Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-04-18
FIRST EDITION.
600 p. Nj.
DEBATE IN COUNCIL,

r last evening, and the opportunity was embraced
expose the secret ways in Which the attempt wa
made to inveigle the Legislature into the pa,
a | sage of certain inquitous measures petaining
/, our City Government. The Democratic minorit
Ia Council were evidently expecting somethin
of the kind, for they hustled Mr. Quinn int
, the chair, and the regular business of the bod
/, was opened, Mr.. Maris, the President of Cour
Gil, however, soon appeared upon the floor, an
the chair was vacated for him.
The proceeding cause from which the debat
sprang was the introduction, by Mr.. Pckels a
resolution in Council authorizing the paymeu
| to George v. Massey, ESQ.,. of Dover S775 \
counsel fees in the passage of certain bin
through the Legislature.
MIR. Finegan asked by what authority Mr.. Mas
! sey's services were employed?
MIR. McIntire said that the charter of the cit,
does not authorize the employment OF such coun
sell except i'll open body, and suggested that al
who voted to pay MIR. Massey might be person
ally liable for the amount.
MIR. Pickels, taking the floor, said he expected
this opposition, and should have been disap.
pointed had it not been raised. He was sorry
that he could not give that importance to the
subject which II required, nor yet state all the
reasons which had Influenced him TO assume
this responsibility. But he continued earlJ
| in the session, certain bills were prepared and
| sent down to the Legislature, among them one
| authorizing the borrowing of money for the BEN
eft of the Water Works. and another to pay on
the. floating debt OF the city. He was not Ger
| tain OF the vote upon these bills in Council but
| did not think they received any opposition
| The opposition did not dare to put theil names
| on record against the measures and tonight
every member said that the funding bill was
right and voted In favor OF it.
After their presentation to the Legislature an
opposition was raised, and many manoeuyres
were made to defeat the bills by msrepresent-
alton andiin other ways. Che Democratic mem
bers of Council met in secret caucuses afraid to
stand up in open body aud oppose the measures
manfully; but they were determined on their
defeat, and even said in Council that they
couldn't pass And further, bill was drawn up
very wisely and carefully for the appointment of
three Water. Commissioners, giving them tho
suthorlty to expend $500, 900 and vesting them
with extraordinary powers.
These things came to the ear of Mr.. Pckels
he said, and he found that something must be
done. He went to Dover, and he must confess
that he felt despair creeping over him The
very atmosphere Was reeklng with falsity and
mOng the tangible evidences of deception he
read the following We print it entire, mistakes
and ALL
"A Remonstrance Of he d mocracy of vii.
lnington against he Passage Of an Act TO
Fund a,e Floating Debt of0.e city Of Whining
ton e.
'In the year 1871 and 1879 the Republican
Council OF Wilmington spent nearly 800, 900 in
eAcesb Ot tno appropriations, very large
amount of this money WAS disbursed by re-
sponsible Committee of Council, whose acts
thus far have been secret and its accounts un-
audited. This fact cannot be denied. The Re-
publican majority in Council. afraid to face the
people in a contest when their reckless expen-
diture of money could be exposed are desirous
of funding the floating debt, 80 that citizens |
might remain ignorant of their actions. When
the question of funding was mooted the Demo-
cratic majority in Council held a caucus and it |
was unanimously resolved to oppose it, II the |
Democratic members OF the Legislature aid the /
Republican party in Wilmington in covering /
up their profgate and reckless waste OF the |
peoples money, they virtually invite them to i
repeat such extravaganza at the next election as /
we are positive much of the present difficulty Il
was caused by the use Of public money for /
fraudulent election purposes
"Ihe solicitations OF certain Democrats to |
pass this bill, spring nom personal and selfish
motives, and in no way ref set either their politi-
cal opinions, or the feelings of the party.
I'm one instance the name and influence, of
prominent Democrat are used i'll its favor II |
is rather singular coincidence, that this gentle
man is President of Bank to which the city is
Indebted 69OOO-and of course he is anxious
to get his money.
THAT Mr.. Pickels and his friends are in favor
Of it is natural part of this excess they now de-
sire to fund, was used in paying repeaters re-
Tarding their leaders, and in other villanous |
devices of political corruption.
The fraud and outrages of the Republican
1
posure and punishment, if the Legislature will
'efuse to aid them ia covering it up, by funding
bill, there will be an honest election eighteen
months hence, as there will be no fund with
which to carry out the dishonest schemes.
mark that the appropriation for this year is
300 $50 more than last year. There is not any
increased call for expenditures. This alone
Without any funding ID sufficient to pay off the
loating debt. We simply ask our party in the
Legislature to force the Republican majority in
Council to honestly pay the city debit and there
~ deprive them OF fund for corruption and
wrong"
Mr.. Pickes then exposed the mistatements
misrepresentation and intimations of wrong
ioing contained in the circular and said is it any
wonder that counsel was employed to insist in
he passage of the bills. He believed he had done |
light, and il Council refused to pay tho bill he |
would pay every dollar of it out of his own pock-
Mr. Pickels then passed to a consideration of |
he economy wrought in the employment of |
counsel. Ii the Water Commissioners bill had
,assed, the salary of these men would have |
mounted to $1,000 annually, to say nothing of
heir clerk hire and office rent. He had saved
he city money, and certainly no one would re-
use to vote for economy. He was advised to
llre counsel, and by Democrats, too. 1t was no
lew thing. -Four years ago the same policy was
necessary then it cost the city 81 900, but now
t Is let Off with $775. Committees of Council
lave heretofore employed legal assistance with
nut authority, and at New Castle, last year. this |
Il
he city by il.
Mr.. Finegan said that he honestly opposed the
funding bill, and that men as honorable and az
pright as the friends of the bill also opposed it,
The principle in the employment of counsel was
Vrong the Republicans had majority in Coun-
il, and they might have employed legal assist
nee by vote of the body if they desired.
Mr.. Hayes disolaimed the authorship of the
ircular and said he did not even assist in its
He saw it, analyzed it, and saw
hat there was good deal of truth in it. He
vas opposed to the Funding bill on principle
because the appropriations were larger than
ast year, and believed that the tax rate would
10 laid upon the basis of the appropriations, |
Vhich ought to be amply sufficient. He pro-
ounced the finances OF the city in q deplorable
ondition, and said that if one man could incur
II the obligations Of this nature, Council had
'etter disband and yield to HIM.
Mr. Febiger took an economical view Of the
ubject, but exposed the under-hand measures
which had been taken to defeat the Water bill.
n five years time he said, the present Water | ,
ill would save to the city $4,000 over the ono
lefeated. And then there was the Police Com
nissioners BILL which would have still further
the city expenditures Again referring | ,
o the water bill, Mr.. Febiger said that the pre-
ent one was not what was wanted, but was ac-
epted as a compromise. Under it the comple-
ion of the new basin would be delayed one year
onger, and the extension OF the water pipes to
he 9th and 10th wards and to the ''South Side''
would also be delayed, which will be a serious
and drawback to improvements
/, thosa lOoa litiaa Ia alan hriadv tho |