Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-05-14
THE TAx-PAYERs.
Loud Meeting In fIse ChRmber of Com
meree Building Yesterday.
A Few Stirring Remarks ION Various
Partfes-The HurIy-BurIey
Commenced.
Hen. Mr.. Harris Addresses the Assem-
blythe Opinions of Mr.. MaseVeney
in Brief.

NOAAAnAAGnCtus
Hon. MI. Harris Addresses the Assem-
blythe Opinions of Mr.. MageVeney
In Brief.
Anothsr Meeting Fixed for Thursday.
The taxpayers eheerfully Obeyed the
cali of the recent Grand Jury by filling
the hall of the Chamber of Commerce
to overlooking yesterday. Before even
the hour announced for the opening Of
proceedings, an immense throfg Ofmer-
chants and property owners had taken
up temporary quarters In the building.
/ Those who could not obtain chairs to
repose their weary limbs in hoisted
themselves On tables, reading desks and
stoves.
MAJOR BUsBY.
opened by moving that Mr.. Higbee be
made temporary chairman and the press
members as temporary secretaries. Mr..
Higbee on taking the chair said the
meeting was called for the purpose Of
inaugurating a reform by organizing
taxpayers into a protective association.
He recommended them to go to work
once in a business-like manner, as II
they were going to establish a bank or
an insurance office or else ina very short
time Memphis would be the best place
in the world to emigrate from. They
the members of the grand jury wee
not there to defend anything that was
said in their report. That document
spoke for itself and contained the truth,
as far as the same could be learned. The
taxes were four and a half per cent. upon
property to carry on machinery that
could be run very well upon two per
cent, provided energetic action was
operative.
COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION.
Mr.. Busby moved the appointment Of
a committee of three to form a constitu-
ton and bye-laws, carried. The chair
man appointed the following as the
committee: S. NJ. Job, w. J. p.
| Doyle, and r. A. Parker. While the
committee ~deliberated in the Secretary's
apartment, the chairman said that now
would be a good time for the expression
of public opinion. A general cry for
Major Busby brought that gentleman to
his feet. He said that he had been
Iaboring three months and a half on
the general question as a grand juror,
and he had contributed as much en-
Iightenment as he could already. He
was not used to public speaking. He
never, in fact, was before the public in
tia capacity of impressive elOcutionist,
but he was anxious, while not prepared
himself to expatiate, that gentlemen
should who could do the subject much
more Justice than himself. a mixed
call for VIM. r. Moore and Mr.. Nc
DoweIl, CITY Attorney, followed. Mr.,
Mcdowell rose to his feet, and proceeded
to say that he was out of town when the
report of the Grand Jury was made; he
only had attempted to read It that
morning; he could only read half Of it
when other duties interposed to prevent
a proper study of 1t. He then went on
to notice some of the statements in the
Grand Jury report, when the Chair
voted he was out of order. The business
of the meeting, the Chair said, was to
form a Reform party Of taxpayers,
A considerable clamOr ensued,
after which several speeches were made
by various members in reference to Mr..
Mcdowell, almost all of which were of
a favorable character.
A man in the rear part of the hall
cried out that the room was very crowd
ed, many people in his part of the house
could not find standing room, and hum
dreds were going away for want of
space. He moved to adjourn to the Sec
ond Chancery Court room. The result
of the motion was a general movement
toward the Chair, a if gathering closer
around the center of public sentiment,
and as if determined to finish their bu-
siness right there, without any further
postponement or delay.
A sPEcK OF WAR.
At this point a row appeared to be inn
minent, as the sound of angry voices
from one corner caught the ears of the
crowd. Every one wa up in a moment.
The chairs and tables were occupied by
people standing on their feet. The dis
tinct ordinations gave no assurance of
peace; on the contrary, war seemed in
evitable. The energetic reporters,
with paper in II hand and pho
netic stylus in the other, had to
mount their tables in order to get
a good view of the dense mass of sway
ing heads in the room, eager to catch
every word that fell which might give a
happier turn to affairs. The trouble
seemed to arise out of some misunder-
standing between two young gentlemen
present. 1t did not go very far, however,
for general cries for
WILLIAM R. MOORE
were raised all over the house. The oc-
cupation of the stand by that gentleman
to be the harbinger Of peace, and
the sound of his voice like throwing oil
the troubled waters of a roaring canal
Like a chaffed infant smarting under the
combined troubles of a stomach-aehe
- oN-rr.-fs.- Nn,fA -rnrlfn@ Ahnfr wr-or !
through the tender gums when relieved
by a dose of Mrs. Winslow, so did that
crowd settle down to placid re-
pose when MI. William r. Moore rose
to speak words of warning, of
Busby having been v~Ociferously
called for, rose and said that the
meeting was a peaceful one, and no at
Tempt to break it up would be tolerated.
1t was then Mr.. Moore raised his voice
and said that there was very little ne
for talking; action would be bet
Ter. He did not mean to make a speech,
Dut he hoped that the meeting Of tax
of Memphis there assembled, in
act, he knew, they represented the
Christianity, civilization, responsibility,
IS well as wealth of the country, and
rom that fact he drew the hope that
everything would be done in decency
md order. They had met for no political
purpose, moi in the interest of any party,
Iut simply and purely to discuss the
question of taxation. 1t was the only
question of vital interest to every one in
he State to-day. 1t affected them all as
members of society, whether as
merchants, manufacturers, profess
ional men or gentlemen of
Independent fortunes, and aesthetic
astes. The matter was of solemn and
Importance, and required to be +,
discussed with great ~deliberatiOn, quie- '
ude and caution and in a spirit of con I
.iliatiOn toward any unfortunate per-
Ons who might be so circumstanced as {
o be injuriOusly affected by the reforms I
hat might be proposed. He hoped, 6
lowever, that taxation might be mate
tally reduced. He believed it could
e done without injury to any Z
ne. He thought that half the !
axes that were o collected +
would more than suffice to carry :
n the machinery of government very
veil. The Grand Jury, in their recent ,
report, show the causes of :
of the evils under which the tax !
aging community laboredin Memphis, o
nd show, also, in what direction re- :
1rmL lies. An attempt was made a year =
go, through the press, to direct a strong :
ublic sentiment in the same direction, !
Thich failed because the peoples feel 3
lgs were not aroused sufficiently, nor .
ould be without an exhibit, such as the :
irand Jury have made. He remarked, I
arenthetically, that he had not n !
7ord to say against any Of the office .
olders of the county. He believed =
hey were working in accordance with =
NV, and If they drew enormous fees, q
rovided to be drawn by the law, they :