, 1865-01-21

could issue no bonds until the Common
Council had approved Of such issue by a vota
Of q majority Of ali the Aldermen bY lar an
thorized to be elected.
So much for these so-called .precedcnts
which are both against you.
But even these separate organizations were
abandoned aa we obtained experience. and
upon the application Of large nunber Of tha
most Intelligent Of our citizens thev 1rcre
merged in the Board Of Public Works Who
were elected bJ the people and made eubord,.
rate to the Common Council. We now haTa
complete and harmonious system, The
Board Of Police Commissioners, the Board Of
Education, the Reform School Board, the FlIc
Department and the Board Of Public Works.
are all distinct and efficient but all dependent
on and subject to the representatives Of the
people, the Mayor and Common Council.
without whose consent no taxes can be levied
no funds appropriated, no money borrowed.
All moneys are In the hands Of the Treasurer.
only to be drawn out on tho warrant Of the
The Treasurer and Comptroller give bonds in
large amount, and city officials who use the
city moneys are made liable to conviction Of
felony and imprisonment In the State Penitcr-
tiary. Is not that system mora sensible.
more business like, more just, more repubi.
can, than the monstrous project under con
sideration.
- NC t4AAs VIC ptujeEt Is supported by
number Of prominent and Influential citi-
zens, gentlemen Of property, which for their
oHn reputation, trust, does not lie near the
route Of the proposed Calumet Canal. It is
also true that a majority Of meeting, Of
which notice vas duly published, but which
in fact did not exceed fifty in number, when
the vote Tas taken, or at any ons time before,
have approved IT. But the value Of that sup
port and approval, are lessened by the action
Of the Committee In reporting in fayor Of the
Calumet Canal, and Of the meeting in voting
toeontlnue that Committee in existence and
requesting the Judges Who were to hare the
appointing power, :" to confer with said com.
mittec in Reference to said appointments"
But whoever may support 1t, the bill itself
is it's own condemnation, for It aims to do
what presume Was never attempted before
in any city In the world, and viii never be
justified By its present advocates when reason
has resumed It's sway. 1t compels the Mayor
and Comptroller Of the city, without any au-
thority from the people of The city or their
representatives In the Common Council, to
prepare three million dollars of city bonds,
and to give them on their demand to five in
divfduals now Unknown, but with whose ap-
pointment the people Of Chicago have moth
Ing to do, who are required 10 have no prop
erly, to take no oath Of Office, and to give no
security. It permits those individuals to sell
those seven Per cent bonds at fifty cents on
the dollar, to their friends or others, If they
wish; to put the proceeds in my wild
cal bank, without interest and with
put security; to appoint and pay al
number Of employees any
amount of salary they may choose;
10 buJ any amount Of land at any price; to
cut of all the great railroads End highways
running south and east for IN indefinite time;
to adopt plans unknown to the public, to let
for millions osdollars insecret snt
without advertisement Or bids to 60 on for
! year at q time without any report Of their
aud at last, If poor human No.
;ure has succambed to temptation such as
err have had, If BY adroit knavery,. or brazeu |
heft, or blundering Ignorance, these millions
,aye been spirited away, and; the people Of
he guilty parties II found ont, tried and con |
icted, shali receive the enormous punish |
nent ofa fine OF one thousand dollars or less,
r imprisonment In the County Jail, or both. |
Such is your bill. I now leave 1t to tho |
eople Of Chicago, and the General Assembly,
Yours respectfully, SIS: HAYES.
CHICAGO, Jan: 10, 16G5.