Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-04-11
THE SUNDAY LAWS.

Mayor Flipptn's Letter 60 the Police
commissioners on sunday Sub
1eets.
At the request Of the Police Commits.
%sioners, Mayor Flippin, on Saturday
last, expressed his views as to the viola
ton Of the ordinances of the city in a
letter addressed to said Commissioners,
as follows:
Mayors OFFICE,
MENPAIs, TENE., April s., 1876.
To the Hon. Police and Fire Commissioners,
Memphis. Tenn:
GENTLEMEN - Numerous complaints
have reached me of late as to the non.
execution Of certain ordinances of the
city, 10 some of which l desire to call
your attention. 1t is claimed that sub
section l, Of section 379, Bridges Digest,
is habitually violated. The prohibition
is against keeping ones place of bust
ness open on Sunday. This of course
applies to all kinds of business places
opened for business purposes on that
day, the object designed being some
profit to the owner of the business
places. The section embraces certain
exceptions. Particular mention is also
made of the violation of sub.sections |,
6 and s of section 378. Frequeat com.
plants are made that into gambling ga
looms the young and unwary are invei-
gled and victimized. Subsection 6, re-
ferred to, it is said, is VIGOROUSLY vio-
lated by permitting the most disrepu-
table houses to remain unmolested, al
most in the heart of the city, and upon
our principal streets, kept even, in some
instances, by the most abandoned men,
to the great prejudice of public morals
and the shame Of the city.
Subsection 8, referred to, is said to
be almost universally violated, and
general complaints are heard that even
the front doors Of drinking saloons are
kept wide open on Sunday, around which
are congregated numbers Of men, at
times much to the annoyance Of church
going people in particular, and to the
injury of public morals. Again, sub
section 3, OF section 379, is unobserved.
1t is made a misdemeanor by said sub.
section, ITO play on Sunday, in any
licensed house, at billiards, ten.pins,
cards or other games"
The foregoing ordinances are those
which are said to be broken almost with.
out restraint. | write to make inquiry
how these things are, and if correctly
reported. 1t is made my duty %(sectior
35 charter to have a general supervision
Of all the officers of the city, and to SEE
that the ordinances and provisions o
the charter are enforced. l was required
and took an oath to execute these pro
visions. They mean something, or theJ
mean nothing. Whether they are wisl
or unwise, polite or ~unpolitic, it is no
for US to debate-our duty, sworn duty
from which we cannot and should no
shrink, is to execute ordinances unit
they are repealed by the General Coun
Gil. We have no discretion in the matte
, so long as they stand unrepealed. Ono
more, minors are said to be permitted t
90, without let or hindrance, to places Q
, the most questionable resort, much t
the painful anxiety of parents, and el
citing for their children the keenest az
~prehentions for their moral welfare. Gu
I duty is u~ndischarged, if we permit thei
9 moral Safetythus to be jeopardized will
out taking some steps to arrest the
, downward career. | ask you most r
specially to look Immediately into the;
. matters, and issue the proper orders f
the enforcement of the ordinances r
ferred to. In this way, and only in tn
way l conceive can we as conscientiol
public servants discharge the high tru
with which q partial public has clothC
1t as. Very respectfully,
q j. R. FLIPPTE, Mayor.
:. The Police Board referred the lett
~ to the General Council for instruction
n as to whether the Police Board shG
enforce the ordinances strictly in accC
h dance with the suggestions made in Il
letter, or continue to manage poll
officers as they are at present manag,
. with reference to such things.