Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-20

had left It there, and that he was OPP
! posed TO some features in it.
Reporter-Did Mr.. White present the
/ resolution?
Mr.. Hanson--No, sir; he did not, and
. said nothing more to him about 1t.
/ But Alderman Malatesta heard OF it, and
/ said he would present il. l then drew
/ up a copy Of the resolution and gave II
/ TO Alderman Malatesta. | was informed
/ that he did present it, but it was tabled.
| | afterWard drew q similar one for
Councilman Bsppek, who presented Il
! before the council, which passed theresa
/ luton, but it was subsequently tabled
| by the board Of aldermen. After that L
never old more than to express my
opinion individually, often Temarklng
| that the city ought to be run from S2JO,-
| OQO TO $3.50, 900, whereas the actual
cost for the past four years has been
from S4OS 900 to S494, 600 per annum,
this being its current expenses OF inter
est, current expenses, etc. This was the
cash outlay, and there was good deal
on credit besides. OF course could not
go and speak in the council and suggest
| these reforms, for l am not memter OF
the council, but only attorney for the
city. should never have said anything
to the council upon these matters had
not public opinion demanded 1t.
| Reporter-TO sum up the fOreg DING
statement, understand that you did
not advise the suits in the cases re-
| feTred?
Mr.. Hanson-I have never advised
the city to engender lawsuits, but have,
on the contrary, advised them 10 even
compromise, If possible, and so to husband
| l., 70 ind q
| have defended, whenever we were
sued, to prevent those who did sue from
| getting advantage over those who did
not sue. have tried to deter people
from suing by opposing their suits as
best could for the city's interest, and
making the collection of their debts as
difficult as possible.
Interview with Mayor League.
An APPEAL reporter yesterday visited
| the city hall and had the following con-
versation with his honor, Mayor
| Loague:
Reporter-Good evening, Mr.. League.
Mayor LOague-GoOd evening, sir.
Reporter-Are you at leisure this
evening?
Mayor Loague-I am not exactly at
leisure, if you wish to interview me.
Reporter-That is the object of my
visit. | came to interview you for the
purpose of ascertaining what you know
about the city noG7adGn1uS cases, and
how long has the city attorney favored
a compromise with the city creditors.
Mayor Loague-I think from the time
he returned from the bondhOldeTs' meet
ing at New York, in the latter part OF
| December. Really, l don't know the
exact condition of the mandamus cases.
| am satisfied, from the statements pre-
scented by the city attorney, that every
! thing is to go against the city in the
| future. He was once, l believe, of the
opinion that the city could not be com.
| PEELED to pay the bonds illegally issued.
| | was and am still of the same opinion
and neither OF US believed the city ever
would have the proper redress until the
cases were taken up to the United States
supreme court, snds arranged, 1t was
expected the State courts would decide
adversely to the city, but there was no
doubt entertained but that the city would
be successful ultimately. When the
case known as the "Ledden coupon
case" was brought before magistrates
court, the same brief was prepared, the
same argument presented, as though
the case were presented in the United
States supreme court, the same care be-
ing taken as to the fOrmalities in the
JUSTICES decision. A short time ago the
city attorney presented to the board q
communication relative to some suits,
and the same was returned to me for an
opinion as to what should be done.
Reporter-Did you opiniOnate there
upon?
Mayor Loague-I returned the COM
munication with the following in
dorsement: Respectfully returned
to the board of aldermen from
which it came with the intimation that
I do not know what is wanted. It can
not be that you expect me to give you a
written opinion, which could; in any
manner, be construed as criticism
either upon your own board, or the hon.
Orable general council, or on the city at
| torney. Suffice it TO say that / have not
changed my opinion as to the business of
| the city's position, or as to what the de-
csion of the supreme court of the United
States would be, to which court it was,
as | understood, the intention to take
the cases. However, what you direct l
| will endeavOr to have done"
Reporter-When was the communica-
ton to Mr.. Hanson written?
Mayor Loague-It was dated April
Both, and is as follows:
MEMPHIS, TENN, April 80, 1875.
GENTLEMEN OF THE GENERAL
COUNCIL-I have been informed by t"e
mayor that many persons are demand
ing the right to pay their taxes in what
is known as coupons of the Leftwich
and Lohand bonds, which have been
disputed by the city authorities. AS the
general council passed resolution on
the fourteenth day of August, 1874, in
structing the mayor or finance commit
tee, to preserve a certain policy in rela-
ton to these coupons, which Of course
would be binding until Tescinded, /
deem it important to have the matter
settled at once, and therefore / call your
attention to it. l have presented the
defenses that the city was supposed to
have in these cases to the first and second
circuit courts, and also to the United
States circuit court, and they have been
decided against the city in every case.
l need not go into the details of the
various points raised in the cases, but
suffice it to say that had but little faith
In the beginning, and l am now fully
convinced that the city cannot maintain
any Of the defenses, and will ultimately
have to pay both bonds and coupons.
Ard do not consider it advisable to
Iitigate claims that cannot be question
ed. l had no part in opening up
the controversy, and do not think
it good policy to continue
it. 1 therefore would respectfully re-
commend that the resolution referred to
be rescinded, and that the coupons and
bonds be all placed upon the same foot
ing in future. / may add in this con-
nectiol that consider it of the utmost
Importance that the creditors of the city
should be, as far as possible, conciliated,
and given such assurance Of ultimate
good faith as would prevent the con-
slant litigation that has attended US for
years past. The amount that has been
paid by the city for what we all must
know, was useless litigation, would go
far toward silencing the clamOr Of our
creditors if we had it now to distribute
among them. Respectfully,
GA HANSON, City Attorney.
Reporter-What policy has the
finance committee urged in this matter?
Mayor Loague-I believe that the
finance committee has been disposed to
do anything they were advised to do,
when such would be for the benefit Of
and consistent with the honor Of the
city. / have no thought that
they will permit this matter to
go now by default, although
they are blamable, as they have not
paid proper attention to some of the
cases referred to them by Mr.. Hanson,
especially in what is known as the bond
cases, as We did not expect to take up to