Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-01
COMMISSIONERS, WARRANTS.


The Late Decision OF the supreme
COHrt-Whaf the People fhink about
It-GOssip on the streets and I'm the
Omees-Repudfation 90 be Avoided
and all Honestly Issued Warrant to
be Paid.
The recent decision OF the Supreme
Court declaring The warrants q bonds
issued by Barbour Lewis null and void
and of no value was yesterday the subject
Of conversation ct all the street corners
and in all the Offices, especially Of q
brokers and moneyed men. In a walk
about town we heard many expressions
pro and con and from all sorts Of peoplei
some Of them interested directly; most
OF them DISTINGUISHED, except in the gene
raj sense, as citiZsns. By far the majority
we're in favor Of the payment Of The war
rants, except those issued to make up the
difference between the face ard the market
value Of the warrants when sold. The
minority were the other way, and believe
tina: the County Court next week should
legitimate every warrant Issued by the
! Commissioners, no matter for What pur-
4 pose, because they ars now held by arc
cent parties and long since passed out OF
the possession OF the original parties deal
ing with the county through the Com
m~issiOnsrs. Only one or " talked OF
forcing Barbour Lewis and his fellow
commissioner TO pay these warrants.
Wherever and whenever thai idea wss ex-
pressed it was always answered with the
question: "What would they psy with ?"
for it seems that these WORTHLESS are nearly
all ofthem, Ia q money sense, played out.
We may, therefore, reasonably conclude
that any purpose Of falling back upon
Barbour and his honest company Of Com
~missiOners, if it were to any extent ex-
erted, is evsnescent, We found, on in
- - -n-- - Mhn m1awNa "hftn
thew do not believe in il, yet, because
there wss precedent for it, we're willing
that even the extra warrants should be
psid, Tho most in favor argued that
the State furnished precedent for IL, that
the County Court, before and since the
war, and the city furnished q precedent
for it. that business men and lawyers
pro6ted by 1t, and to an extent greater
than outsiders hsve imagined. Then there
is the Jurors warrants. Thess we're given
for services rendered, In small amounts,
but In the aggregate, nom the largest
amount of the commissioners warrants
now on the market or in the hands Of
spectators. There are but about $4,000
worth Of any other kind out. As to the
bonds Issued to the Mississippi River rail-
road. il is said they we're ordered to be is
/ sued by the Legislature, which, by special
enactment, Instructed the County
Commissioners Of Shelby county TO make
such subscription snd issue such bonds.
These bonds amounted to 100000, nearly
500, GOO Of which have been returned TO
the county in payment of taxes. Most of
the sharp ones consider MeCcmos all
right, and thst the 5000, 600 of these bonds
which he holds are as good as wheat for
the SI65, COO ne claims TO ' advanced
for the Mississippi River railroad. As to
the Jail warrants, against which there
seems to be q unanimous cutlery, we
learned that the contract for building that
structure wss given to Powers as the low
est bidder, that it was so given by the
County Court in April OF 1856, and b q
The construction Of the edifes was prose-
cuted under the supervision of the srchi-
tecs and Of q Board appointed by the
County Court, consisting Of MesSrs- Wal
lace. Donovan Rnd Bickford, citizens; and
Messrs. Walton, Giles snd Miller, and
Judge Leonard, Of the County Court; that
10 money was paid until the work was
accepted by the architect, and that until
April, 1867, sl payments were made by
order of the County Court. After the
latter date and until the completion Of the
building. the Commissioners paid, as per
agreement by contract, in cash or its
equivalent, in warrants. And there's the
rub. Il Isl because the contract for build.
ing the jail calls tor cash that many ara
in favor of paying this warrants issued to
pay HLA9 AAAAlAELD0 NeNHNA ~
and face values Of those issued to pay for
the work. Against the combined judicial
sense and wisdom Of the Supreme Court,
we viii not i~nteTpOse an opinion. Wedo
not and nsver have encouraged reputation
either in whole or in part, nor viii we now.
We believein sustaining the public credit
and 10 the promps payment Of all honest
dues and demands against our city, cOun-
ty or state, no matter by whom held or
for what purpose given. We are yet in
favor Of UNFOLDING the majesty Of the
law, no matter who Is hurt or who suffers.
The Suprems Court has said that all the
County commissioners warrants are IL
legal Rnc void. We agree with the Court
and upoa the single point upon which
this righteous decision rests, that the
Commissioner we're an illegal body, that
the set calling them into existence was
partial in its operation, and therefore
void; but we hope that the County Court,
wh6n II meets on MoAday, will weigh
the matter we'll and carefully, and if pos
sitls, make come provision for paying the
remainder of = species OF scrip which 1t
has already recognized by receiving much
OF 1t back in payment of taxes. II may
Be true that, though in law the county is
released, II morals the debt still subsists.