National Republican., 1883-08-17

upon somo of the more conspicuous leaders of
the democratic party who had manifested
their hostility to his continued political su-
premacy. Early in February last the mayor
abolished tho FIRE board and appointed James
Monroe IIeiskell fire marshal of the city.
In June last convention of the democrats
of the metropolis was held for the purpose of
recommending ways and means to arrest GER
tain abuses complained of in tho methods of
the party. IL was confidently believed by the
mayor and his superserviceable honchmen
that they controlled majority OF the mem
bers of the convention in their interest, and
that that body would readily acqulesce in
tho policy that the mayor would rec
ommend To his chagrin tho convon-
tion ran counter to tho wishes of the
mayor and ropeled his advances. Ho was
not long in discovering that the members of
the late fire board had contributed largely to
lessen his influence with the convention, and
in order to punish and humiliato them before
the inhabitants oftho city, Hciskell instigated
tho finding of the presentments before the
grand jury against Messrs. Register and Nor
rison for misdomeanor in Office. When Heis-
kell took this course 1t is not probable that
he imagined he was throwing n boomerang,
which, in its recol, would innict q severe
blow upon his august chief. IL appears that
although the late fire board receives no com
pensation whatever for their services, there
was o musty ordinance in the archives of the
| city making it a penal onense for q
member of the board to be engaged in any
contract, directly or indirectly, or concerned
| in any manner in doing work Of any kind, or
furnishing supplies for any institution or
| office in which the municipality was inter
ested. SO little had this law been observed
that it Vas regarded as obsolete, and both
| REGISTER and Morrison so treated 1t, though
not, as supposed with criminal intent Reg
ester, who is an extensive brass founder, fur
nished supplies in his branch Of trade to the
city, and Morrison (who came here after the
war from no one but himself knows where)
supplied the public buildings with sundry
electrical machines.
By virtue of his Office the mayor was ex
| oflloio member of the fire board and imme-
diately after Heiskell in the shadow of the
mayor, prompted criminal processes to be
served upon REGISTER and Morrison as set
FORTH similar proceedings were speedily
visited upon tho mayor and the tumult
which has followed can be but feebly de-
scribed. Public sentiment is much divided
upon the propriety Of involving the mayor in
the scandal but that he was technically re-
sponsibe for the official action of the fire
commission is apparent. In Wow of the dis
sensons which have arisen In the party
through the war waged upon the machine
methods by Gov. Hamilton, and the determi-
nation among the rank and file of the party
that the "bosses" must be overthrowD, the
outlook is anything but reassuring to such
men as Mayor Whyte. On the heels Of Gov
Hamilton's letter a king the responsibility OF
the abuses in the state government upon the
machine follows the charge, which has been
heralded all over the country, that Mayor
Whyte has been guilty of malfeasance in
office. Hastily as the latters friends have
rushed to his rescue, it will be difficult tC
convince the honest yeomanry of the state
that his conduct in the premises has beer
blameless. That formidable effort will bt
put forth to put the machine rascali
out the rascals themselves freely
admit. Tho differences in the party
are irreconcilable, and this breach be-
tween the rival factions widens each day. Il
is now discovered that James Monroe Heiskel
"lacks political astutoness," and the Torment
in Baltimore over municipal affairs is attrib-
uted to his indiscretion. He has exasper.
ated the hosts of anti-Whyte democrat
against himself and the higher politica
honors for which he was stated next sprinl
are not likely to be accorded.
OCCASIONAL.