John Park
Born:
Died:
John Park served as mayor of Memphis during a very unfortunate period. Park was mayor when the Union army surrounded the city and demanded its surrender. Capitulation being his only resort, Park surrendered the city, but was allowed to retain his civil authority. By all accounts he was a constant irritation to the various generals occupying the city (see correspondence with General Washburne below).
Park was also mayor during the infamous race riots of 1866 which would better be refered to as a slaughter of African-American life and property by white civilians, policemen and firefighters. His failure to exercise a firm and effective hand during these abominations is described in the official military report on the "riots" thus;
"The Hon. John Park, Mayor of Memphis, seemed to have lost entire control of his subordinates and either through lack of inclination and sympathy with the mob, or on utter want of capacity, completely failed to suppress the riot and preserve the peace of the city. His friends offer in extenuation of his conduct, that he was in a state of intoxication during a part or most of the time and was therefore unable to perform the high and responsible functions of his office. Since the riot no official notice has been taken of the occurrence either by the Mayor or the Board of Aldermen, neither have the City Courts taken cognizance of the numerous crimes committed."
Park was an Irishman and an avowed rebel. His decision to not cooperate with the Union generals led eventually to military command of the civil government. When graciously asked to surrender the city, Park replied, "In reply I have only to say that as the civil authorities have no means of defense, by the force of circumstances the city is in your hands."
A very telling correspondence between Park and General Washburne tells volumes regarding the strain of that relationship:
The Mayor and the General – Political/Martial Affairs in Memphis
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE
June 12, 1864
Memphis, Tenn., June 12, 1864
Major-General C. C. Washburne:
Sir – It is circulated upon the streets, to my prejudice as a candidate for Mayor, by aspirants and their friends for the same office, that in the event I should be re-elected, the military would take charge of the municipal department of Memphis. This by some is believed, and to my great injury.
To satisfy my friends, I would be pleased to know if any such intention is entertained by you.
Most respectfully,
John Park.
Headquarters Dist. of West Tennessee,
Memphis, Tenn., June 18, 1864.
John Park, Esq., Mayor of Memphis:
Sir – Your letter of this date is this moment received, in which you inquire if tit is the “intention of the military authorities to take charge of the municipal government of Memphis in case your are re-elected Mayor;” I answer, unhesitatingly that such is the “intention.”
The disloyal character of the present city government, as well as its utter inefficiency in the management of city affairs, compels me to this declaration.
I hope that the citizens of Memphis, by electing a ticket friendly to the government of the United States, will relieve me from the duty of interfering; but of this I am determined, that while I command here, there shall be no hostile municipal government within my jurisdiction.
I find on that on the second day of July, 1861, you delivered you inaugural message as Mayor of Memphis. I recall the following extract from it, viz.:
“For years a fanatical party has been growing in the North - a party that declares for itself a law higher than the constitution, or even the word of God – combining in its elements republicanism, abolitionism, free-loveism [sic], atheism, with every other abominable ism [sic] that strikes at the organization of society or the existence of free constitutional government. “This fanatical party, as you know, succeeded at the last Presidential election, in placing the chair of Washington, Mr. Abe Lincoln, the man who promulgated the irrepressible conflict doctrine - a doctrine so utterly at war with all the best interests of the South, that when its author was placed in power, upon a platform fully endorsing his doctrine, and with evident determination upon his part to carry out his doctrine to the full extend, there was no alternative left or the South but to withdraw from a Union that, instead of affording peace and protection, as was originally contemplated, was to be used as a means of destroying all that was valuable to the South.
“Had the administration at Washington fully comprehended the state of the country and its duties, war with all its horrors might have been averted. But the head of that administration had avowed his purpose of planting his foot firmly, and on assuming the reins of government, seemed to be controlled alone by his ‘higher laws’ doctrine; disregarding al constitutional constraints, he set himself up as a military dictator, whose arbitrary rule was more to be feared than that of any of the monarch of Europe.
“Against the administration of this tyrant the South rebelled. They did right. The southern people would have been unworthy of the name of freemen had they submitted to Lincoln’s administration, after his purposes were fully developed.” While I have understood that you have taken the oath of allegiance, it is believed, that notwithstanding, you have never repented of any of your sins against the government of the United States. This last would be a sufficient reason for the interposition of the military authorities, but the disloyal and inefficient character of the [municipal] government of which you are head, furnished reasons that are over-powering.
Respectfully yours,
C. C. Washburne, Major-General Commanding
Rebellion Record, Vol. 11, p. 591.