Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1864-04-08


tion Of Lee County, and the sum Of not less
than fifteen millions of doslsrs
Frank Semple for prosecution J. W. Ran.
kin for defense.
NEEDS ExPLANArIoH.-At an ad.
journed meeting of the City Council held Feb
ruary 10th. 1864. a report Of select commit
tee was unani mously adopted, which contem-
plated the amendment of the City Charter, as
was set forth Afterwards In due form in Mayor
Henry's proclamation. A portion Of this re-
port 90 adopted was in the shape of memoir
ial to the City Council which was to Be pre-
ssnted to the tax payers of the city for their
signatures That portion read - follows:
'zo the City Oosneil Of the City Of Daven-
port:
"rhe undersigned, qualified voters Of the
city of Davenport. respectfully petition that
the following amendment be made to the City
Charter Of the city Of Davenport. to.wit'
Then followed the proposed amendments,
which are already famil ar to our readers. and
the same was circulated among our citizen
tax payers by our Aldermen Couithart. Wun-
derlich and Hrschl for which service the sum
of seven dollars each was paid. and the names
Of more than one half Of the said tax pay ers
were subscribed thereto, including the names
Of our most substantial citizsns-ma aking in
all very excessive document. This petition,
so numerousy signed by the parties most i'm
tersstsd in the city finances, was then pre-
sented to the Council. as coming directly from
the hands of the people. and Mayor Henry is'
sued his proclamation. How could he we'll do
other wise Such request coming from tn .
sovereign people to their servant could not
we'll be disregarded. To have refused would.
have been an outrage on the right Of petition
and the Mayor would have been subject to
the most bitter censurs.
WE'LL the proclamation was issued even a.
the people had requested. aud the vote was
taken upon it on Saturday last. The result 10
we'll known-only five votes were east for It..
Who east those votesf Surely the Aldermen
Who fret voted to get the people to ask them
70 pot the project in motion, cannot claim that
honor; for there we're eleven Aldermen who
voted to adopt the report of the eommi.tes'
and only Eve votes were polled for the amends
IN ant. The question naturally arises: Why
did our City Fathers invite the people to Pc,
ton them (the Aldermen) to do q certain act
and then come up on election day and vote
ooaina their own bantling3 Why did they
ask to be asked. and after being asked, and the
scheme put before the people. cody desert
their positioni This strikes US as queer sort
Of legislation all the way through, but really
we cant account for the sudden change Of
base. We are quite cure that only one Alder.
man in the entire Council stood his ground on
Saturday. Will the other ten, and some OF
them hold over. tell what they meant BY this
unexampled change of mind. 1t is fair to
presume that they voted duuderstandiDgly upon
the original report, yet not even one Of the
Aldermen who carried around the p etition
whereby they had voted that they wanted to
be pe,itioped, and for which service they asked
and resolved seven dollars apiece. suss aimed
tho measure at the polls There 10 sample
Of legislation for you'll Take psy for asking
people to ask you to do On act that you
wouldn't and didn't do Where 10 Dosstickss
HI. lecture on "Cheek" can Be furnished with
another incident Of impudsnes that bssts sny.
thing in his extensive collection.
But word should be addressed to. the sign.
err. Why did you-ths majority Of The tax
payers Of the tax papers Of the city Of Davsa-
port, ak the Council to make you . PROPOSE.
ton. and then Ego back" on them You
ssksd for an amendment to the City Charter.
and spscifi ed in what respect you van'ed the
charter amended. and then didn't do it. That
needs explanation, Explanation is wsnted oil
around.
It 10 possible that ws can give it. They
.,oned their pames without considering the
m.ttsr. We could not accuse those men o
deliberately sssking An opportunity to declare
themselves es in favor Of reputation Of the city
debt; but the matter was taken up hastily ant
At the first glance seemed {, be fsasibls ne
thed Of properly adjusting an honest debt; bu
:. .oon a. the mattsr came to Be thorough,
aired. and % soon - they had thought It d
over candidly. they cane to The conclusion
that the best thing they could do wss - bssl
ont Of II. The bond holders will accuse ~
of voting to rspudists the debt you owe, On
= YOUR action on election day may justify them
perhsps, In 90 thinkings but ws siseNsly b
lievs thu. no s1sh thing was intended. Tn
p,au Vas started wrong aad opsasd too broat
= door. and the sober. second thought avails'
mush. Let those Who hold bona 6ds bonds {
the city Of Davenport. agree together to tsh
psr cent interest and the psoeseds Of l mi
sishiss fasd. and the people Of Davsapol
+ viii respond almost - ussninoassy in fsvs
4 Of that mode Of adj ustmsat. % they bat r.
et eoaaly seeee1 - ~ lsase, sasA \ 80 AanA
s1ialA s s S 81, sss S.
IA Ta0IAH Il y
s2Aa A x.A h--..rax II