Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-06-26
A POLITICAL INQUEST.

008
Ward and District Proposed by
the Eighth Ward Nation.
als-The Result.
Night before last the Eighth ward Ma
tioRal Club held a meeting to consider
various measures regarding the county
election which will be held in August.
We understand that a committee
having been appointed to wait on
Coroner Caldwell and suggest to this
official the propriety of appointing
from each ward and district two Ma
t%ionals as judges Of election, the COM
mittee made its report to the club and
stated that Mr.. Caldwell had promised
to comply with their suggestion. This
committee was appointed and the re-
quest made OF Mr.. Caldwell in view Of
the fact that the law directs that when
the sheriff is a candidate for office the
coroner shall hold the election, and also
from the belief that the coroner has, in
such cases, the appointment of judges Of
election.
When the committee had made its re-
port some one wanted to know what two
members of the Eighth Ward National
Club should be appointed judges by Mr..
Caldwell. As the names OF seven or
eight members had been presented as
suitable judges, the question was not to
be settled without some discussion. Col.
r. B. Somerville, chairman Of the stand
ing committee, suggested that the chair
man Of the club designate two out OF the
seven members proposed for judges.
Mr.. Mofett, editor of the Lantern,
%iercely opposed this exercise of the e
man power, and it is said that be used
rather impolite language toward Colonel
Somerville. The result was that there
was commotion and disturbance, and
the meeting adjourned.
In this connection and with due re.
spect to the legal lore of the lawyers and
others Of the committee, it ia proper to
say that, while the coroner in this case is
authorized to hold the election. the
County Court has the appointment Of all
judges Of elections, we presume that the
County Court will appoint judges at its
session 10 July, and that Mr.. Caldwell
will have nothing to do with this. 1t is
true that, inssmuch as Sheriff Anderson
is a candidate, Mr.. Caldwell, as coroner,
will doubtless have to hold the election,
for Code, section S39, says:
The sheriff, or il be is a candidate, the
coroner, or if there be no coroner, some
person appointed by the County Court
shall hold all popular elections; and said
person shall appoint a sufficient number
of depnties to hold said elections.
So that Mr., Caldwell will, there
fore, hold the election.
The code section 8-4l. provides that
The County Court, at the session next
preceding the day of election, shall APP
point inspectors or judges for each vot-
ing place to superiutend the election.
Although Mr.. Caldwell is q justice of
the peace as we'll as coroner of Shelby
county, we do not think he is prevented
from exercising the duties Of the two
Offices. In the event Of the coroner be-
ing ineligible to hold the election, it be-.
comes the duty of the County Court un-
der the law to appoint a commissioner
for this purpose, as was the case at the
previous election. 1t is TO be regretted
that the Eighth ward or any other club
has been so stupid as to ask this Of
Coroner Caldwell, who is a gentleman Of
recognized integrity and one who enjoys
the confidence Of the community. Mr..
Caldwell has the appointment Of the
deputies for holding the election, but we
do not believe that he is the kind Of a
man to be sctuated by any but a desire
to see a fair and just election. l. is all
the more unfortunate that any such Sug-
gestion or request has been made Of this
gentleman, who is the father.in.law, and
we also believe the ~stepfather, Of Mr.. T,
B, Crenshaw, the National candidate for
clerk of the Bartlett Circuit Court. We
hope that there is some mistake in this,
and we believe that Mr.. Caldwell has not
made any such promise either as to
IDENTITIES or Judges.