Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-02
NASHVILLE.
Judge John Baxter Stlrs up the
Republican Animals in aChargs
to q Grand Jury.
Some Interesting Figures on the
State Dsbt Especially Intended
for Governor Hawkins
@Fhos shalt NofSteaT---A Home
Thrust.
oo.rspssas.ss q as q lriuJ0ETah.

NASHVILLE TENN, October -
JUDGE John Baxter. Of the Z. ) Tn
cut Court Is a practical eivl service
refornsr. ana 10 his homer | hit ny
hat Durae the psst summer Colonei
?. RroEnioE, Chairman q the
Republican Executive Committee
without 50 much as by your leave,
cood sins walked into ihe handsome
Custonhouss here snd took possession
Of one Of the most c0mmOalous rooms
as his headquarters for the campaign.
OF course. under the honest old sys-
TEN, he had no more right to thus
appropriate public property to party
uses than had the Chairman Of the
Bate, the Russell or the Greenback
Committee, or than your cOrrespon-
dent himself had; no more right, In
fact, than be would have had to thus
appropriate any public moneys be
might have laid hands on. But the
earth and the fullness thereof belong
to the saints, and we are the saints
The government and all that is in 1t
belongs to the Radical party, for it is
q personal government and the Stall
warts are its prophets. A more high
handed outrage was never before per-
petrated; and Judge Bakers atten.
ton being called to it, on opening
court he let fall the following able
bodied bombshell in his charge to the
Grsad Jury, which makes exceedingly
interesting reading:
GENTLEMEN OF THE GRAND JURY:
The government has erected this
beautiful structure for the use of the
officers and citizens in the transaction
of the public business. 1t is in all its
appointments well adapted for the
purposes for which it has been dedi-
Gated. 1t has been placed in the care
of a custodian, who has, with or with
out authority, assigned the various
apartments to such public officers and
employees, who, in his judgment or
faVoritism, he deems entitled to such
accommodations. But in disposing OF
them, he has failed to make any pro-
visions for the accommodation of the
District Judge Of this Court. But
while be has thus failed to provide for
the accommodation of one Of the
judges of this Court, he has not been
altogether unmindful of his own com-
fort. He fills two positions, those of
Collector of Customs and custodian of
this building. Upon inquiry we have
a~scertained that his duties are merely
nominal. The customs and receipts
collected BY him only aggregate from
$500 to $1,000 a year. The collection
of these, with the general oversight Of
the building, constitutes the gross
amount of his official labors; and yet
he has appropriated, we understand,
two Of the best aud most desirable
rooms contained in this building to
himself. he has furthermore, as we
are informed, assigned another room to
an itinerating revenue agent, who is
here but occasionally-say from ten to
eighteen days in the year-and whose
business is such as not to entitle him
to the accommodation provided for
him. But if there is any necessity to
provide quarters for such agents, his
claims, we think, are inferior to the
claipes Of the District Judge. Fur
thermOre, we understand there has
been set apart another desirable room
to the Republican Executive Commit
tee OF the State, who have for some
days past and are now occupying the
same as its headquarters for conduct
ing tie pending canvass for Governor,
Legislature, and members Of Con
gress. By the apportionment Of this
room originally assigned TO the petit
jury, the latter have been excluded
therefTom, and in consequence left
without any rooms to consult together
and deliberate upon their verdict dur
ing this term of the court. This
building does not belong to any par
ticular party. 1t was constructed for
the use and is the property OF the
government, and the assignment of
the rooms, if such assignments have
been made, to a partisan committee
for partisan use, is an abuse Of official
power by some one, iDiudicious, mis-
chiegous, and a transportation o.
public property.
He went on to direct the Grand
jury to ascertain by whose authority
the committee had taken possession O
the room, and the official position o
that gentleman. Such abuse Of pub
lie property, be said, tends to incitl
popular hatred against the govern
ment. He ordered a rule entered 70
the committee to vaeate at once, ant
show cause in open court; but be
fore the Marshal could serve it tn
committee HAD vamoosed, and tina
official hasn't been able to come u,
with them yet. The Marshal is 10
structed by the jury to bring them i
even if attachment must issue for tina
purpose.
Shakespeare would place
IN EVERY HONEST HAND A WHIP.
to lash the r%ascals naked through th
world; but here comes Governor HaW
kins, rawhidc in hand, flashing hirl
self around the State in a way ths
would draw the blood il his hide wa
not so thick. la a recent speech Q
Jasper he said, speaking Of the Bat
Democrats:
They will say that they will pay tn
State debt proper dollar for dollar
How much it is no mortal man ca
tell. From the best information
can get it is not less than eight millio
or nine million five hundred thou,an
dollars. Put the ten million that the
propose to pay at fifty cents on tn
dollar with three per cent interest {
the State debt, aud it makes say Sl8,
100000. According 10 the settlement
already made it is only Sl6.S00. 00l
They say they will pay Mrs. Polk he
$4,000 bonds with six per cent in
terest, and that they will only tende
10 Miss Busby, who is blind and near
ly idiotic. only fifty cents on the dol
lar and three per cent interest. |
that just?
He knows all the while that no
only the Controllers for years past, bu
a legislative committee appointed j
1879. reported the State debt prcpt
at a little over $1,000, 900. lie know
il is irrevoesble fixed. AS 10 Mrs
Folks bonds lie knows that they have
b1en recognized as a sacred obi