Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-05-27
Public Meeting.
MUsoATINE, May 23d, 1859.

the meeting held at the same place, May
18th, 1859.
Col. Nealley, President; J. r. Misty,
Sec. j. r. Misty was called on, and sta
ted the action taken by the City Council in
relation to the resolution of former, of
which this is an adjourned meeting.
1t being announced that committee wa,
present from meeting held IN Illinois, in re-
lation to the ferry question, with the resolu.
tons adopted at said meeting, said commit
tee was called on, by motion, to present the
said resolutions. Mr.. VIM. Reynolds ad-
dressed the meeting, after which he presen.
ted the proceedings of the said meeting and
resolutions adopted at said meeting, which
read as follows, viz:
Drury. ILL.,, May 2lst.
Pursuant to previous notice, large and
enthusiastic meeting was held at the school
house near W. G, Reeds, and was organized
by appointing W. G. Reed Prest., and S. Nj
Dickey Sec. The object of the meeting was
stated by the President to be to consider the
question of ferry between this place and
Muscetine, and other matters of local inter
est. A committee Of seven, consisting Of
William Reynolds, James Patterson, Peter
Demoss, S. r. Drury, Chas. Bean, James
Reynolds and j. l.. Ohaver was appointed to
draft resolutions expressive of the sense of
the meeting.
Chas. Bean was then called on and spoke
at length, giving history of the ferry for
the last ten years, and his own connection
with Capt. Phillips; said he Lad sustained
Phillips, so long as he thought him honest,
but had refused to do so, as soon as con-
WINGED of his rascality. The committee then
retired and the discussion continued during
its absence.
The committee then reported the follow.
ing preamble and resolutions which were
unanimously and enthusias tically adopted:
WHEREAS: We understand that the CITY
Council, of the city of Muscatine, by a reso-
luton, did so far rescind the Charter granted
20 one Absalom Fisher, under which lie held
the exclusive right to run a ferry boat
between Muscatne and the III. side Of the
river as TO throw it open to all all who may
choose to embark in the enterprise; and
whereas we consider necessary for the well
fare of community, and the preservation Of
our rights as citizens that we should be pro :
tected from the moral pestilence which that
resolution, virtually, has invited, and pro-
poses to sustain in our midst, in the person
of one Captain John Phillips, who by his
many crimes, and the general moral turpi-
tude of his conduct, has rendered himself
obnoxious to all good and der-loving cit
liens; therefore be it
Resolved, That we believe our interests
will be better promoted by licensing and sus-
tanning one good ferry between here and
Muscatine than by as great err number, and
that we believe the present proprietors Of
the "Decalion," are fully competent to sup
ply our wants in this particular.
Resoled, That should the City Council
Of Muscatine persist in leaving the ferry
privilege open to all, which is eq uivalent to
licensing the notorious Captain Phillips to
run, we will use all our influence to prevent
future intercourse with that City by vaca ting
roads leading in that direction, and by such
other honorable means as lie in our power.
Resolced, That we will not patronize any
merchant or business man in Muscatine, who
is known to US to be favorable to The inter-
ests of the aforesaid Captain John Phillips.
RESOLVED, That the said Captain John
Phillips has already cost the county of Rock
Island large amount of money in useless
litigation, and that as tax payers, having a
common interest in the matter, before pro-
ceeding TO ertremities, we will exhaust all
milder measures to prevent his obtaining a
residence in the county.
ReSolved, That we will use all lawful
means t, Danish from our midst, as an out
law, and unfit tor the society and counte-
nance of honorable men, the aforesaid Capt.
Phillips, and that we consider his aiders and
abettors in his schemes of villainy, as no
better than himself.
Resotred, That we will use all legal meas
ures to prevent Phillips from obtaining any
ferr y privileges on this side of the river.
Resolred: That said Phillips, by intrigue
and misrepresentation, was the cause of the
Government wasting some five thousand
dollars, by vaeating road after it had been
built.
Resolved, that in the language of John
Adams, "Live or die, survive or PERISH -
,ce aoiU put an end to this eternal turmoil
and litigation, regardless of consequences
RESOLVED, That our first duty is to protect
our private domiciles, and our wives and
daughters from insolent ravishment, and
that if the City Council persist ia sustain
ing that notorious villain in our communi-
ty, they are chargeable with that breach of
the peace.
Resolred, That whereas, we believe an in
dictment has been obtained in Rock Island
county, through the intrigue of John Phil
lips, against Absalcm Fisher, for riot, that
we will sustain Fisher by showing the falls
ity of the Indictment, and that we regard
the tools he made use of as no better than
himself
ResolUed, That the course pursued by Rob
ert Williams, in the City Council Of Musca,
tine, in sustaining our interests, meets with
our appreciation, and that we hereby tender
him our thanks for his fidelity to the cause
of right.
1t was then resolved that S. r. Drury,
committee to carry the proceedings of this
meeting to the meeting in Muscatine next
Monday evening.
Resolued, That the proceedings be signed
by the President and Secretary, and pub
lished in the Muscatine papers.
Adjourned sine die.
, W. G. REED, Prest.
S. NJ. DIoKEY, Sec'y.
On motion of Mr.. Slime, the resolutions
were received.
On motion of Mr.. Richman, the city pa
pers were requested to publish said resolu-
tons.
On motion, the Secretary was instructed
to furnish the City Council with a copy of
the resolutions adopted by the Illinois
meeting.
On motion of Mr.. Butler the following