The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-08-19
WHEN NED CARMACK ABOLISHED
lMAURY CO.'S. CHANCERY COURT.
Original of His Famous Resolution Passed By
the County Court Resurrected.
AND A CARMAcK POEM, "NoBoDY's DOG"

Some months ago the Herald pub
lished d reference to a resolution
introduced in the Maury County
Court by Senator f. W. Carmack
to abolish the Chancery Court of
MauIy County. The resolution was
introduced some years ago, while Car
mack was struggling young lawyer at
the Columbia bar, ana was member of
the court from the ninth district-Co-
mbia-having been elected to the
iusticeship by his friends who hoped to
piece out his then meaker income with
the fees from the Office If magistrate.
The other day a representative of the
Herald, having heard of the resolution
above luded 10, instituted search
through the ola records of the County
Court ana finally uuedrthed the original,
as written by Carmack himself The
story of the resolution has been often
told, but for the purpose of properly
introducing the original manuscript it
will bear repeating.
One day whine the County Court was
holding one of its quarterly sessions,
and the usual flood of bills and accounts
was being sent TO the Chairman's desk,
an account was presented and read to
the court for some window blinds,
which had been purchased fol- the Cler,
and Master IS office. The country mag
istrates have always looked with a
jealous eye on the furnishings of the
county offices. They regarded with
suspicion anything that smackeG of
luxury, and a number of the members
of the court could not see what the
Clerk and Master wanted with window
blinds in his Office. 1t was looked
upon as extravaganza. So, the pre-
sentation of the account precipitated a
warm and strenuous debate. Carmack
was sitting over in one corner of the
court room. chewing tobacco and
swapping yarns with one of the rural
and the humor of the sit.
uation attracted his attention. He |
went to the clerk IS table |
and drew up set of resolutions abol- |
lshing the Chancery Court of Maury
County, declaring it to be "a device of !
the devil, and useless institution. !
The resolutions were as follows:
Whereas. the Chancery Court of
MauIy County. Tennessee, is device
If the devil for multiplying and setting
aside the noble principles of the Com
non Law;
"And whereas, the same was con-
,eived in sin and brought forth in
And whereas, it is an institution
or devouring Widows houses, consum.
ng the estates of the orphans, and
,rindinR the faces of the poor;
Therefore, be it resolved, by the
Jounty Cours of Maury County, Tenn
in. l
hat the aforesaid Chancery Court, with
Is Commissioners, its guardian ad Items,
nd all the apparatus and paraphernalia ,
hereunto belonging, be and the same is
ereby forever abolished.
"Be it further resolved, that this
take effect from and after its
assage, the public welfare requiring |
The resolution was adopted by an I
vote and the Chapcery
curt of Maury County was forever
polished.
Some Carmack Poetry.
In those days armack had his law
ice upstairs ia an old building in the r
uthwest corner of the Public Square.
was located way back IN the furthest n
d of dingy hall, anC was an unpre-
ntious looking affair, but probably A
preten tious as its owners small in
me would allow. The paper on the A
Ill was faded, the floor carpetless, the
ndow panes so dirty that the light
nnd it a difficult matter getting
rough; small looking glass suspend in
on the wall, beneath which was tack :"
a cigar box in which well-used
NIB and brush was kept, and a tin pan b
d water bucket served in the capa-