, 1861-04-02

Of bluff, not unlike that adopted by Fer
nando Wood three or four years ago, when
the Intervention Of military power was
necessary to put the scoundrel down and
maintain the supremacy Of the law. 1t
will be remembered that Wood constituted
himself the sovereign Judge Of law
enacted By the legislature Of New York,
and refused to permit it to 60 into opera
ton until 1t should have been passed upon
by two or three Courts. This intolerable
usurpation Lasted until Major-General
Sandford could march battalion into the
City Hall, when it came to a sudden and
ignominfous end.
In his eagerness to hold Office another
year without reelection, Wentworth has
adopted Woods maxim that the acts Of
the Legislature are presumed to be uncon-
stitutional until declared valid by the
Supreme Court. But il another important
matter he outruns Wood himself His
satellites are giving out that he will refuse
to CAL any election for city officers, or that he
will direct the City Clerk to neglect his
duty in that particular, for the purpose Of
enabling himself and two or three of his
friends to hang to their Offices another
gear in spite Of the voters and taxpayers.
To give some sort Of color to his usurpa-
ton, he is employing Il couple Of lawyers
to ransack and pervert the decisions Of
Courts in Rhode Island, Delaware and
Arkansas, relative to the legality Of acts
submitted to q popular vote.
1t il sufficient to say that this is all q
most bald and silly attempt to scare people
out Of their legal rights and imperative du-
ties under The city charter. Every act Of
the Legislature is valid until declared un-
constitutional by some court Of competent
Jurisdiction in IRino;t. The decisions Of
Rhode Island, Delaware or Arkansas,
whether adverse or othe, wise, are Of no
1nore consequence to us at this time than
the rulings Of 8 police Justice in Patago-
nia. Wentworth knows this perfectly well,
but he hopes to bluff the people from their
right to choose their OWL officers for the
ensuing municipal year. When he declares
that be will not cali an election, or that
the City Clerk will not do SO, he knows
perfectly well that the neglect Of an officer
Of the law to do his duty in the premises,
cannot defeat the wishes Of the people ex-
pressed in the mode provided by the law.
He knows that an election on the third
Tuesday Of the present month would be
lust as eHectual and just as legal, without
the customary official notice as with it;
and he knows that ho cannot afterwards
plead his own naisfeasance or nonfeasance
to set aside the results Of the election--or
In other words, he cannot take advantage
Of his own wrong-doing.
An election for city officers will be
held on the 10th inst, and the persons
then chosen sciN tate aud hold their e6fiice&.
Mr.. Wentworth does not want to have a
law suit about it at all If any litigation
shall arise, it will be for lam to apply for a
n.andamus requiring the newly elected
officers to show their clearances, He can
not enjoy the luxury Of being the defend.
mt in such a suit. But We need
argue this matter no, farther. Lei
us in conclusion draw attention
to the bare faced inapudence Of the man
who declares his intention to resist the
people and usurp the functions Of the may
crafty for an entire year after his term o
Office closes This, be it remembered, is .
man who clamors night and day about th'
aConrt House clique" This, be it remem
bsred, is 8 man who has hardly been on
of Office for the past twenty years
who has hardly done anything else, sine
he arrived at mans estate, but draw
money from the public treasury. Ant
now his thirst for Office and its Hmolfmcnt
has become like. the thirst Of the inebriat
for rum, Unsuitable and .oVerpowerine
While other men are content to obtain o1
ice through the votes Of their fellow cit
zens and under the sanction Of law, it n
mains for him to seek it without the sui
frages Of the people, and in defiance OF th
law.