Eastern times., 1856-04-10

referred the remonStrance OF Samuel Parker
AMI forty others against the right of J. T. Gil
man to seat from Ward four, the chairman,
j. S Baker, Esq, being absent, reported that
the Committee had given the parties interest
ed hearing and that they found not sufficient
grounds for the action of the Common Coun-
cIl in the premises. The report then went on
to say that evidence was produced to show
that the polls were closed before all the voters
had voted, reflected rather tlmidly upon the
persons early at the polls, for closing with so
much haste, and wound up by saying there was
no reason why MIR. Gilman should not retain
his seat, especially as no evidence of frauds ex-
listed, and no one contested the seat, and rec
ommendng that the remonstrants hive leave
to withdraw.
After the report was read by the President,
Mr.. GILMAN arose for the purpose of submit
ting motion which might or might not pre-
val, it was perfectly immaerial TO him, per-
sonally. The Council he sald would pardon
him for being the first to speak adversely to
the report, for they would bear in mind that
in this Council he belonged to an inconven-
iently small party, that party consisting, on
| the present occasion, of himself alone But
what this party lacked in numbers, was amply
compensated for IN harmony, for it was emphat-
Ically, in every respect an unit. Such being
his situation in the Council, necessity mpeled
\ him to step forward to rebuke an unwarranta-
bic attempt to commit an outrage upon the
ward he represented, and to vInd cate his ward
from the charge Of unfairness. He would pro-
pose therefore to re-commt the report with in
structIons to the Committee to report to strike
out the words ''not sufficient grounds" and in
sert mo caIse." Also to strike out all after the
word premises in the 9th line and insert the
following
''The Committee would therefore recon-
mend that the Temonsirants have leave to with
draw, there being no grounds for the action of
the Common Council even were the allepa-
tons in the remons,rance fully substantial
ted"
! On this motion, Mr. G. remarked that person-
ally he felt but little interest in this matter Int
an outrage had been attempted to be prepetra-
ted, involving principle none the less mo-
mentous because of the palt1incss of the office
which it was designed to affect. He contend
ed that the remonstrance should never have
been enteit tanned BY the Council, because it
| charges upon the ward no act which the voters
of the ward had not a perfect right to do
The only allegation is that the polls were cIo-
sed too Soon-at eleven o'clock. Now suppose
they were closed at eleven, suppose they were
closed too soon to suit the purposes of the mi
nority, suppose voters did not all vote. if the
vote to close was fairly made, fairly put. aud
4 fairly carried III open ward meeting, who bas.a
right to complain ? Surely not this Council
The wards have unlimited right to close when
they please, and this Council can be ENGAGED
in better business than in administering re-
Dukes for closing too early, this being aues-
ten for the ward to settle itself The remon-
STRANGE therefore, alleging nothing but what
the ward had perfect right to do, based only
upon vote fairly put and definitely settled,
should have been rejected without further ac-
ton.
This remonstrance SAID Mr.. G. makes the
monsrous proposition that YOU shall circum-
vent the will of the people, fairly and lawfully
expressed at the polls, and declare a seat va
cant IN the absence of all allegations of fraud
or double dealing, and IN the absence of any
one to contest the seat Look at this thing.
No fraud pretended, no false or unfair voting
ailedged, and no contestant, and yet you are
asked to turn out member from his seat at
this board who occupies it by a vote of nearly
two to one Surely 1t must have required the
special revelations of political wisdom with
which our city has been flooded for the past
two years, to develope such an idea as this
Truly all the light compatible with such A nro-
-cedure could well be confined within the dark
est KIND OF antem, and that of the smallest
size. we live IN progressive age. Last year
it was thought sufficient to a;tempt by a simple
''order' TO dismiss men from office who had
been elected by ballot and duly qualified; and
they only subordinates, creatures of the CITY
Council, and men Of foreign birth besides :
but now the proposition is gravely urged by
| these 81, =
turn out member Of this board, elected by
the popular vote of the ward and he net for
elSner but native of the soil Verify, the
day OF wonders is not ended. The generation
OF the foolish has not passed by.
Mr G' SAID that the remonslrance alledge:
and the report gives sort of quasi endorse
ment-that the polls in ward four on the 24tl
ult were closed with unusual and unreasonable,
haste Suppose this were so, is it any of ou
business Would this afford any ground o
enquiry for this board, in the absence of al
allegations OF fraud Surely not. But al
the facts IN the case 90 to show that the allega
ton Is not true, and he should undertake tC
snow that this whole thing about closing toe
early is miserable ialsehood, sheer fabri
cation made up for the occasion, and must have
Deen known 10 b" so to all OF the remonstrant
who knew and understood what they were do
ing. those who knew the facts acted basely
and falsely IN stating what is contained in thu
remonstrance. So far from the polls having
ueen closed with unusual haste, he could show
from the record that the cnly departure from
recorded usage in this thing was on the side o
libeTality towards the minority. He would
give facts and figures from The ward records and
II he stated what was not true it would be ca.
sy to show his errors, and he called upon
gentlemen to 10 so. What then are the facts
In relation to the election on the 9th ult ?
Briefly summed up they are as follows:
The meeting was called at 10 O'clock
Promptly at that hour the meeting was called
to order, the warrant read and the voters
called upon 20 deposit their votes. About halt
past ten, motion was made by }. H. Nichols
tc close the polls at eleven o'clock, which, with
out any considerable resistance was put and
carried by very decisive vote.
From five to ten minutes before eleven a
motion was made by c. NJ. Prince, who had
been present all the time, to reconsider the vote
to close at eleven. Although the motion to re-
consider came from one who had previously
voted in the minority, and on this ground might
properly have been refused an entertainment
by the chair, the warden, disposed to be iber-
al to the minority, entertained the motion,
waving parliamentary advantage, and after
being discussed by the mover and others for