The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-03-12
THE CITY COUNCIL.
lspec lal JOINT se.sion.l
CAIRO, ILL.,, March, 10, 1871.

Present-His Honor, Mayor Lanscer
and Counclmon Halliday, Schulz, Taylor
Wood and Woodward and Alderme
Cunningham, Fitzgerald, Kleb, Metcal
Rearden, Sease, Stratton, Swayne, Wade
and winter-l5
Neutrality-suspicious. Hurd and Alder
men Builder and Carols.
| Clerk Brown being absent, on mo
tion Of Councilman Taylor, Aldermar
Rearden was elected clerk, pro tenn.
On motion Of Alderman Winter tn,
reading Of the minutes Of the previoul
meeting was dispensed with.
Mayor Lansden arose and delivered hi,
inaugural address 20 the City Council n
follows
Gentlemen of the Ctty Council:
The city charter Of the city Of Cairo
provides that the Mayor shall, from time
to time, give TO the City Council infor-
nation relative 10 the state of the city.
and shall recommend 20 their considern-
ton such measures ~ he shall deem OK pc
dent for the advantage OF the city.
kt
and Ia conformity to the custom hereto
fore established by any predecessors, / de-
sire 20 submit for your consideration some
remarks and suggestions touching the
present condition of the city, and it, gene.
raj welfare.
We are not met together tLi. evening
rs the representative Of an extended poll
teal government with vast powers 10 cx-
ercisc or large patronage - dispense, but
rather a. the representatives. Of "a hutablc
or unpre,cntious local government or
municipality. But nevertheless !,
l. government. and though
merely local one, yet the author.
ity exercised and the duties required OF
it, representatives. are AZ least akin 10 II
not Identical with those found 10 oA!st ia
every government known u our country.
In many cas~s, however, the government
IL seen, or felt 30 DO, nj u distance. The
people hear Of IT, sometimes feel the
pressure of its power. but are frequently |
entirely unacquaintcd with It, there being |
from the people To the government long |
remove.
But with ~, In this local government, |
i; Is far different. Tho government IL |
right among the people aud not in any |
degree removed from them. The law |
breaker, the law-cNecator and all the |
other instruments and mean. Of govern
ment, are seen and understood, and in |
fact the whole situation, az II We're, l. taken
In at glance and from thi. arise. that |
strong argument so often urgcd in favor |
Of local government. Tho people, seeing |
the whole machinery of the govcFbtmenI |
The manner, style and character OF |
IL administration, the more
- n
comes from, or tho source from
which the evil proceed. and herein we
behold that max IN Of political government
known At least In our own country aud
not entirely disrcgarded anywhere,
namely, the accountability OF tho repre-
sentative Of the people 10 the people
Though many may doubt the PROPOSE
ion contained IN the words. the govern
ncnt Of tho people for the people and by
no people yet IL the same anywhere finds
place for It's true and full application it
$ in local governments ike these. These
may seem not only commonplace,
'ui, perhsp,, even out OF place;
yet IL The Obiector will only
'oncede that the principles are
/ will onl say that the
% constitution Of our State declares that "a
requent recurrence 10 tie principles Of
ivil government IL absolutely necessary
o preserve the blessings Of liberty
Ia entering upon the discharge Of the
'u,ies Of the municipal year, We have first
. look at tho work or du-
les to be performed, and then
o consider carefully the means by which
heir performance may be accomplished.
Ne are not here, Those of Us who come In |
ere for the first t.me), necessarily as re-
primers, so cslled-not here, US conceive,
o make promises or pledges TO any one, or
0 the public even, Of what will or will not
c done; but We are here Ms the repre-
entatives not merely of those who voted
~ Us, but Of the people Of our city, whose
interests, rs far ms the government of the
ny is concerned, have been entrusted 10
5. Tho promises and pledges that We
tight make, the law and our action in the
remises fully imply. To promise or
ledge more than the law implies, would
Q TO make promise orpledge which it
ould become our duty 10 break An
oncst, careful and faithful discharge of
10 duties of the positions to which the
iire, and not less than what they have
ie right to expect and demand at our
.nds. Withthis before US We can scarcely /
> far astray.
rIIE POLICE AND POLICE REGULATIONS.
To preserve good order in our city, and
protect the people in their persons and
ropcrty, the city should employ suffi-
ent number Of efficient men TO serve US
Dlcemen. ,
Situated rs our ctyiS, Its demands and
q uircments in this respect are much 1
eater than those Of many larger towns !
I'd cities in our State, Aside from what | ,
e may call the material interests Of the
~, rs good name and reputation abroad
,mand that persons visiting our city from
her places should not incur greater risk
an when visiting any other town or city
the country. The stranger, the rlien
I'd the home-born should alike receive ,
10 fullest protection. To this end tho
'dinances concerning vagrancy, gaming ,
I'd the tricks and devices generally for :
lie entrapping of the unwary, and perhaps !
her ordinances pertaining to kindred
alters, should be carefully examined in ,
with the powers granted in the
ty charter, with view to the perfecting =
the same should they be found defec-
We in any respect. When the ordinances