Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-27


nize in any one the inflexible deter
mination TO be just, to do right. For
over four months last past, Mr. Gray
has flied his place in the Council but
twice and for over two months last
past he has not sat in that body at all
and nov he has been living for about
three weeks outside of the county
with his whole family, with the prob
ability that amounts almost to
certainty, that he will so reside out of
the county for many months to come,
perhaps for year, or even more.
About one year ago he was chosen
by his fellow citizens of the 4th ward,
to legislate for the whole city and es-
pecially to look after the particular
interests of his own ward.
For over four months he has almost
wholly neglected in Council the in
terests of the city and the public in
terests of his ward constituency, his
neighbors and friends who selected
him to take care of their interests.
That election was for term of two
years and now, to supplement his
own absence for many months, he
has been residing as we have said, for
three weeks, nearly hundred miles
away, with his entire family and con-
sequently knows very little of the
wants Of his constituency, or if he
knew them he is not here to attend
to them and does not, but is attend
ing solely to his own business, and SO
that ward is deprived of one half of
her legislative power. Notwith-
standing all this he declines to resign
he declines to let the people of that
ward which contains, say four hun
dred voters, choose somebody that
will attend to their business in the
city Council.
He Sandstone man-like a dog in
the manger, having the power, and
declines to permit the exercise Of the
vested rights, of four hundred of his
fellow men.
How does he do this? Why he
shelters himself behind the technical
right which he may have of saying,
as he did when moving, that this city
was still his residence and when writ
ten to and urged to attend to his Off
cial duties or give away in time 80
that the proclamation for city cleo
tion could call for the election of some
one in his place. And more than this
when written to by his own father-in-
law, that he ought to resign, that it
was for his interest to do so and all
this done in time to give him three
days to answer before the law made
it imperative to issue the proclama-
ton; nothing is heard from him 80
far as we know, until the Goth
inst, at 5 80 P. NJ, the City Clerk re-
ceiyed the following telegram from
him dated Feb. 20, 1873.
CoLFAx, Iowa.
My residence is Ottumwa, Iowa
will send you letter. l.. E. GRAY.
Still another day was left for the
Mayor to withhold his proclamation
and the letter was awaited by the city
Clerk on the next day, but none has
been received from him and the proc
lamation was issned.
At the last session of the Council
this matter was brought up as well as
the one previous and from tho first to
the last the democratic members have
studiously fought any attempt to
have Gray resign, or the place declar-
ed vacant. To the credit of Alder
man Mc'Cue, we will say that he voted
for the motion declaring that Gray
ought to resign or attend the Council,
but Aldermen BalliDgall and Jordan
have been especially active in sustain
ing Alderman Gray in the course he
has pursued and it is our best judg-
ment that they have been mainly in
strumental in inducing Cray to pur-
sue the course he has, which we be-
lieve he would not have pursued
without their interference. In short
this action of Mr.. Gray has been con-
nived at and endorsed by the ruling
power of the democratic party of
this city and Peter G. Ballingall, who
asks reelection, goes into the can
vass with this scheme nailed to his
back.
l.. E. Gray was elected in what IL
ordinarily, a republican ward. AT
ter the election he acknowledged that
his election was secured by score or
moro of republican voters and he
assured the people Of that ward that
he should rise above party, that he APP
preciated the compliment paid him.
How docs he do it? Whenever the
democrats have a party battle to fight
they write or telegraph for Gray to
come down, and this is about the on
ly time he appears in the Council
for this purpose he will be expected
to appear, if his vote will avail, at
the election of Marshal &C.,
upon the organization of the
new Council after election, and
so it is that alderman Gray rises
a0ove party, and so 1t is he repays re-
pu6licans scho voted for him on his
professions. He does not choose to
let the people elect some man who
lives here and can attend to their
business, choose their Marshal, &C.,
because forsooth, they might elect
some republican, and even his father
in-law, who is republican, . good
man, and who, we suppose, voted and
worked for his son-in-lsw q year ago,
can't shake him from his scheme Of
bluffing the people of the Fourth
ward and of this city, for his party
demand it of him-P. G. Ballingall
and Stormy Jordan demand it ofhim.
Such is democracy in O:tumwa, 10 wa.
and for its intensified cOunternart