Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-19
SENSATIONS OF THE HOUR.


Who viii be I'm RlipPin's CabinetP
To the Editor of the Ledger:
The majority of the Mayor elect was
large enough in fact, but judging from
the boastings we hear on every side a
reward would not develop a man who did
not vote and work for Flippin.
Some Of the Industrious candidates
will come to grief when they refer to an
act of the last Legislature, approved
March "a, 1875. sboIishing the office of
Corporation Tax-Collector and putting
the collection of city taxes in the hands
Of the County Trustee. The act referred
to was passed March 23d, and approved
March "a, 1875, just one day after the
city charter, and reads thus;
THAT the office of Revenue Collector,
the office Of Collector of Railroad Taxes,
the office Of Corporation Taxi Collector
be and the same are hereby abolished,
and that hereafter all the taxes, State,
municipal and county, levied on property
or polls shall be paid 10 the County
Trustee, at his Office"
This Office was, with those of Recorder,
Register, Wharfmaster, etc., created by
statute in the old charter, but the new
-repeals the old and thereby abolishes all
these offices, providing for none but the
Mayor and Aldermen and Councilmen
and Fire and Police Commissioners, out
gives the General Council power to create
BY ordinance other officers and agents"
etc. The Council can create the office
Of Taxi Collector, but the law having
given to the Trustee the collection of
corporation taxes, the Tax. Collector
would have nothing to do.
1t is true the act abolishing, etc, does
not take effect until the first day of
August, 1876, but it nevertheless confers
on the Trustee the collection Of the city
taxes for 1876, as the books of assess
ments will not be ready for delivery
until next November, if then.
Strictly constituting the provisions of
eur charter and holding the same to be
in force and effect since its passage,
March 23d, 1875, as the Council has held
and the same was sustained by the Su-
preme Court, we have had no Tax Col
%lector, Register, Wharfmaster, Recorder,
Comptroller or Treasurer legally in
Office, since that charter repealed (abol-
ished) these offices. The enabling pro-
vision in said charter reads, after pro-
viding for the election Of Mayor, Alder
men and CouncilmeD, provided, the
officers nov in office shall continue in
Office until their successors are elected
and qualified at the election to be held
on the first Thursday after the second
Monday in January, 1876" This pro-
vision cannot refer to any officers except
those whose successors were to be
elected on hat day.
The acts of these officials are never
theless valid as de facto officers, and the
present Council will have to create all
the officers and agents which they need
by ordinance and fix their salaries before
filling the same.
1t is suggested hat the duties of Re-
corder will be conferred,on the President
Of the Fire and Police Board, to be per.
formed free of charge to the city. This
may work we'll, but they should take
care lest they, in their over anxiety to
reform and retrench, make a mistake.
A Recorder who holds no other Office
would be preferable. CITIZEN.