Evening star., 1868-08-03
The AIdernanic Dead.Lock.u

As all of the papers alluded to are at present OF
"radlcal' politics, and enjoy the patronage Of
the new city administration, the source OF in
spiration Of this concentrated assault ON the
Conservatives may be readily conJectured.
i do not propose at this moment TO criticise
or even TO notice the malignant spirit which
pervades two Of those articles, but merely TO
invite public attention to the fact that the au-
thors Cf them have either carefully concealed
or are entirely ignorant OF the merits of the
controversy respecting which they indulge
their disr osition to censure with or without
just cause, the acts Of their political opponents
Ihe simple 1estlons at issue are, whether
conferred bv the charter, Of elecung It's own
presiding odcer, or whether an unsCrup ulous
member may take possession Of the chair,
without an election, in despite of one half of
the members Of the Board There are both
nights and principles involved in these ues-
nons which the Conservative members will not
abandon.
Mr.. Richards, who pretends to be the Presi.
Dent OF the Board, ana who keeps the key of its
Chanoer IN ms possession or under his control,
so that as soon as the door is opened he can
seat himself in the chair, from which he saws
he will not be removed except by violence
was never even nominated or proposed for that
office in the presence of the Board. He was
however, proposed for temporary ehairpsan and
rejected. Thus is the extent Of his srieht. to the
chair, as may be verified by reference to the
reports OF that days proceedings in all the
RewRapeGs ReHr oi 1T sns city beg leave to refresh
Il -
report OF the sth of June, which is as follows:
MI. III Richards i move We now proceed to Or
,Mr; Crock'r.-I move that Mr.. z. Richards take
Capt. Moore and Mr. A. Lloyd object. OBJ.
c.Pt EoSre II i. customary for the Secretary
Mr. A. IIoSdf % Z SoSs tha. the Secretary ,,o.
coed to eall the roll Of members ''0'
sSS sss
Ii
Mr.. Croker put the question on Mr. Richards,
n0minsnon Rl, as = temporary @ chairman, and the Be
Mr. bichards, tsteppine in front of the Presi.
de1fs aesk NJ now act as temporary chairman,
Capt. Moore-You shall not act, sir, against the
wishes E q lar q majority % Of the member. here:
Mr.. Richards 81 protest, protest, protest. 1
protest, protest:
{H.PP SSH to cs ss the
Mr. MT Crock Croker ,;j III S protest; protest"
lican side. called the roll '0hi'''0h on 'h' h'puo-
hr; Riehsrd.;I.I haves certified copy here of
the wsrd JoSn rsad coot :: s.e
spd SIss kcsa1a SS9P QFsGEsE Third Wayd Benz
Moore Fifth Ward Cs9Rt SHT.n s.,S WAN W%
Ponaid MsCsshran; Seventh Ward. Henry n.
Mr. Richards-I am competent to act, and de-.
sist fl this disordsrlJ manner, you will be LETT
Captain MooI...You can 60 as soon q, you
Mr.. Riohards.- Il am Chairman pro rem.
MT; Moare-You are not. A majority here have
Mr. Moore requested the Secretary to call up the
new members that they might be sworn In.
SSyes Gssd asss,' ;ss. Cook Srocksr Baker,
Cs,hr.p, M and and IeGnssstsd Alderman A. Lloyd to
Mr. Riehards.EI protest protest, protest.
ii,p.otsss Ptet,.ss rot. protest, viii those who
sas sSS sSa
and A. p Clarke, contestant, left the room, 1eav.
If1S 1iiSn sSS rsOs Nor
4 he bSss and oTa
MI. Richards. (ontside Of the bar. IL want you
e undsIstsnd Mr. Clarke has been sworn in from
Zach OF the above named members who were at
VINO sna on ts os 81 those
rail, but within the door. - :, =
procsed TO the choice OF chairman ~ NJ"
Mr.. Gulick nominated Capt Moore.
The eereiary has no tight to es the Board 20 eI
der Ihi, 10 All ont OF order. All out Of order. i
Mr.. Noyes, the Secretary. then put the vote on
the neminatiOn Of Capt Moore: and the seven
Ts s.s1sig ens pa1eS Ps ssa % euk and
Lloyd TO conduct Mr. Moore to the chair, who per
Mr Quick nominated Donald MsCathran 40 vice
president, ano he Was elected:
hI: Lloyd ,I dominated s. " NOyes for secreta-
MT: Guiist n0minsssa Henry Teachem as Mes
eenger. ona ne was elected.'
This record shows that Mr.. Richards was
proposed only as temporary chairman and re-
lected; that in consequent of this rejection he
did not Jake the chair; that ubseq uently. while
he remained in the Chamber, the Secretary
proceeded to organize the Board according to
custom, by calling the roll of members: that
the newly. .elected members were then duly
sworn: that Mr.. Moore was elected President,
conducted to and placed in the chair. (which
was then yacant.) and thereupon Mr.. Richards
and his partisans deliberately withdrew IRON
the Board, leaving it without auuorum.
So far as was then disclosed, the position Of
temporary chairman was the height Of MIR.
Richards ambition. Within an hour after.
wards he stated in the joint meeting OF the two
CHAIRMAN but finding it impossible to pro.
ceed with business he and six others withdrew
10 another room, where they completed their
organization. He then suggested that the best
boards TO organize regularly" (See his re.
marks as reported and published in the Chron.
icle Of the 9Th Of Juue.)
Here II Is admitted by Mr.. Richards (and 1t
statement he so solemnly afhrIned,) that there
had been NO permanent organization by his
party in the chamber Of the Eoard. He also
stated, IN this connection, that the persons act
ing with HIM, including hImself numbered in
all only seren-of whom one was q sscontest.
ant" not then entitled To vote, but who has
since acquired the right OF mem mbership, in de-
fanoe OF the adverse votes Of his constituency,
by special act OF Congress. But, supposing
the whole seven to have been actual members
is IL not evident 10 every intelligent citizen
that these persons, being less than a quorum,
were incompetent, when sitting in conclaye in
room,' TO elect any Of the officers Of
the Board! Mr.. Richards knew this an. only
claimed at that time TO have been chosen tenn
porary chairman. Nor did his friends, when
IN the chamber, propose him for any other DO.
sion; because in view of the eQ ual division of
the Board. and OF the absence by sickness of
one Republican DlembeI, they did not desire
TO risk permanent organization. But, after
the dissolution Of the joint meeting, when il
had been ascertained that the absent member
dIsappToved their revolutionary PROCEEDINGS
and would not support Mr.. Richards, a new
claim was set up by him, in the face Of his
avowals TO the contrary in the }oint meeting,
that be had been elected President prior to
Withdrawing himself and friends from the AL
deImen's chamber. The baselessness Of this
clam may be aseer aiI6d by every one inter-
ested III knowing the truth, upon recurring TO
The newspaper reports OF the proceedIngs of
III at day, a sample of which is given in the
foregoing citation from your owA columns.
III have succeeded in giving an intelligent
OF the facts, the public will be able
"dead lock" in the Board Of Aldermen. The
SIX Conservative members remaining in the
Board and one Republican member refuse to
s ubmit 10 the usurpstion OF Nj. Richards. The
law gives them the right to choose their Presi.
dent, and they insist upon the exercise of that
right, whilst the occupant Of the chair persists
IN suppressing and withholding from a vote of
the Beard every proposition having this object
in view. These acts, Of themselves, are un-
warrantable usurpations Of authority-usur-
patiens which, under parliamentary law, are