Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-01-08
The Speakership of the Senate
--hr. Overton Refused to
Allow His Name Used
For the Position.
The Hobbs Matter 10 be Fully Inves-
tigated.
A Low Tax and Reform Legislature
The Senatorial outlook.
NASHVILLE. January 7. 1875.

To the Editor Of tho Ledger:
In my letter Of the 4th | indicated the
certain election of Colonel Discard. Of
McMinn, as Speaker Of the Senate. The
~ballotiug, however. soon developed an
opposition to him. but Il was scattering.
Finally Mr.. Smith. of Tipton, and Messrs.
0yerton and Haynes voted for him be-
cause they desired. for the public inter-
est, the immediate organization Of the
Senate. That ballot would have elected
him. but General Quarles. who had been
voting nearly all the time for him, and
whose vote would have elected him, for
some reason voted against him, thereby
defeating the organization Of the Senate
as well as Colonel Blizzard, and also
postponed the election Of United States
Senator until Tuesday. January 18th,
for an adjournment was carried until ten
o'clock next morning at oRce. That
night caucusing awaited but little. The
Senators from your district were dis.
gusted at the 6l~ibustering, and next
morning voted so as to perfect an organ
%ization as speedily as possible, and for
that reason Mr.. Payne was elected
Speaker. He lives in Middle Tennessee,
and represents a divided district,
geographically speaking, the greater
portion Of it being in Middle Tennessee.
Just here it is well enough to remark
that Senator 0verton refused to allow
his name used for the Speakership, pre-.
ferring active work on the floor.
The Hobbs matter was promptly
brought forward in the shape Of Senate
and Honse resolutions for the appoint.
ment Of committees Of investigation.
In the discussion Of the Senate resolu-
tons yesterday Mr.. Haynes raised a
question which very summarily dis
posed Of them, which was that in case
corruption should be proven against
Colonel Burch, the present Comptroller,
in procuring his own appointment and
the resignation Of Hobbs. the Senate
would have to try the case as a court of
impeachment, and that, therefore, It was
improper for the members Of the
Senate 10 be at all p~rejudiced by test.
mony Of any kind. The House promptly
passed a resolution for a committee of
five to fully investigate the whole mat
ter, clothing the committee With ell the
necessary powers for a rigid and search.
ing investigation.
The friends of Colonel Burch we're
unanimous in their support Of this reso-
luton. and he aud they court the most
searching scrutiny into his conduct in
and out Of office. His friends say that
he had no knowledge, direct or remote,
Of anything connected with the causes
which induced Hobbs to resign. or even
cf his appointment, until it was rendered
him by Governor Brown.
Mr.. 0vestoD to-day introduced a bill
to repeal the Sd section Of the funding
bill, which made it the duty Of the
Treasurer to set apart SO much Of the
ven OF the State as was necessary
to pay the interest or the bonded debt of
the State.
This is decidedly a very low tax and
reform Legislature, aud your readers can
feel assured that no burdens will be
added by it at least.
1t was my intention to sketch the
personnel Of the leading members Of the
two Houses, but it appears that there are
SO papy Of them who vie with each
other in their efforts to legislate for the
public good that it would be improper to
draw invidious distinctions.
The Senatorial outlook here changes
daily. The organization Of the two
Houses is regarded Os decidedly advan-
tageous TO Mr.. Johnson, and his friends
therefore are very hopeful. Corn.