Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-02-04
BY NALL

HALL
From an Occasional Correspondent
NASHVILLE, February This town
is becoming more and more Old-fogyish
every day. 1t is imperturbably staid
and invincibIy stolid; even the presence
of few peculiar characters from vari-
Gus parts of the State fail to give inter-
est to passing events. We have here
over one hundred men from all over the
State, of all sorts, of all sizes, degrees OF
intellect, color Of hair, and shade OF poll
ties, and even they fail to make an ex-
citement. The present Legislature is
peculiar in this, that it is decisively bent
on doing good to the State, and the peo-
pie, and to things in general, whether
the State, or the people or things in gem
eral will it or not. They are
all honest, and predetermined on
this. Former Legislatures were well
enough in their way, but this Is the on
ly truly, bona fde, genuine, earnest,
honest, capable affair that the State has
yet been blessed with. They are going
at it from the root. No proposed reform
in law or social arrangement that has
not three or four earnest champions,
each of whom is ''heeledn with speech
and argument, and booted and spurFed
with right and justice, and is, In addi-
ton, desperately in earnest--Or thinks
ne is. Another virtue, exclusive and
unapproachable, of this Legislature, is
the public spirit OF its members. Every
one persuades himself he is working
day and night for his constituents-for
the good of the State, and for the great
ness and perpetuity of this Common
wealth, sir, without q thought for him.
self. 1t was truly edifying to see what
general interest the members took IN the
penitentiary the other day, when invi-
ted out to observe its workings and in
spect its dietary, as elucidated by Mrs.
Brown, the Superintendents lady. 1t
was edifying, also, to see what opposl-
ton three days recess met with some
time ago, and how members that We're
not in favor of the recess labOred to util-
ize the shining hours, so to speak, by
visiting the Lunatic Asylum, the Deaf
and Dumb Institution at Knoxville,
and every place, in fact, in which the
State had an interest.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The proposition for Constitutional
Convention has not formally come up
vet, but it is working among the MEM
bers and leavening them. When the
members met, there were not many
friends of the movement to be found;
now thev are numerous in all parties
and from all parts of the State. When
the proposition comes up, l mistake
very much if its supporters do not De
velop unexpected strength.
THE REFORMERs.
The reformers in the Legislature are
the East Tennesseans. They are en-
dowed, evidently, with the true spirit of
Mayfiower Missionary zeal and fillet-
headed godliness. They are flooding
both houses with measures, amend
ments, resolutions, motions, memorials,
few of which pertain to their own part
of the State, but are all meant for the
wild, savage donSinions and Goddess
folk outside the "pale." 1t is an East
Tenneessean wants to abolish the
courts of Shelby county. Heis "good
man." in the best sense of the word,
and cannot be persuaded that one cOun-
ty can have use for about nine courts
that are kept in operation all the days of
the wear. He does not fully realize the
fact that Shelby county has as many
eonvicts in the penitentiary at present
as fifty counties of the State that can be
named, and that the property in that
county is worth over forty millions of
dollars; hence his apparent dullness in
not being able to comprehend the utility
of so many courts in your city. The alb
normal financial condition of Memphis,
of which the papers complain, and of
which the members from there frequent
ly speak, indicates that some reforms
might politically be inaugurated, in your
municipal affairs, for the relief of the
people. 1t is a mystery to US
how Memphis, that was never under
carpetbag-rule, could become 50 in-
volved as not to be able to meet the
semi-annual demands of her creditors,
and this in the face of a very exceptional
career of prosperity-a prosperity that
finds no parallel in any other portion OF
the South. The East Tennessee mis-
sionaries might well turn their Christian
ewes in that direction and make an at
tempt to straighten out the tangled IL
nancial skein that seems to puzzle and
worry your citizens. The general spirit
of reform that pervades the Legislature,
may be calculated on to do something OF
real benefit to Memphis when once dl-
rected in proper channel.
THE BANK OF TENNESSEE.
The decision of Chancellor Fleming
| i'm the case of the Bank of Tennessee
| forms a topic of conversation in all mon
etary and law circles about here. Tor
bett was cashier of the bank in '6l, and
hence the notes that have been declared
valid have been called Torbett issues.
They were exactly similar in every re-
spect to the older notes of the bank and
| in fact many of them were destroyed,
under the impression that they were tine
| old issue. There Is no telling, as the
Chancellor said in his decis-
| ion, what this or that par
| ticular note was issued for, and
without an nlegitimate purpose being
shown in the case of any particular note
| il would have to be taken as a good ano
valid. "That as matter of fact, estab
lished by the proof, the notes in c0ntrO-
versy known as new issue were not is.
sued in aid of the (so-calledl rebellion
and are therefore valid securities.n Thi:
new issue amounted to over one and {
half million dollars, but where it all i
and how held and by whom is not very
clearly known. Most likely some of i
has already been cancelled. This de
cision of the Chancellor viii make lit
tie revolution in monetary affairs anC
create disturbance that viii not settl'
down for some months.
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
A bill was introduced which provide
that incorporated towns and cities of be
tween eight and twenty thousand in
habitants may issue bonds to the amour
of one hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars, bearing ten per cent, in addition {
the amount that may be already out
standing, to be authorized by q simpl