitan Police Bill system
was not understood by those VINO signed IT,
His remarks favored the abolition OF the
system. and re-establishment of the old plan