Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-20
PROTEST.
The Proposed Bill for the Benefit Of the
Bartlett Ring.
Solemn Protest Of the Merchants, Properly
Owners and Other Citizens Of Mem
phis Against the 0utrages.

The following is a copy of the protest
which was gotten up the latter part OF
last week and circulated for signatures II
the city. It has already received the sig
/ tures Of over two hundred and fifty OF our
most influential and best citizens, and
will no doubt be signed by many hun
I dred more as soon as It Is presented, as II
I will be to-day and tomorrow.
! To he Honorable Members Of the Senate
and House Of Representatives. Of the
Slate Of Tennessee;
The undersigned, taxpayers and cltl-
zens of Shelby county, Tennessee having
learned that q bill Is now uncsr CONSUMERS
ton BY YOUR honorable body 10 transfer
The 0pdemuatio Of all or part OF the
lands for sale for State and county taxes
for this county, from the "First Circuit
Court" to the Bartlett Circuit court"
do protest against the passage of such bill
for the following reasons, tO-wit:
The Clerks Office and records Of the
''First Circuit Court are kept in the
city of Memphis, and the Clerks Office
and records of the Bartlett Circuit
Court, - at Bartlett, a small town on the
Memphis and Ohio Railroad, about twelve
miles from Memphis.
By law all property sold for State and
county taxes is 70 be redeemed before the
Clerk of the court in which condemnation
is made.
By law every tax collector is entitled
to, and as a matter of fact, does, on retir-
ing from his office, take with him his tax
books.
There being a new tax collector elected
every two years, the taX-books kept by
the collectors are so scattered over the
city and county as TO be wholly unavail-
able as records, for reference, 10 those
concerned.
The only other record kept OF what is
H. H. H. aTHawHAE - Whn raHmru nrhHnh
be makes C the court from which the q
Of sale issUed.
In the examination of titles to land it is
absolutely necessary 10 refer to these tax
records to ascertain if it has been sold for
taxes, and, also, what amount of back
taxes are membranes on the land.
1t is very important that the Clerk, of
whom the property sold is TO be redeemed,
should have his Office and the records at a
point most easy Of access to the bulk Of
taxpayers and people of the county, and
where the convenience of "the many"
would be promoted. The city Of Memphis
proper has s~iX-sevenths Of the population
Of Shelby county, and pays nine
tenths Of the taxes paid by the county.
Then, again, the lawyers of Shelby coun-
through whom most of the redemp- |
ton of lands sold for taxes and exami-
nation of titles to land are effected, with
the exception Of certainly not more than
six, all live and have their Offices in Mem
phis. Every dictate of right to the mass
Of the people and of convenience to the
public, therefore, points to the city Of
Memphis As the place where these records
should be kept.
Then, If ives were to leave out of view
altogether the people Of Memphis, the
city of Memphis is more c%onyenienS and
accessible to the great bulk of the paople
Of Shelby county, living out of the city
IF Memphis, b a in the town of Bartlett.
The public roads and railroads leading
INTO Memphis from all points Of the coun-
establish his beyond dispute.
The operation of the proposed bill
would be to compel citizens from all parts
IF the county, wishing to redeem lands
iOld for State and county taxes, and all
PERSONS examining titles to any land in z
he county, TO 60 10 the town Of Bartlett. z
only people Of the county benefited ,,
~ this would be those living within three
T four miles Of Bartlett, comprising per-
.sps from fifty to one hundred tax-pay- {
rs, while it would be a great i~ncOnveni-
nee to all other citizens ofSheIby county.
For these reasons, we de most earnest
= protest against the passage of any such =,
i'll, and request our representatives in I
he Senate and House to exert themselves :
} defeat it. :