Daily Republican., 1879-07-11
The Minority Protest.

The minority Of the City Council
have placed npon the records Of that
body their protest against the election
Of Louis p. Lynch member of Council
to the office Of Street Commissioners.
The protest is truthful, strong and
vigorous, and places the action Of Mr..
Lynch in voting for himself for the Of
fee in a very unfavorable light before
the public. We have already said that
while Mr.. Lynch had legal right, he
had no honorable right to vote for HIM
self. 1t is true that no mere rule OF
Council could anpul the law or abridge
the rights of member of Council, but
there is always motive higher and
more honorable than the mere wording
of q law, which if violated brings greater
disgrace upon the violator than the re.
fusal to b. governed by the law. The
rules of the City Council printed
which we're violated last Monday
night we're passed every year
for the government Of that body, an d
every year during the last seven years
Mr.. Lynch has recorded his vote in ia
vor Of Rule XIV which rsa ds as follows;
"Every member who is present when
question is stated from the chair, shall
vote thereon, unless excused 10y two
thirds of the members present, or un-
less he be directly interested in the ques,
tion, in which case he shall not vote"
Nothing could be more plain than this
rulsunanimously adopted for the govern
ment of Connoil, and for which year af.
ter year Mr.. Lynch voted wa think at
least seven timea. Mr.. Lynch does not
deny that he violated that rule of Coun-
Gil, openly and wilfully for the sake of
go tting ali Office worth $500 year, the
term being for three years. 1t is no
justification for Mr.. Lynch and his
friends to say that the real
statute law was not violated,
and therefore, he should be held guilt
less. 1t is honor that is at stake. 1t is
whether mans word is to be relied
upon when he has an Office in view
Here is Mr.. Lynch's great mistake. He
has seen proper to sacrifice honor in
this particular case for the sake of get.
ting an Office worth $500 a year. Mr..
L. in his address before Council on
Monday night stated that when he
mentioned his. Intention to become
candidate for the Office of Street Com.
missioner to Councilman Paynter, tha.
gentleman promptly ssaid: "Well then
resign your Office OF councilman" This
was honorable in Mr.. Paynter, and had
Mr.. Lynch taken his advice he no doubt
would have had the support not only of
all who did support him in caucus, but
of Messrs. Hart and Paynter as we'll. Mr.. |
Lynch however saw proper to reject
this advice and retain his membership
in Council that he might hold The bal.
ance in favor of himself if the time
come when it was needed. When he
next requested Mr.. Paynter to use his
influence in his favor, that gentleman
said, Il will do all can to defeat you,'
aud he did but did not succeed. He
did however force Mr.. Lynch to wiful.
ly violate long standing rule of Coup.
Gil for which he Lynch) had
steadily voted over and over. The
protest of the minority against such
actions, is timely and effective though
for the present it cannot reverse the
action of the City Council, and Mr..
Lynch will remain Street Commissioner
while the honor Of the majority of the
City Council lies blasted and broken
wreck of it former strength.