Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-13
THE GRAND JURY AND THE COUNTY.

THE GRAND JURY AND THE COUNTY
The late startling report OF the GRAND
Jury of the Criminal Court on county
affairs created new sensation IN the
public bosom, for which we should al
be thankful. Later developments IL
the shape of answers and explana
tons" seem to have relieved our county
rulers from all imputations of acting
corruptly in their official capacity. To
compare our county officials to the motto
rious Tammany ring is manifestly unjust
1t is historical fact that Tammany was
a den of thieves who had been plundering
the people for years. Ne den of thieves
has been in existence in Shelby county
since the Radicals were driven from
power. The Grand Jury report is well
written document, gotten up in tren-
chant style, and filled with sarcasm,
irony and humor. To say the
least of it, it developed con-
siderable amount of official careless
ness on the part of the County Court.
Proper books and vouchers have not
been kept by the financial agent, at
least not in such manner as is calcu-
lated to prevent a transportation OF
public funds, should such p system ever
be inaugurated in our midst. From
Colonel Avery's reply to the report 1t is
evident that the jurors had misconceived
the amount of money received by that
official as fees of Office, and had fallen
into error, but such an error as any
twelve gentlemen not acquainted with
court matters would fall into. The fees
of the Clerk of the Criminal Court and
Attorney General make these offices lu-
crative but these fees are established by
law and are uniform throughout the
State. The Offices are worth having,
and it is gratifying that two worthy gen
tlemen enjoy the legal fees. Can the
Legislature enact law for Shelby and
Davidson counties, giving the Clerk and
Attorney General stipulated fees, and
leave the officials of other counties I'M
disturbed2 There are hundreds of good
and competent men who would take
each of these offices at a salary of five
thousand dollars per annum, because
there are numberless gentlemen in our
county who have ever been willing to
sacrifice themselves on the altar OF
their country in order to secure
the coveted prizes. The Tax Col
lector and Sheriff take issue with the
Grand Jury also, on the questions
of fees and Irregularities Of Office,
and show by facts and figures that the
grand jurors had not been correctly in
formed as to these important Offices.
The County Court, however, presents a
weaker defense. The fee allowed by law
for sitting in the County Court is two
dollars day, but the score of justices
regarding this sum as not sufficient to
pay horse feed and board, increased it
to five dollars, which measure may
have been theoretically right, but it GER
tainly was illegal and violation of the
Code. Il has been the time-honored
custom Of the Magistrates to elect them
selves to the Offices Of Jail and poor
house inspectors, assessors, etc, for
which they received additional fees.
This custom is more honored in the
breach than the observance" because it
is not modest to elect one 8 self to Office.
A reform in many respects is no doubt
needed, especially as to the five dollars
per day item. There is no Tammany, how
ever, in Shelby county; at least, there is
no magnificent stealing going on, either
openly or covertly among our officials.
The grand jurors have published call
for a taxpayers meeting, to be held this
afternoon at the Chamber of Commerce.
The reasons assigned for this call are
most proper subjects to advocate at all
times, viz: " For the purpose Of proeur-
ing amendments, repeats and new legis-
lation for relief, not to resist existing
laws, but to secure their modification.
The result of the deliberations will no
doubt be worthy of the business men
signing the call, but whatever the result
may be, it will receive the attention of
the press and the public.