The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-11-14

A FREE FIGHr.-The Council Chamber
on Tuesday afternoon presented an inharmo-
Nous scene among the Democratic and Re-
publican Aldermen, which would have appear
ed in yesterdays paper but for the lateness of
the hour when We returned.
communication was received from the
Mayor, stating that he had accepted Alder
derman Branch's fourth resolution which
passed the Council on the 9th ult. and that
it was his opinion, that the Council in ex
changing City Orders for Street Certificates
held by contractors transcribed their power
under the charter, and recommended that the
mater be referred to the City Attorney.
On motion O. Aid. Emerson that the May
or's communication be accepted and printed,
!. was refused until his calling for the ayes
and nays, the resolution was adopted. But
the Council declined, in toto to refer to the
City Attorney, Mr. Emerson also dissenting.
A communication was then read from the
Comptroller, returning sundry City Orders
issued for Street certificates, with his objec
ton to signing them. Again Aid. Emerson
moved the acceptance and printing of the re-
port, which was lost. Aid McGrorty, warm
ing with these repeated opositions to his ia
vorite scheme, waxed wroth-made a speech
complained of the Comptrollers dictation
to that august body-acknowledged the lille
galty of the new issue of City Scrip but
that the Comptroler's business is to obey or
ders unhesitatlngly-tha if he refused again
he be requested to resign, and wound up
by offering resolution tn It the Clerk again
send the refused orders to the Comptroller
with instructions for him to sign them.
Thus there seems to be arrayed these three
conservatives against the bplance of the
Council. We shall see if harm comes of pru-
dence and regard to law in the conduct of our
City affairs. We doubt it. As the Council
seemed so averse to having the report pub
li>hed, we, deeming it an item of interest, have
procured the subjoned copy of it. 1t will he
seen that there is difference between twee
dle-dum and tweedle dee-for what the Coun-
Gil allowed at its previous session by taking
the back track to be the ComptrolIer's duty
in insisting upon auditing the bills the Alder
men presented for salaries up to May 1858,
they now say their resolutions on finance are
beyond his jurisdiction.
Street rumOr says that the interest shown
by Aid. McGrorty in this whole matter is
pecuniary one, AMI that he is personally in
terested in the contracts that have been pros
ecuted in the City this summer. To be sure
the City Charter prohibits all this, but what
are the cob-webs of the law ? away with
them. We hope to be able to give our read
ers soon satisfactory reasons why the Council
does not let this whole matter be submitted
to the City Attorney, as the Mayor requests
and as the Comptroller earnestly desires.
But here is the Comptroller's report:
COMPTROLLER OFFICE,
st. Paul, Nov. 10th.
To the Mayor and Common Council of the
City Of s.. Paul.
GENrLEMEx:-I herewith return without
my signature City Orders on the Treasury, as
follows VIZ:
In favor of James Burke, S74I.l6
Jacob Fink S37,75
These orders parport to be issued in ac.
corlance with a resolution of the Common
Council passed Oct. q, 1857, in lieu of Ger
tificates issued by the Street Commissioners
of the First and Third Wards
In communication to the Council. Both
ult.. declined to counterSign orders drawn
for the payment of the salaries Of the Alder
men of the City on the ground that Section
90, Chapter 3, of the City Charte , makes it
the imperative duty OF the Comptroller to
audit and deposit all claims and DAMAGES
against the City, and that the claim for which
said order was issued has not been so audited
The subsequent action of the Council, recog-
nized the duty of the Comptroller.
consider in the present case that the is
suing of orders on the Treasurer in exchange
Tor, or payment of these Certificates, consti-
tutes directly or indirectly clam on them
and against the City, and that they should
like all claims be audited by the Comptroller.
AS they have not been presented to me for
the purpose, deem it my duty to Withhold
my signature from the orders issued for them
Respectfully,
I. NJ. MErCALF, City Comptroller.