Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-12-16

enabled him, was advanced in his message
sent TO the general council In March, 1870.
We therefore find that the charge made by
MIR. PhelRn is not sustained, and respectfully
ask to be discharged from further investiga-
ton OF 1t.
THE MINORITY REPORT
OF Major Busby differs from the report
adopted, inasmuch as IL thinks the
mayor censurebIe for engaging I'm the
transactions already alluded TO. Major
Busby stated that the report was merely
his own opinion I'm relation to the mai.
ter. He thought section seven was In
tended TO prevent city officials specuIat-
ing in any Kind Of city bonds, scrip,
warrants or other securities UnfOrfu-
nately, however, IL did not comprehend
such protective measures relative TO the
buying and selling OF bonds as was in
tended by the trainers.
Upon this the APPEAL commented
editorially, on the eighth of May, as
follows:
It Is our duty now to offer some few
suggestions upon this matter as one involving
the interests Of our readers and the general
public. 1t is admitted by the mayor that he
has engaged In at least two speculstions In
city bonds, but he denies that he used his OF.
fee to further these speculations. We regret
that Mr.. Johnson should have required proof
of the speculauons before he acknowledged
them. The growing sentiment among the peo-
PIE Is that theI are many other speculations
yet undiscovered whose results might swell
Mr.. Johnson's eleven Thousand dollars to an
indefinite sum-perhaps one hundred thou
sand dollars. There Is no doubt, however, but
that Mr.. Johnson is civilly liable to the city
for the amount Of his profits; his own counsel
claim that such a suit should have been the
course OF the city; and the general council,
therefore, should at once order the city attor-
ney to institute an action for the recovery
of the money. Upon the question as TO
whether the mayor used his official power TO
promote his speculations, we are compelled to
differ with the council. We hope we have too
high sense OF our journalistic duties to do any
man injustice; but, upon a calm review OF all
the proof, we cannot avoid the conclusion that
the mayor did violate his trust. The very
point adduced by the majority report of the
committeeman Mr.. Johnson "never gave
any advice or direction In the transaction with
Greenlaw and Harrington " - is so directly
against their conclusion that we wonder how
they could so view 1t. 1t is admitted that Mr..
johnson advanced no share OF the capital nee
essary; and If, then, he did not share even the
trouble OF conducting the business, the ques-
ton presents itself, a." What did Mr.. johnson
advance?" He must have rendered sonS>con
sIdeIation for his ten thousand dollars and IL is
worthy of serious remark that Mr.. Harrington
refused to answer when asked t0hy he and Mr..
Greenlaw selected the mayor as their partner!
Now, there are two sides to every question,
and we are not blind enough to deny the
probability of our being wrong; but when we
have the support of the opinion of such sterl-
ing men as Busby and Holbrook, we feel JUS
titled in sdherng to the belief, which, so far as
we have heard, is almost unanimous, that Mr..
Johnson is fully and entirely guilty as
charged. The council have decided; their ac-
ton, so far as the people are concerned, Is
final. But there is q tribunal before which an
unsmlrched brow Is never clouded. Mr.. John
son only can claim it. 1t is the people. He
once submitted to them his claims to honesty,
and they indoTsed him. Let him now appeal
to the same Judgment. We have been in the
whole matter coldly just. If there has ever
been one misststement of facts in our COL
umns against Mr.. Johnson, we will gladly ex-
plain it when shown.
To the above we can add nothing
more. It is enough. II with this be-
fore them, the city Democratic conven-
tIon, which meets to-day, can nominate
John Johnson for mayor, we can only
say that upon it must rest the RESPONSE
bility for an act the people cannot in
dcrse without self-stultification and self
inflicted disgrace.