Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-29
THE CUsrOM.HOUSE.
Another Radical Dodge &c Defeat
Democratic Candidates and IDjure
the Prospects of Memphis.

Another Radical Dodge tO Defeat
Democratic Candidates andIBjure
the Prospects of Memphis.
The Avalanche Of this morning con-
tains the following startling item of
news:
From information received in this city
recently it appears that Memphis must
suffer another disappointment in it's ex-
pectation Of the speedy commencement
Of work on the eustom-house. 1t seems
that the Legislature authorized the city
to deed to the government three hundred
feet of the bluff fronting on Monroe
street, aud that the deed w6s drawn for
three hundred feet fronting on Madison
street. This discrepancy was discovered
by the Attorney General, who declined
to accept the deed, and a new one was
executed. All things being satisfactorily
settled, the Supervising Architect had
received instructions to proceed With the
work, when it is stated that Mr.. /. NJ.
Hill interposed with a protest, contend
ing that great injury would be done citi-
zens living in the northern part of the
city If the ~custom-house was located
south Of Madison street. This protest,
it is understood, was presented to the
Attorney General, ~whereupon the in
structioDs to the Supervising Architect
we're countermsRded, and the whole
matter is pigeon-holed until the General
Assembly of Tennessee I'VE and
authorizes the deciding of the property
fronting on Madison street.
The Legislature did not authorize the
city to deed to the government 300 feet
fronting on Monroe street, nor is there
any discrepancy between the act Of the
Legislature and the deed made by the
city to the government, as will be seen
from the act ofthe Legislature published
below:
facts Of 1875, page 100 Section l.
Be 1t enacted by the General Assembly
OF the State of Tennessee, That the city
Of Memphis be and is hereby authorized
to graut to the United States q portion
of the public promenade, on the west
side of Front street, and adjacent to
hadison street, when extended to the
Mississippi river, not exceeding three
hundred leet square, for the purpose o.
having erected thereon a United States
custom-house and other public buildings
Of the United States.
Sec 2 Be it further enacted, That the
/. Jurisdiction Of the said premises to be
? granted to the United States for sale
purpose be, and the same is hereby
ceded and granted BY the State Of Ten
Dessee TO the United States.
Sec. 3 Be it further enacted, That thil
act take effect and be in force from and
after its passage, the public welfare re
curing the same. LEWIS BOND,
Speaker House Of Representatives.
THos. q. PAYNE,
Speaker Of the Senate.
Approved March %, 1876.
JAMES D. PORTER, Governor.
Mr.. l.. NJ. Hill and other leading Rad
Gals have protested, no doubt, and hav
written "Sylph" letters to Washington
But the clear reason for this Radical OF
/ position is to, if possible, make capita
against and defeat the Democratic non
inees in the coming elections. If tn
Attorney General has pig%eon-holed th
matter, aud has ordered the Supervisor
Architect to refrain from commencin
1 work for the reasons stated in the AvI
lanche, the Attorney General has write
: himself down an ass like Dogberr,
: But our Radical friends here fear thi
:, the employment of several hundre
foreign born citizens and several hui
dred negroes on this work will tend
kill the Radical party by casting Dem,
\ cratic votes. Thus it appears that Ii
Radicals intend to keep hundreds
! w%orbingmen out Of employment in ordt
-. to subserve party purposes.