The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-14

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scnce was DUTY Their explanations or their counsel
would nave been listened 10 with pleasure, and would
doubtless hayo evoked fall justice from the meeting But
they were all absent and for more than two years had
publicly shown no sign Of life officers managers.
Inc society was then to all appearances without officers
OF managers anal In this dilemma the meeting, which
had been regularly called by public advertisement and
which was presided over by the Mayor of the city, who
Is ex eco second vice president, resolved TO fill the
vacancies Dy eiectng officers and managers, ito serve
as such unti the next regular trennia election which
VIII occur on the I'D of February 1859 And the cleo
ton held under this resolution resulted In the choice Of
the members OF this board, which fact as well as of
friendly disposition towards and OF our desire to confer
with the od board in reference to the interests of tho
society was forthwith informally communicated to
Oh is most respected and most prominent members who
replied that he would mention the matter to his col
leagues. But neither from him nor Thorn any
spouse ever received In reference to the conference which
was then sought.
There are but few persons, feel assured who in
form themselves OF the facts hero related that resist
the conclusion that the I'D of February last legal
board was la existence Such the decision of the
presiding officer, who legally officer of the society
by virtue OF his position as chief magistrate of the city
and such was the unanimous opinion of the meeting and
as no legal board existed thcn none other than the
present board can BIO rightfully in Office 1t
elected to fill vacancy, at least o and the election
was made at an annual meeting and conducted In all
spect according to the acquisitions of the constitution
We arc therefore constrained to deny the validity Of the
claim now formally preferred by the old board to the
effect that they are still the rghful officers and
gers OF the society We constrained to do this well
in justice to constituents ourselves in order to
eve them and us from the imputaton of having inn
properly inconsdeately wrcsted the management of
the societys affairs from the competent hands to which
originally 1t had been regularly committed and in which,
according to their present argument 1t continued to be
vested, notwithstanding the irregularities and laches
above recited We have faed in all efforts to
vince ourselves Of the justice of this claim and its
soundness being manifest to 1t would be unjust to
should pass it by in silence and hence duty most
| kindly and respectfully thus to repel it,
Bat, with the discharge of his duty In yindicating
those who shared In the responsibility of our acts,
disagreement with the old board must cease We ac-
ceped the trust temporarily condcd to under the be-
lief that such justified by the constitution
and demanded by impeous necessity in view Of tho Ia
montablc condition to which the affairs Of the monument
had been reduced under the management of the board
which had just then publicly proclaimed the abandonment
of its usurped authority although before ntimated it
had virtually abandoned it almost from the first year
its usurpaton We accepted the trust most ina,ispi
cous period when we could expect during our brief adj
minsraon TO do but little than initiate measures
for the better security of the property This has been
done to the extent authorized by the very limited
OF the society. Some progress has been made towards
king necessary repairs and faithful Waterman has been
placed in charge Of the monument and its appurtenances
We have done but little else because it not in
power to do more We did not feel at liberty in the
face of adverse claim to official position the pre-
else nature of which has before been definitely
made known to to cndeavor to revive general inter
terest in the further prosecution of tho work by public
appeals to the country at large This for obvious reasons
did not deem 1t prudent to attempt during the pend
cncy of contested administration But this conflict
authority we PROPOSE so far as we are concerned
to terminate. Claiming for ourselves in all that have
DONE and in what propose to do to be influenced by
none other than disinterestea ana patriotic motives
NM oo,uny - my putty y purpose 20
1 the conscientious conviction expressed by them of
I,lo
4 them in this opinion to relieve ourselves and them
from any further embarrassment by withdrawing from
our position and leaving them to exercise whatever
Of authority we may possess trusting that the pres
tge 81 .ner names anu lnnuehce may again impart
country shon,d and doutless does fee, an ahsono in
teross We arc ee - = .eln our respect anu
pleasure no less than duty to bear sincere testimony
the faithful well sustained, and generally admirable
manner in which the great object OF the society was sub
served, % .ne q Ine Wnoie nanon curing
| i,t - th;s o,n ;drat;on 90 ,toI =, ~ a 60
which the society was created AZ well as Of onr earnest
desire not to impede the progress Of this great work by
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