, 1876-04-19


fuslng tn accetlo to tho popular demand for
bis resignation, tho Ad Interim merely
ayailcd himself of the opportunity to attack
er t.,td<dra the administration Of his prede-
ccssor. Tho basis Of CoLyN's letter to the
Committee IL found in the following sen
tonco:
In November. 1879, was elected by , majority Of
ten thousand t1eo0o} 10 ths Office hold by
tbs surtges Of tho people, Irrespective Of party. WHO
had become heartily dpsustal with tho knnstrztlon
Of AFFAIR." By Mr.. MxpiLt.
Tho obvions answer to this, In connection
with the demand Of the people Of Chicago
TINT GOWN shall rotirc, is that the satisfac-
ton or dislike of the people with tho pre-
yious administration il In no Eonso RESPONSE
bic for tho contempt in which Coty1N's AL
,ninistration Is now held, and TINT tho large
minority by which be was elected only Serves
to confirm tho completeness of tho reaction
which now prompts larger majority TO de-
maud his resignation. As to the position
CoLvrs now occupies before the people Of
Chicago, tho plcn ha mikes in his letter Is
entirely irrelevant, mud it attesta his inability
to justify his moral or legal c1aim to cling to
an Office eighteen months beyond tho timo
for which he was elected.
But Cory1N's letter serves at least to bring
to tic Surface tho fundamental error OF his
administration, viz. a misconception Of tho
will Of the people in voting him into Office
on tho issue presented in tho fall of 1873.
Thero was but one issue in that election, and
that was whether or not the old Sunday or
dinanco alould be rcsained OR repealed. The
people voted that it should be repealed.
But CoLv1N, truo to his own inat;ncts, ill.,
ferred TINT tho people Ind also voted q FREQ
license to the gamblers, prostitutes, pinps,
confidence men, bunkoists, mock auctions,
Peter Funk establishments, and tho loafers,
shoulder-hittors, roughs, and all other crim-
innl classes. 1Io exteutlcd to these people
tho freedom Of tho city, aud Chicago hns
been oyesrun with them ever sincc. lie hns
gono even further, md given these classcs
dominating influence in local politics,
whereby tho ballotbox has been corrupted,
the honest voters disfranchised, md tho
ta1. payers plundcrcd- That tho people in
voting for tho repeal Of tho Sunday ordi-
nance did not vote for tho repeal Of all tho
laws again8t tho criminal and dangerous
classes is now manifest in their demand TINT
GOWN, having extended these classes FREQ
license, shall abdicate his usurped power Of
continuing tho Same vicious aud diarepu.ab1e
policy.
AB to Co1Vn's allegation that the people
Of Chicago by majority Of 10000 woro
"heartily disguised with tho administration
Of a1aira by Mr. a1EptI1," such m Inference
il scarcely warrantablo from tho fact that
there waa majority Of 10000 in favor Of re-
nealing the Sunday ordinance. Tho Mayor
was an executive, mot legislative, off,
Ger. 1t Was tho Mayors duty 10 enforce tho
laws as ho found them; he could neither
make nor repeal them. He could not With
out violating Ills oath enforce some OF them
and refuse to enforce othors, according to his
own preference or the preference Of other
persons, It WIS AZ much his duty to compel
the observance OF tho sundny ordinance rs Of
tho ordinance against gambling. He enforced
both, as was his sworn duty. Tho prohihi.
ton Of the sale Of liquor on Sunday was en-.
acted twenty yenrs previous to That time,
20 TINT he vas in nowise responsible
for ita origin, He had no discretion,
ns an executive officer, in the mat
ter. He could not enforce it as
egainst one claa and not agatnst another.
Tho MAYORS bill" went into force On
July l, 1872, and 1t threw upon tho Mayor
tho whole responsibility Of enforcing The
city laws and ordinances. Tho city was
crowded with tens OF thousands Of new.
caners, attEactad by tho demand for labor te
rebuild thu city, and niaDy Of them were ths
saula class ot roughs, aud gamblers, anc
thieves who Aocked into ths city subse
quently At CoLy1N'a invitation. ANY lo1it1
in the execution Of tho laws would hayo sub
joetaa tho city at that critical period to Herioul
dangers Of life and property.
Every aaloon.keepor, in taking lis uccnst
from tho city, had eptered into coutrnct
with the guarantee Of two sureties in tht
penal sum OF $500, not 10 sell liquor O.
Sunday. The Mayor simply required from
them ths fuldllment OF their part Of this con
tract. liz could 10 no less without violating
his oath To enforce the lawa.
But the disgust Of tho peop!a with Cot
v1Ns administration, which prompts tllom t,
unito with ons accord and without politca
distinctions In demanding hss retirement, il
not because 10 has enforced tho laws, but be
cause lo haa not enforced them. With etiua
power aud equal responsibility be has VI
humed tho right Of aetting aside not mefe1,
tho suulay ordinance. which was repealed Il
deferenco 10 voto ct the people, but ais
the ordinances which wero not repealed. II
las tniled to execute the laws aRainat tA
criminal clashes. but has preferred 10 Us