Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-27
ADDRESS OF MIR. MORRIS.

of little importance to the public. The
proper questions for your consideration
are, What should be the policy of the
city government and who is the best
man to carry out that policy2
The present opposition to my re-elec-
tion is in fact, born of hostility to the
policy of my administration. l have
not heard of many personal objections
being urged against me; and so far as
personal objections are (if at all) made, l
believe they are not offered sincerely, but
that they are raised by persons who have
felt aggrieved because of the economical
policy pursued. am aware that num-
Der of the most active of the opponents
of my election are persons who are pros
ecuting claims against the city; and prob.
ably it is because the city's representa-
hyes contest the justice of these claims
that they want change of administers
ton do not allude to the candidates.
They have, of course, sufficient induce
ment in the fact that they themselves
want the Office.
THE VERDICT OF THE PEOPLE.
Now, fellow citizens, what verdict are
you ready to render upon my stministra-
tio1s When claim credit for nly ad-
nlinistrstiOn, l would not fail to render
full share to the able and faithful men
who serve you as Aldermen and Council
men. You should understand that most
of the actual work of city administra-
ton is performed by the various standing
committees appointed by the Mayor. In
such appointments the Mayor has q deli
cate and difficult duty to perform. Sc
lecting from the same individuals, as
members of the two Boards, the Mayor
may, by making different appointments,
change the general character of the sd-
ministration. 1t has been my aim TO so
discharge this duty as to assign to each
department of the city government that
combination of talent best adapted to its
efficient administration. After the Mayor
has appointed these committees, 1t is his
duty, and has been my habit TO meet
with them On important occasions, and to
counsel and act with them.
THR MAYOR A VERY IMPORTANT OFFICER.
When you consider these things, you
will apprehend that it is an error to sup
pose that the Mayor is an unimportsnt
officer in the city administration, and that
eff you have good Aldermen and Coun-
cilmen it matters little who is Mayor. ="
On the contrary, the popular idea is cor
rect, which holds the Mayor responsible,
generally, not for all the acts of the city
| government, but for its policy.
In my administration l have been as
sisted by able and suitable men on the
various committees. If they have done
well and deserve well of the city, as is
certainly true, my judgment claims your
approval OF nv appointments.
1t would transcend the proper limits of
this address for me to review the acts or
even the general policy of all the differ
ent departments of the city government,
| as administered by the standing commit
tees of the city and by myself,
with City Council and the Off
GERS of its selection. l can only
refer to some of the more prominent
characteristics Of that policy, and some of
its more notable results. Aud in order to
understand these, we must recur again,
as we did one year ago, to the situation
of the corporation when l entered upon
the first year of my service. At that time,
notwithstanding sll that had been done
by the Receiver and the Chancery Court,
we found our corporate affairs in the ut
most confusion. Appalling dangers over
hung the corporation, such as were with
out precedent within the knowledge OF
ourselves or our legal advisors. There
were standing against US in the Federal
Court judgments for more than $1l5,
COZ. There were judgments against the
corporation on the dockets of various
Magistrates, amounting TO more than
$3.50, 200. Besides these, there were
judgments in other courts, and large
numbers of suits pending, and being
brought from day TO day. The cream OF
the taxes for the current year had been
collected by the Receiver, and nearly
sll disbursed. We were without credit.
Executions were being issued for teDs OF
thousands in rapid succession, and levied
upon the corporation property. The en-
glnes, carriages, and horses of the Fire De
partment, and the horses and carts of the
Street Department, were about to be sold
/ under execution. The public schoo
houses and lots were actually sold under
execution, as well as the wsterworks.
There was nothing the corporation could
have, worth selling, which was not seized
upon by the officers. The Judgment
creditors were defiant as toward US; arc
they were racing with each other to COB
bic up the fragments of the corporstion'l
wreck. With their hands full of judg
ments, obtained upon paper, much o.
which was frsudulently issued, o.
which they had sufficient notice, anC
seasoned with usury to the extent o.
from % to 90 per cent, they woulC
not hear of either delsy or compromise.
WHAT COULD WE HOPE TO DO
to save the city government from ruin
We ccu!d then collect for the remainde
of the municipal year only a mere bal
ance of taxes. The current expenses oI
the last preceding municipal year wer
too large to compare by. But those o
the three years Immediately preceding
that (being the first three years after tht
war; had averaged 5000, 900 per annum
We had before US nine months-fron
the 1st of October, 1869, to the 1st o
July, 1S70-during which we must carr
| on the city government upon whsteve
4 sum we EtdllLt lug TCu1HdU
of the revenue remaining then still uncol
lected and the small sum then remaining
in the treasury. This was the burden W
had to bear, while we must carry on in
stanter, the contest with the judgmen
creditors. The prospect was appalling
| You, fellow citizens, in placing me at tn
| head of affairs st such time as that, re
posed in me confidence ! did not clair
to deserve. But you sent good men I
represent you in the City Council; and
do not now hesitate to claim that in o.
ganiziug my administration as befOl
explained, with respect to the various d.
psrtments, made a judicious dispositio
of the talents placed st my disposal. Tt
result has prOUed it.
WHAT DID WE DO
: in our embarrassed situation2 We bt
gan by economizipg with respect to OF
current expenses. We reduced the con
, pensation of sll the officers of ii
corporation. The Mayor had be-
receiving, including perquisites, abo
$4,000 per snnum. We began at Il
: head, and reduced this to $4,000. "
went on down through the list, redu
. ing the expenses of every departmel
= as much as possible. The Workh0u
, Department had been costing us p
> annum in the time of Mr.. Brown