Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-10
City Goverament.

10 the EOllOI VI tnc AAOohNAs
1t appears that our worthy Mayor is
earning for himself the proud title Of the
little retoer. Any ordinance or resolu-
ton passed BY the General Council
which does not particularly please him
subjects such document 10 his disap
prevail in the shape of 3 Veto Now, OF
course, no one will deny that be has this
power, but many think that in some in
stances he makes an injudScious use OF
this power. Take, for instance, one OF
his last veto messages, the one pre-
scribing depository for the moneys De-
longing to the city. Leek at his rea-
sons. He says: II feel proud in being
able to say that our City Treasurer would
as faithfully perform the duties of his
Office witheat bond as with one, but
certainly this ordinance would have the
effec. of releasing his securities. Now,
MANY claim, and "in good truth, too.
that this ordinance would not have any
more 10 do in releasing his bondsmen
than if it never passed. We claim and
will stake cur Judgment on the decision
O! any 6rst-class lawyer in this city, that
when q public officer having public money
in his keeping and he deposits this money
in a solid banking institution and this
banking institution fails, and this pub
lie officer has used all due diligence in
protecting this money-the same, say,
that he would use did this money belong
to him personally-tkis public Officer
nor his bondSmeR are liable.
He says further that the city is not
seeking loans at present" Now, this
is cool, decidedly refreshing, this warm
weather. If the city is not seeking
loans she most certainly should be, in
order to pay off police, FIRE and other
departments, to which she is greatly In
arrears. Claim is made, however, by
many that she is seeking loans, sought
to borrow some $50, 900 from the interest
fund, and that the Mayor would by q
pretended loan have diverted that fund
from the sacred purpose for which 1t
was collected from the people had be
not been eDjoined by the court from so
doing. He further says that the city
is not at present, and has not been for
many years, in condition for any treas
urer to have an account in the name of
the city of Memphis. 1t was for this
reason that / advised the purchase of
as good safe as is in the city, which
you now own Now. it is presumed
that the meaning of the Mayor is, that
all the public money is now kept in this
safe, which prevents it from being at
tached by the city creditors If this is
his meaning, and the money is subject
to attachment at all, can it not be at
tached Just as well in one place as in
another? We think so. How much
money belonging to all the funds is there
in possession Of the Treasurer? Say in
round numbers there. is 100000. Is
this all in the safe, or is it in
q certain Madison street Bank2
Now we believe with the Mayor, that
the City Treasurer would as faith
fully perform the duties" etc., but we
are not the public, and it might not suit
all to have their business done in this
way. Granted there is 100000 cash on
hand; our Treasurer's bonds, we think,
are placed at $50,a00; would not all of
our strict business men wish these bonds
strengthened? We think these reasons
of the Mayor lack the requisite amount
Of thickness, and that the certain bank
is the cat in the meal tub.
The State has designated depository,
but that does not release the bond Of any
officer.