Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-18

that I entered upon the discharge of m,
official duties. This anxiety and the sub
sequent labors were shared by nv ssso
eiates in your service, the members of III,
two Boards of the City Council. w,
were at a loss what 10 do to extrieate th,
corporation from its difficulties, and ou
perplexity was not lessened by the larg,
number of Off1ce-seekers who tendereC
their services and pressed their claim
upon our consideration. We began ou
work by sweeping reduction of all man
ner of expenses, commencing with tht
compensation of the Mayor and Recorder,
and going on through allthe departments.
The expenses of the Police Department
could not be at once diminished further
than effected by the Receiver, until an act
OF the Legislature was passed changing
the system.
| LEGAL SERVICES.
| The second important step taken in our
administration, was to provide for the de-
fence of the innumerable lawsuits with
which the corporation was overwhelmed.
The city, as has been said, had been ex-
pending some $4,000 per annum for
legal services, about One-half of which
went to the payment of official attorneys.
We were advised repeatedly by men of
| high standing in the profession, them
selves taxpayers, to commit the care of
the legal business of the city to some one
lawyer of eminence, who should become
responsible for the management of the
mass of our legal business, and himself
provide, at his own expense, such assist
ance as he might find necessary. There
were many candidates for the position of
official City Attorney, worthy men, but
some of them without experience in the
profession. i.
The crisis was too serious to admit of
too tender consideration of the personal
claims of the various candidates. The
Finance Committee, in a report to the
City Council, recommended the propo-
sition before mentioned, to dispense with
official attorneys, and employ, by con-
tract, lawyer Of.eminence upon the plan
which had been recommended TO US. The
proposition was adopted unanimously,
believe, in both Boards, and our largely
increased mass of litigation, which must
in all probability, extend over several
years, and which would require the ut
most skill and industry, coupled with
every advantage of a collateral character,
was let out by a contract for the sum of
$l5, ,900-not per annun, but for the en-
tire service. !, as well as my associates,
while regretting any personal disappoint-
ment which this change of policy may
have occasiOned to the candidates, could
not regard for moment such cOnsidera-
tiOns, in view of the imminent peril i'm
pending over the city in the shape of
judgments for 1925, 900 hanging over the
head of bankrupt corporation and the
equally large amount in suit and threaten
ing. -.) I-
SATISFACTORY RESULTS.
The result of the working of the poll
cy adopted has been satisfactory. By the
filing of the great injunction bin in the 4
Chancery Court, the claimants were en-
joined from further proceedings in the
suits in the State Courts, and on the 1882,
600 in judgment in the Magistrates
Courts, which injunction continues undis-
solved tn this day. while many of the
cases have been compromised as before
shown, in a manner within the power of
the corporation to meet them. New
suits in the State courts were stopped.
In the Federal Court, the judgments be-
fore spoken of, for more than $50, 900,
obtained in May, 1869, have been set
aside, and such defenses have been set
up and the litigation 80 contested and
managed that not a single judgment has
to this tins been obtained in that or any
other court, of the character of those set
aside-that is, upon the checks of the AL
den administration. Delays also have
been obtained in suits upon old bonds and |
coupons of the corporation, enabling the |
city to save its property from sacrifice and
to meet the payments by easy yinstallments. |
Bills to the number of thirty-fiye or forty
have been filed in the Federal Court for
the purpose of bringing up for re-exami-
nation some of the judgments rendered
in that court before our time, and to assist |
in the numerous pending suits in that
Court. Chat might run no risk of in
accuracy while relating the perils of liti-
cation which surrounded us, l have con-
fined myself almost entirely to the very
words in which haVereceived the state
ment from our attOrneys.) A large por-
ton of the claimants who are litigating in
that court, are now proposing to compro- |
mise their claims, and this is an important |
part of the business which remains TO be |
attended to by the administration now TO
be elected.
THE COST.
Nearly all the litigation above referred
10, is over and above the ordinary litiga-
ion of the corporation, which has cost so
much for legal fees in former years; and
ret the expense for such fees thus far in
;urred for the current year, including the
expense for ordinary service, does not
,qual the average expenditure for such
purposes of recent years
All these matters of litigation and of
are as matter of course IN
heir management much under the influ-
snce of the Mayor; and the people should
consider well in what kind of hands this
influence shall be lodged. If l am not the
nan for the place, some other should
nave been sought and found.
THE SCHOOLS.
1t was while the Mayor and majority |
If the City Council were still perplexed
'Or the means to keep the municipal
wheels in motion, that question arose
lbout the public schools. The hundred
md thirty-three thousand in judgments
,efore Magistrates had been enjOined; but
We could not know how long that would
asst. The multiplied suits in the State
Jourls had been also stayed by the lnjunc-
ion; but thisrelief might be of short dura-
ion. The suits in the Federal Court were
till increasing in number. And though
ur attorneys had gained few months
clay in that court till an extra term in
february, new trials had not then yet
'een granted on the $50, 900 of judg
nents which had been rendered in May.
)ur police had been paid, our fremen
lad teen paid, and our labOrers had
een paid. So also, / believe, had
zen our teachers. But the taxes had al
most ceased to come in. In future it
night be that our employees of all kinds
night remain in whole or in part unpaid.
or my individual part, :: l had
rawn for myself not one cent of the
luch-needed ready cash, and have
ot to this day. Our hesitation
s to what would be best to do about the
choOls, was disspproved by some; but
was mostly by those who were not in
OsitiOn to OapDreCiate the extremity of our |