Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-04-14
THAT DEFICIT.
Remarks Of Dr. Hewitt on Present.
ing the Report Of the Spe-
cial Committee.
The Report Unanimously Adopted.

AH0NPShb sHV PSNio
committee appointed by the General
Council to look into an alleged deficit of
SlO,O72 10 in the City Treasurer's office
was submitted Monday night by DR..
Hewitt, the chairman, who made, in sub
stance, the following remarks:
Mr.. PREsIDENT:-In presenting the
report Of the committee, | wish to offer
reasons why it should be received and
adopted unanimously. We learn from
the pages of history that the morals,
both private and public, of a people who
have just passed through the conflict of
a civil war, Degenerate to the lowest de-
gree, and that vice and evil practices
pervade every department Of civil soci-
ETY.. Our experience after the great
struggle through which we have emerged
has not proven an exception to the fate
of other nations; corruption has become
so common that a heightened, honorable
man, vino prided himself upon the pur.
ity of his character in ante-bellum times
and was honored for such traits, is now
regarded as an old fogy who has lived
beyond his time. But the time has come
at last wheh the dishonest man himself
is for reform, in order that he may enjoy
in safety his i'll gotten riches. The sen
timent Of reform aud determination of
the people throughout the Union to cor.
rect abuses Of officials in disregarding
the organic laws they have sworn to
obey has reached the. members of this
Council, and it was that feeling alone
that instigated the Financial Committee
in making the investigation Of the Trea-
surer's books, which has resulted ia the
discovery of a deficit Of the interest fund
to the amount of $l0,072 10. Your com
mittee are of the unanimous opinion
that a violation Of the 6fty-sixth section
of the city charter has been committed
in order to produce this deficit in the in
terest fund. This violation of one Of the
safeguards of the city's interest is a mis-
%demeanor on the part of the official who
has committed it; who that may be is
for you to determine. When the inves-
tigating committee had assembled for
business, imagine my surprise to see
the reporter Of the Appeal, his bright
eyes beaming with intelligence, intro
duced by his honor the Mayor without
consulting the committee as to the pro-
priety of doing so, or even their wishes.
The committee 90 into the investigation
by questions addressed to the officers,
Mr. Kelly first, from whom it is ascer-
tanned that he kept a separate account
of the funds upon his books, but did not
keep the money in accordance with the
books; that he paid the Mayors war
rants whether it infringed upon the
sacred fund or not. Mr.. Newsom when
called upon explained the condition Of
Mr.. Kelly's books; showed that he had
a clear conception of the financial con
dition of the city, like a digniied officer
of the olden time; his answers were
prompt, concise, without evasion and TO
the point. From him we elected the
fact that the interest fund had been in.
fringed upon by the Mayors warrants,
thus causing the deficit. Mr.. League,
the Mayor, was her called upon that he
might throw light upon the subject aud
clear up the mystery, but how different
his answers from those of Mr.. Newsom
as if he we're a witness desiring to con
ceal some important fact, e%vasive, parti-
san, anything but to give correct in
formation and to the point. He is al
lowed by the committee to introduce q
written defense of himself during his
administration as a part of the proceed
ings of the committee, which then made
it a legitimate subject of criticism be-.
fore this house. No one doubts his great
financial ability, when it is exercised for
the benefit OF his wi pocket, and he has
so skilfully manipulated his answer
in figures so plausible, so cuuningly
that his friends think there is RIO deficit
in the interest fund, notwithstanding the
unanimous report Of the committee that
there is. BE asks: "What strange
things have l been doing that causes
those private caucuses of the Council2'
| do not deny that such caucuses were
held, and that | tooka part in them, and
will not hesitate to state plainly why
they were held, 1t was, sir, to prevent
the Mayor from placing dishonest men
in official positions, and to dismiss such
men who had already been placed there
by the Mayor. 1t was to remove the
deposits of the city from a bank
whose capital wsS at times not one
tenth OF the amount of deposit; it
was to prevent the misspplication Of
the city's money for private gain, all
Of which was accomplished when not
prevented by the unheard Of use of the
veto power to rule the majority. The
Mayor boasts Of his patriotism in not
drawing his salary of $4,000 to date.
Patriotism, indeed! Did be not have the
warrants for his salary at the time he
makes his ~declaration2 l am informed
that he did. How much patriotism was
it in him to keep the city's funds
(amounting to $50, 000) in his private
bank for twelve months with which to
manipulate the city's credit at enormous
profits, his position giving him the ad-
vantage Of all competitorsl That, Mr..
Speaker, is a sort of patriotism that
flows from the head to the pocket. The
Mayor states, THE cause of all this
trouble was his veto Of the action of the
Council in appointing additional legal
counsel to assist Mr.. Hanson in his duties
as City Attorney" In answer to which
| state, with all due respect, that not one
member of the committee was instigated
by any such motive. Mr.. League, as
n of the committee, approved Of the
necessity Of such additional counsel, and
had arranged to have a particular friend
appointed to that lucrative position.
The committee not agreeing with him as