Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-07-13
FIRST EDITION.
Election of city Solicitor.

SPECIAL MEETING or COUSCIL-MR. RUMFoRD DE.
cLINEs-foUR so-cALtED nEpUBLrcAys sgLI
OUT AND ELECT WALTER cUMMINs.
special meeting Of the City Council was helt
last evening, seventeen members being present
at 7.3O O'Clock. Mr.. Maris called them tc
order, and said he WAS not aware of the object
of tho meeting The Clerk said it had been call.
ed by the Mayor, and that high official being
sent for, he appeared and read the call for q
meeting "to transact such business as may be
brought before it," signed by five members-
Messrs Adams, VIM Candy, Mcintyre, McMena.
min, and W. NJ. Candy.
MIR. Adams then stated that the meeting was
called for the purpose, il possible, of electng q
City Solicitor, it being desirable for the proper
transaction Of tho public business to have sncll
an officer without further delay.
VIM. Candy called for the reading Of Mr.
Rumfords docnation. The Clerk said it had
not been received. Mr. Candy said Mr.. Rum
ford had sent it, and then produced copy OF the
declination, which was read, as follows
WILMIYGroy, DEL, July 7, 1870
VIM, $. Hayes, Esq,
Clerk OF City Council Dear Sir
hereby respectfully decline the Office OF
City Solicitor, to which your letter of the 9th
inst. informs me was elected at meeting OF
the council Oh July 9th.
am conscious of the honor conferred upon
mo thereby and thank my friends for tins unex-
pected compliment.
Respectfully yours,
IDuplicate.l CHAs. G.. RUMFonD.
On motion, the decnation WISH accepted, and
Council proceeded to elect a Solicitor. Mr..
Adams nominated W. O Spruance Mr.. Hayes
nominated Walter Cummns and Mr.. Febiger
nominated Benz. Fields. Three ballots were
thon taken as follows
ist 2nd 3rd
w. G. Sprnanee 3 3 .
Benjamin Nields q
Waller Cummins & 12
There were nineteen votes cast on the last
ballot, and Mr.. Cummins, having received ma
jorty, WAS declared duly elected. The two
members absent were Messrs. Baker and Green.
IL WAS apparent, of course, that four Repub-
licans, joining with tho eight Democrats, had
voted for Mr.. Cummns, (who is Democrat
and 30 elected him. in preference to either stick
ing TO Nitlis or supporting spruance. The three
votes for Spruance were well known to be those
of VIM. Candy, John ii. Adams, and w. NJ. Can
by. or those who adhered to Nields Messrs.
Maris, Lichtenstein, and Febiger probably cast
three out of his four votes. AT least 1t is fair to
presume that Mr.. Iichtenstein cast one, as he is
about to be nominated to an honorable position
by the Republican party, and that Mr.. Fabiger
did, as he put Mr.. Nields in nomination. Who
the four were who "sold out cannot there
fore remain very OBSCURE
1t is understood that the eight Democratic
votes would have been cast for Mr.. Spruance on
the next ballot they having satisfied themselves
Cnmmins. This intention, however was indica-
ted by Mr.. Taylor to Mr. Pickels, after the Sec
ond ballot had been cast, and the result was that
OH the third vote, the four Republicans were
found to have chopped"
WHAT II Bald OF IT BY MEMBERS oE COUNCIL.
Representative OF the COMMERCIAL called on
Mr.. NJ. l.. Lchtenstein this morning, who ex-
pressed regret that the Itapubhcans IN Council
could not agree on candidate, when they were
n n majority. He SAID he was not one of tho
'our who went over to the democrats and did
lot know who the four were. When asked why
hey took that course, he answered that he did
iot know that but supposed that it would hardly
% expected that ten men should JON three,
meaning probably that the eight republicans
and Green abaent-who suppor-
ed Nields, could not be expected to join the
hree who were for Spruance)
Mr.. john H. Adams was also seen, this morn
ng. lie expressed his astonshment at the
,ourse taken by tho four who sold out, and raid
10 had no idea that Democrat would be elect
3D.. He voted for Mr.. Spruance, rs his choice
or the position of Solicitor, but if he had
hanged his vote he would have given it to Mr..
Sields, of course, having no idea whatever of
'oting for Mr.. rummins He was surprised at
he result, and indignant that men who havo at
acked him for exercising an Independent judg-
nent in choice amongst Republicans, should
,etray their party, and deliberately elect Dem
,crat.
Another member of Council, who did not vote
or Cummins expressed his regret that the, city
lad not all older and moro experienced lawyer
or Solicitor. He mentioned that there are some
important suits pending against the CITY, be-
ides the many important law points continual
y arising. One of the suits is that OF the Odor
ess Excavating Co., for damages in which that
.oncern has retained Mesars. Gordon aud Har-
ingto two prominent and experienced lawyers.