Columbia gazette., 1854-01-14
MAYORS MESSAGE.
G. WASHINGTON PATRICE

% IHc common C0nncst o. tHe CNy 81
In Withholding my signature to th>
Ordinance granting to lr. Gum and
his associates the privilege Of minin.
Sonora Creek, with the grant of alter
nate lots of ground on said Creek, it Is
respectful to your honorable body that
I should make known to you my objcc
lions, and l ask that this communication
may be received and ordered to be pub
lished, that the people to whom l am
responsible, may Lave chance ofju1g
ing of my acts. / do not claim any con
troll over the action of the Common
Council, neither no | claim the ri hit Of
the veto power, as DO not see that any
such power is dcleeat d to the Mayor
by the Charter. But do claim the
right of Withholding my signature to
Laws that 1 believe the enactment OF
which is contrary to the wishes Of the
people, detrimental to their interest, and
subversive of the rights of individuals
In saying this, l do not impunc the
motives or acts Of others, an am only
expressing my own opinions.
The grant to mine Sonora Creek,
lone, would be one Of extraordinary
privileges and benefits to those upon
whom it is conferred; separate and a
part from the grant of lots, | would no.
favor it for various reasons, one Or two
of which l will name. First, it is
natural water course, AMI the water
should be left free as air for the ben f.
alike to all, and not diverted from its
natural or original channel, to tn: inju
ry of large number of individuals, that
have claims on said Creek, that are in
possession of the same, and perhaps in
many cases since 40. 1t is bcliev,
that it would bring the city authorities
in conflict with the mining population, a
conflict that would be deprecated ly all
good ard pcacealle citizens, could re-
suit in no good, bat i'll great injury to
the public in general.
Had the grant to said company con-
tanned no other provision except that to
mine Sonora Creek, it would have been
by far less Objectionable. Eut even in
that fo.m it would not have received my
appreciation and doubtless would no; Of
obtained my signatu e. Coupled as is
with the more extraordinary grant have
every other lot OF ground bordering on
said Creek, to said company, makes it
still more Objectionable,
l have not attempted to 90 into an
estimate of the valre of the property
that would by this grant be donated to
said company Il believe it would be
very large amount, as all the land along
said Greek is known TO BE- rich mining
ground, and would sell for an immense
sum for mining purposes alone. There is
maxim that should be remembered by
cooperate authorities as we'll as indi-
viduals, that is, "Ihat pe should be Just
before re are Hberal."
The city of Sonora is in debt bt,-what
will our creditors think of us when our
liabilities are hawkcd about the streets
at a discount, and at tine same time see
us donating our most valuable real es-
tate; yes, giving it to company with
out receiving cent
Your body recently passed an Ordi-
nance to survey and sell the city prop
erty, or SO much as will redeem the out
standing debts. l had hoped to have
seen that Law carried into effect, and
the liabilities of the city taken in it as
fast as the lots could have been brought
into market.
| do not set my will in opposition to
that of the Common Council, but am
willing to be judged by my acts, [ hold
myself responsi bic to the people, whose
servant am, for all my official conduct.
am willing, at tall times, to cooperate
with the Common Council, if in doing
so can believe that am serving the
public interest, and carrying out the
will of those whose rights are instructed
to my charge. / trust that you will
give me credit for that honesty of pur-
pose which each and every one Of you
claims for himself.
The Ordinance, am of the opinion,
| is now a law, when the bond is filed