Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-14

county, and the muItiplicand shall /
the sum to. be taxed in each county, an
collected IS other taxes.
Section seven provides that the &C
take immediate effect.
AN nGfMTSSION.
The fact that Speaker Bond did no
make br. Holmes Cummins chairman
Of any Of the committees has create,
some gossip among the "fOlksu at IN
capital. Mr.. Cummins was stronj
opponent in the race, q member Of TIN
last legislature, and is an tdt on al
| questions Of parliamentary nature
Perhaps no man in the house is so wei
I versed in parliamentary tactics unless j
be Mr.. Gibson, Of Campbell. l thinE
/ the omission OF Mr.. Bond to arpOinI
/ Mr.. Cummins to chairmanship has
| done the speaker no good; on the con.
| trary it has evoked uncharitable gOssip
which is by no means desirable, and
could have been easily averted by the
exercise OF customary magnanimity.
MRS. POLK.
MIR rNewbern on Monday offered Joint
resolution 10 call on Mrs. James X. Polk.
The resolution WAS withdrawn upon the
statement Of Mr.. Lea, tnat Mrs. Polk
did not desire any public demonstration
on the part Of the assembly, nor any
thing that looked like desire for motor
iety. However, she would be pleased
to see any and all members at any
time.
SENSITIVE OFFICIAL PURITY.
1t seems that few members have de-
termined to display their love for the
people by opposing mOnOpolies and at
tscking railroads, corporations and "bic
things" generally. Yesterday the Nash
vile, Chattanooga and st. Louis rail-
road company, as has been its custom
for years, presented the members and
officers OF the legislature with free passes
over the line. To-day Mr.. Gates, men,
ber OF the house, offered a resolution that
the free passes lie returned. The resoIu-
ton lies over under the rules. This pe-
cullar sensltiveness, as indicative Of
legislative purity being conscious Of
attempted bribery, is, to say the least,
quite amusing and farcical. However,
such belief may be honestly enter
tanned by those who, UnaccustOmed TO
the courtesies of the times, misintarpret
the motives that would actuate officers
Of railroads in the exercise of such kind
ness. The Nashville and Chattanooga
railroad company is one OF the few roads
in Tennessee that was able to stand the
VlCiSsitudes OF war and survive the fear
iul ruin that befell nearly every other
in the State. The officers Of
this road are fully identified with the
true interests OF Tennessee, and
are above bribing or being bribed,
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE.
A bill was introduced in the house
making it q misdemeanOr for
any judge or member Of the legislature
to accept free pass from any railroad,
and to be ineligible to office for three
years thereafter. Mr.. Harris, OF WASH
lngtOn, moved TO refer it to the "appro-
pirate committee" and some member
exclaimed 1.-The judiciary committee
MIR. Harris then said, al mean the
committee or course
The whole house laughed. But, joking
aside, does it not seem strange that |
members should seek to create the i'm |
preston that the railroads are trying to |
Drlbe them when no Que has ever be- |
leved such was true. Such seems to be |
4 case Of conscience clearly, and the bill !
aims at the restriction Of personal lib |
erty, but it will never convince the pub |
stature are so corrupt that a misde- |
neanOr law is necessary to protect them /
md to preserve them from the bribery |
II railroads. Human nature ia never so !
weak as when it ia ostentatious in its /
virtue, and never more pitiable than
when ludicrOusly y platOnic in the ex-
Of official purity.
THE COMPTRoLLERsHIP SCANDAL.
The investigating committee has al
eady examined DR.. Morrow, state
Thomas O'COnnOr, one of the
Denitentiary lessees, and Captain Fl. M.
" 'AdOo, Of Waverly, the home of
Hobbs. Mr.. O'COnnOr is resident OF
Nashville, is well known throughout
he State, and is one Of the penitentiary
essees, known as Cherry, O'ConnOr &
%. DR.. Morrow, the efficient state
is said to have known some
hing about the alleged sale and pur-
hase of the cOmptrOllership. | do not
mean to intimate that DIR. Morrow had
connection with any sale or purchase
+ the Office as charged, nor would
that any Of the above gentle
len had any connection with the affair.
Iong ago it was TumOred that Mr..
touse, OF Williamson county, effected
[
on the ground that he was
D receive One-half of the profits Of the
flee, and that Hobbs subsequently,
aid him two thousand or three thou
and dollars for his interest in the reve-
ue Of the establishment, ard subse-
uently sold out. This was rumOred
ing ago, and circulated with no little
agard for its truth or falsity. MANY
lay have believed the story true, but
pom what ground the belief could have
,sted / am at a loss TO know. Mr..
louise is a well-knOwn citizen Of Will {
amsOn county, was a candidate for the
itice OF comptroller two years ago, and {
have never heard anything de-
,gatOry of his character or
} justify the belief that he was guilty
that which rumOr has charged so
ant0nly and so mRliciOusIy spread
broad. DR.. Morrow is gentleman of :
,cOgnized integrity, and no one has
yer connected him with the affair. 1t |
true that two years ago it was report
| that he had heard Of the alleged sale, :
nd loaned a sum Of money to Hobbs,
no used it in settlement of HouseIs
aims. This was mere business trans
elton however, such as may take place
atween gentlemen, and If the money
as loaned for such q purpose | have
OF heard it. He May have used Hobbs's
vO thousand dollars, and this fact may ,
ave given rise To the rUmor. What
-0bhs did with the mOUey, alleged TO 4,
ave been borrowed, | do not know. )
UCb rumors cannot he credited; [ have '
OF heard that the committee believed
le gossip, or that they will summon
-T. House. The other gentleman ex-
mined, Captain II. NJ. M'AdOO, is a
wyer residing at Waverly, Humph-
US county, the home OF Hobbs: four
ears ago WAS candidate for attorney
,neral Of his district, which three years
% included Stewart, Montgomery,
icksOD, Cheatham and Sumner cOun-
es, but was defeated by the present in-
lmbent. He was member Of the last
gislature; is said to be a personal
lend Of Hobbs and cOnyersant with
is gentleman's business affairs. do Il
IT know what his testimony revealed
what particular questions were
1t to him by the committee.
hen the subject was brought up in the
,use to-day, Mr.. Lea, member from =
avidsOn, said that Mr.. Duncan had
ell summoned to appear Eefore the
but he was excused because .
supposed illness. Since then he had
armed that Mr.. Duncan had left the
~, and WAS now in Louisville. The | T.
ntleDan had left without notifying :
e committee of the fact. Thereupon | 3
r. NOblitt, Of Lincoln, offered a resO- | n