The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-02-04


The Intslligeneer seems to regard the
result OF the recent election for mem
bers Of the City Council as indicating
Q change in popular sentiment concern
ing tho wheeling and Lake Erie road.
The facts do not warrant such an as
sumption, The issue between railroad
and no railroad was not clearly made
in the recent election, The friends OF
the psojssted Improvements had no or
esnisasion and made no effort to form
one, and, IN the multiplicity, OF csndi-
dates, there was no concentration Of the
railroad vote. In addition to this, Ger
tain candidates. some Of whom were
suec.ssful, wes voted for by, men Of
epposits opinions, in the belief thstthe
p.rsonss,osed TOR Represented the SEN
einens Of the voter. Had the issue
been squsrely made and the opinion Of
each candidate clearly defined and pub
dicly known, it 10 doubtful whether a
single antilrsilroad man would have
been elected ip the First, Fourth, Fifth,
or Sixth wards st tbs city. This the
Is,ellgenesr knows full well, and it has
email cause now to lay the flattering
auctiop to its soul that any important
change has taken place in popular SEN
timent concerning the projected inn
erovements. since they were ordered by
the Overwhelming vote Of last May.
The people Of the city want the rail-
road and the bridge, and if members
o. Council have any doubt upon this
subject they can test the matter by re-
Signing and running the race over again
with q view to the determination OF this
question alone.
And now, one word in regard to the
srepriety of petitioners for injunction
voting against the employment of coun-
sci for the defense. The IntelHgencer
seems to think that the gentlemen who
90 voted were compelled to do so by
their regard-for "the interests of the
aty." This is a complete begging OF
.ls question. In our view and that Of
q majority of the people of Wheeling
dthe interests of the city demand that
The subscriptions be made and that no
unreasonable obstacles be placed in
the way Of the completion OF the
Contemplated improvements. But
could anything be more fallacious than
the IntsEgeAcsr's argumentf Suppose
that one OF these gentlemen, having
sustained some damage to his person or
property by an act or omission of the
corporation, should enter suit against
rhe sity, with what degree Of propriety
osuld he in his seat in Council vote
against the employment of lawyer to
defend the city in that suit ? He might
think that the Interests of the city
would be best secured by the immediate
and unceremonlous payment OF his
claim, but he would find it rather diff
cult to convince his fellow-citizens OF
that fact. Only a few days ago our
nsighbor rejoiced over the passage
Of Q resolution whose object was
to prevent members of Council from
being interested in any contract with
the city, and descanted upon the i'm
propriety Of members auditing and vot-
ing for the payment OF their own bills
for work done. Aud yet here are gen
tIemen who are virtually bringing a
suit against the city, who stand in the
attitude Of scomplsinants and pray that
the city in its. corporate capacity may
be restrained from doing an act, and
Chen a. members Of Council vote that
40 argument shall be made on behalf
Of the city in denial of their prayer.
IL such Q coarse any more excusable
than voting for the payment of ones
-