The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-08-04

Section OF Art.-u of the charter to sup
port their position, which is as follows:
SEcTIoN6. ANY person elected or appointed to
any oftice may be removed from such Office by
by law to be elected. But no officer shall be re-
moved except for good cause nor unless first fur
nished with the charges against him, and heard in
to compel the attendance of Witnesses and the pro.
duction OF papers, when necessary for the purpose
Of such trial, and shall proceed within ten days to
hear and determine upon the merits of the and
II such officer shall neglect to appear and answer to
such charge, then the city council may declare the
deemed to apply to any officer appointed by the
city council, such officer may be removed at any
time bya vote OF two-thirds, as aforesaid in their
the disposition Of charges when preferred,
The section has no reference whatever
to the mayor or aldermen; it refers only
to officers who are not members of the city
council
When our charter was adopted, in 1857,
it provided for the election, By the people,
of a city marshal, and of a supervisor of
streets in each ward. and Section was
made for the trial of these officers only, if
found necessary, and it provided that
other officers, who were appointed by the
council, might be removed at any time, by a
vote of two-thirds of all the aldermen, with
out trial.
Judge Wilkinson prepared the charter
and he knows this to be the true meaning
of Sec.6.
After or 5 years trial, it was found
that the election of marshal and ward SUI
pervisors by the people did not work well,
and the charter was amended, in 1861, do
ing away with the election Of these officers
by providing that they be appointed by
the council, and providing that all officers,
Except mayor and aldermen) may be re-
moved at any time by a majority (of the
city council, not of all the aldermen) by
resolution without trial. The effect Of
this amendment to the charter is that Sec
8, is changed in phraseology, and the orig
inal Sec 6, is rendered entirely inopera
tive. Sec. 6 never referred to the mayor
or the aldermen in any form, directly OF
indirectly-had it been intended to do Sc
it would have referred to them by theii
proper official title.-and both that section
and also that portion of the amended char
ter alluded to are now imperative, being
superseded by the mayors law.
u The council has no power to try or tc
remove any of its own members. But tn,
charter provides how the mayor may b.
punished, and what for. and how removed
from Office. on page SO as follows:
SIS. He, Che mayor) shall be liable to indict
ment In the circuit court OF Rock Island county fo
papable omission of duty, wilful oppression, ma
conduct or Partially In the discharge of the dute
Of his office. And upon conviction shall be subeC
to fine not exceeding one hundred dollars; an
} the court shall have power, upon recommendatio
OF the jury, to add, as part OF the Judgment, ths
he be removed from Office.
{ The council can not try or displace its owl
/ members, and any attempt to do SO will b
e out of order and illegal. They are account
: able only to their constituents, and can b
. legally punished only by the courts.
i The repudiated hold-overs and thei
t stupid personal organ will find, if the
t ever make the attempt, that this is tn
true and proper interpretations Of the char
:, | ter.