Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-04-18

wsdnesday Last there vas . considerable
change 10 the psrsossl Of esr City Govern.
mont. and vs feel Ike saying somsshiss re.
gardiDg those gsstlsnsa vho have retired
from the "honoe and soolume entss Of public
life.
Or the Aldermen Who vacated their seats in
favor Of their 'svly elected successors. We are
frank to ssy. though many Of them we're po
htiesl opponents. that it is our belief tha.
they have discharged their duties faithfully
snd With an eye single TO the best interests oi
the city. It is no easy task to occupy the
position Of Alderman. even in this city The
fact that there 10 no salsry attached 70 The Of
6es does not imply. BY any mssns. that there
are no labors 70 perform. No men could
have discharge their duties a. faithfully % our
Aldermen have done. and not devote consid.
srAbls portion Of their time 70 it. The labors
10 the Council Chamber constitutes bat anal
portion Of what each 10 required to do. Asl
members Of . Committee they have 70 devote
much valuable time In investigation end con.
sulsstion-goiug here and there and doing this
and that But it 10 matter that every Alder.
man engages to do, and vs are glad to state
thst the Council Of The past year has done ito
duty in oil respects promptly and snsrge.ically.
10 'ts deliberations. - . general thing. the idea
Of politics and the drawing Of political linee
has been almost entirely ignored. Esch has
worked we'll with the other for the best inter
ests Of the city. We have been present At the
greater portion Of the mestioes, and have
pretty thorough knowledge Of the correctness
Of what We say. Wsm may add that the new
Council has only to do ite duty - we'll as the
old one has done. to bs entitled to the credit
Of having performed their duty.
1t is du1 to Marshal Mcneil. that ve speak .
word in hi. favor on behalf Of the people Of
this city. whom he has 90 faithfully served for
the past Two years. A. fer - preserving the
gsnsrsl peace Of the city u concerned it is .
sslfsvident fact that there has been nothing
Of consequences lacking nothing We may cay,
over which be could exercise control. Though
Ar. Mcneil vac an officer under Republican
rule, and Republican himself, We are bound
to confess that Davenport has never had .
more competent Marshal In the matter Of
city taxes alone. he has saved the city thou
ssnds Of dollars. In instances where thousands
have hitherto been lost through inattention or
lack Of promptness 10 enforcing collections on
personal property. For the frat time in ten
yeare. We venture to state, has the amount Of
delinquent taxes Of any one year carried over
to the next Asrshal. been less than hun
dred dollsrs-ws might almost say thousands
As vas shown to the Council on Wednes-
day. Mr.. Mcneil has succeeded in reducing
the tag assessed on personal property to
mere cipher. To do this required constant
watchfulness and exertion. Personal property
In this city is eome,imes rather uncertain, and
he who would collect taxes on it successfully
must keep sharp look out. Besides tbie he
has assessed property in different portions of
the city, that the proper officer had overlooked,
to the amount Of about two hundred Thousand
dollars, and collected the taxes thereon, thus
saving the city . large amount. which the city
iu some instances would have lost entirely
This is what We should call keeping an eye On
business The city found 40 efficient officer
10 o. s. Mcneil. aud If his successor only does
% well. be viii! never be justly accused Of ne
glectiug his duty.
1t 10 needless to enumerste other officers
NJ. Remington. as Treasurer. and Mr.. Lane. as
Attorney. have performed their duty, and re.
.ire-n not With handsome competence"
at least with the consciousness Of having dis
ebargs the trusts placed in their keeping to
tho satisfaction Of all.
Henry Mittelbuscher has been very care.
fnl, industrious and acceptable Clerk, for the
past two years. live knew any thing againe.
his official conduct We would speak Of it now
bat our belief is that be has done his part
faithfully.
Mr.. E. ". Baker made very popular Street
Commissioner. aud. - far - Ne know. has
performed bis duty faithfully. We believe
the Council rendered him . vote Of thanks for
having done 60.
To each and sll Ne tender our thanks for
the many little favors and courtesies shown us.
II they ever get another chance, We trust they
will not be At eli bashful about repeating the
same.
Az for the new Council. We have nothing to
cay. The same Mayor presides. and 90 far We
may count upon the machine being we'll oper.
.sted. No doubt every man will do his duty: