Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-17
special Meeting OF the City Council.

special Meeting OF the City Council
THURSDAY EVENING, Dec. 18th.
President of the Council, Thomas Jones,
Jr., in the Chair.
All the members of the Council present
except Messrs. Dsngler, Gardner, Rogers,
Russell and Upton.
The President of the Council having
stated that the special meeting had been
called at the request of citizens, for the
purpose of taking some action in relation
to selecting location for a Navy Yard in
this city, and to appoint committee from
the Council to act in conjunction with a
committee Of citizens to secure the above
object, Mr.. Jones offered the following pre-
amble and resolutions, which were unani-
mously adopted:
WHEKEAs, Expeditions have during the
last year, been repeatedly and persistently
organized, fitted out and armed in the
Provinces of Canada for the purpose of
committing arson, robbery and murder up
on the property and persons of peaceful
citizens Ofthe United ates; And whereas,
| piratical expeditions have also been or
ganized from the same place for the pur-
pose of Preying on the commercs Of our
great Lakes; ss well ss levying actual war
against the people and Government of the
United States; and whereas, the aid, COM
/ fort and encouragement which the Cana
dian people have given to the conspirators
against their own peace as well as ours; by
the pressure of public opinion applauding
their acts; By the systematic utteranees
| of large proportion of tho Press by har-
boring and concealing them when they re-
turn home from their attempts to prosecute
their murderous schemes by the feeble
| efforts of the Cansdisn officials 70 bring
| them to Justice, and by the indecent haste
| with which, when they are arrested, their
Judges resort to legal quibbles and pre-
arranged judicial technicalties to prevent
either their punishment in Canda or their
extradition to the United States, have full
/ ly satisfied US that we have now no alter
| native but TO defend ourselves and our
commerce by placing on our Lakes with as
little delay as possible, sufficient numbel
of gunboats or armed vessels of war to ade-
uuatelY protect ma asaiast there pfrST1csl
| schemes to prevent the peace of our bor-
ders, and to constantly imperil the lives OF
our citizens Therefore
ReS0lUed, That the recent aetion of the
President of the United States in notifying
| Great Britain of the desire on the part oi
/ our Government TO put an end to the treaty
arrangement which has existed between
said Government and our own since 1917,
limiting the numberof armed vessels which
either party may maintain on the American
Lakes, receives our most cordial approval
and the same has been rendered absolutely
necessary by the want of good faith on the
part of the subjects of Great Britain, and
those other lawless persons they seem SO
eager to aid and abet in their frantic exer-
tions to involve the two nations in the ca
lamity of war.
Resolted, That we respectfully but ear
nestly urge upon the Government of the
United States the necessity of Immediately
locating and prnyidipg ior an adequate
Navy Yard aud Naval Depot, Cleveland
being the most suitable point on the great
Lakes at which gunboats and, vessels Of
war, needed for the protection of our COM
merce and the safety of our borders, may
be built, repaired and equipped, and that
we respectfully solicit the municipal au-
thorities OF the several cities of the Lakes,
having a special interest in the security of
the same, in calling the attention of the
Government TO this subject.
By Mr.. Crapser, That the Hon, Messrs.
George B Ssnter, a, Roberts, NJ. Crapser,
William II. Truscots, and Thomas Jones, ,Jr,,
disappointed Committee to act in eonjunc-
tion with the committee of citizens, to
present the claims Of the city of Cleveland d
as 4 proper location for Navy Yard and
Naval Depo,. Adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Bond, copy of the
above Preamble and Resolutions was or
dered to be sent to the President OF the
United States. Adjourned.