Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-16
NAMING THEiNEW COUNCIL
THE MASS MEETING AT THE
THEATRE LAST NIGHT.

Hon. X. f. Lester Unanimously RenOmi-
mated to the MayOraIty - The Club
Combination and Citizens Committee
Movement Fall Through and the Pres
ent Board of Aldermen rendered a
| Re-nominatfon-AC Committee of 25
| APPOINTED to Fill Vacancies Tinker
ing with the Registration Law.
Seven hundred people took part in the
Democratic mass meeting at the Theatre
last night. 1t was as conservative and
representative a body of men as ever
gathered in a municipal convention.
Hon. R. E. Lester, Chairman of the DEM
ocraTic Executive Committee, called the
meeting to order and stated it's object
10 place in nomination candidates
for Mayor and Aldermen Of the city. He
cOunselled harmony and unity of action
/ in fUrtherance of the best interests of the
| people.
| Capt. G.. A. Mercer nominated Tor the
MayOralty Hon. L. f. Lester, the present
| incumbent. In making the nomination
/ be believed he voiced the unanimous SEN
tIment of the people. The nomination was
| seconded by DR.. l.. A. Falllgant. Inc
| vote was unanimous, and was IOllOWed Dy
| cheers and calls for Lester. Col. Lester
| responded in a few words, thanking the
/ people for their expression OF confidence
/ in him. He accepted the nomination, and
| if elected would assume the responsible
| ties of the office with desire to do his
whole duty.
| Major q. NJ. Ryals in behalf of the citi-
| zens' movement submitted to the meet
! ing the result of the district primaries on
/ Wednesday night and placed in nOmina-
| ton for Aldermen the following gentle
men:
First District-E. j. Kieffer, E. A.
Smith.
Second District - Robert McIntire,
| Abraham Letter.
Third District-Dr. l.. A. Falligant, ii.
| NJ. Conner.
Fourth District-P. j. O'Connor, John
Schwarz.
He also submitted the resolution
| adopted by the Citizens Committee and
| published in the NEWS on Wednesday
| favOring a repeal of the present registra-
ton law and moved its adoption by the
| meeting.
NJ. A. O'Byrne, Esq. moved that the
matter be laid on the table, and called the
attention Of the Chair to the fact that the
| motion was not debatable.
DIR. Falligant assumed the authorship
| Of the resolution, and claimed the right
| to speak in behalf of its adoption. He
! vigorously denounced the present system
! Of registration and the manner in which
| il is carried out. and urged that the law
be either remOdeled or totally repealed.
| He believed it to be the duty of the peO-
| pie as Democrats to do justice to them
selves by seeing that injustice was done
TO no one.
A lively discussion followed in regard
to certain defects in the law which it is
claimed prohibit the registration of citi-
! zens residing in the extended limits OF
the city.
Capt. Mercer asked that the resolution
| be reread. Ii its purpOrt was to secure
| an absolute repeal of the registration law
he would oppose its adoption, but If to
| remodel the law he would support 1t.
| The law. he believed, contained many
Objectionable features, which ought TO De
/ done away with. but he was not prepared
to support movement to abolish the
law.
| The Secretary again read the resolution
| calling for a full repeal of the law. a
| vote was taken, and upon division the
/ resolution was adopted.
Hon. p. w. MeIdrim, in a speech of some
! length, in which he disclaimed any con-
! nectiOn with factions, clubs or cHques,
/ renOminated the present Board OF Alder
/ men. In doing so he represented no one
/ man or set of men. He had but
/ one interest to subserve, and that was the
/ best interest of the people. In urging
! that the nomination be accepted he paid
/ a glowing tribute TO the present Alder
/ men for the work accomplished during
! their expiring term of office, and on the
I ground that the men most familiar with
/ the duties of the Office are the best pre-
| pared to discharge that duty, he asked that
| the board, if it would consent to serve
/ for the next two years, be returned by the
/ unanimous voice and vote of the people.
! In event that any of the board declined
/ to serve, which he understood was the
| case, he moved the appointment by the
! Chairman of the Democratic Executive
/ Committee of a committee of twenty-five
| to fill whatever vacancies might occur.
| DIR. Falligant opposed the denomination
| of the old board. While he did not object
to the adoption of any resolutions that
| might be suggested commencing the ad-
ministratiOn for the efficient work it had
performed, yet he believed new men were
| needed to direct the city's affairs.
A lively debate followed and the old
/ board was finally TenOminated. 1t was
| generally understood when the vote was
! taken that at least four of the board
| Aldermen Wilder, Green, Minis and Han
| leV-had declined to serve another term.
| Alderman Hanley was present and an
| nOunced that he was not candidate for
| reelection. and under no conditions would
| accept a denomination. Mr.. Meldrim
| stated that he was authorized to speak
/ for Messrs. Wilder. Green and Minis, and
that they had emphatically declined to
accept a denomination if 1t were rendered
them.
The appointment of the committee Of %,
/ as suggested by Mr.. Meldrim's motion,
was apparently a necessity, and the ques-
/ tlOn arose whether if it were appointed
! and nominations were made IN place of
/ the declining Aldermen 1t would not be
! 70 hon how irafr
/ been renOminated and not having
/ declined since the nomination was
made. Alderman Hanley was urged
I TO withdraw his declinatiOn, and consented
| to do so only with the understanding that
/ the other Aldermen who had declined
would also reconsider their determination.
II was finally decided that the committee
| should be appointed, and if after having
| acquainted the Aldermen with their nOm-
| inatiOn, they should still decline,
nominations should be made to fill the
| vacancies, and a meeting of citizens
| should be called to consider the action OF
! the committee.
The committee was appointed as fol.
lows:
p. w. Meldrim. J.. a. Falligant,
/ IL. NJ. Branch, John A. Douglass,
/ Martin Helmken, NJ. j. SOlOmOns,
y. o. TiltOn, 4. &. Harmon,
| David Weisbein, Merritt Dixon,
| George W. Parish, ;. Elsinger,
J. j. Mcmahon, f. j. KietfeT,
John q. Butler, ID. q. Purse,
! John :. Tyson, ThOs. Ballantyne,
! ID. q. Heidi, John FlanneTy,
| Herman MYERS, John z. McIntire,
| A. G.. YbaneZ. DIR. I. j. Charlton,
George Hunt.
The committee will wait upon the Al.
dermen to-day, and Will meet tonight al
the office Of Garrard ~ Meldrim.
The resolutions fayOring repeal of the
registration law were recOnsidered for the
purpose OF amendment, and on motion Of
| Mr.. Meldrim such a construction was
| placed upon it that the matter OF remodel
| ing the law should be left to the discre-
| ton Of the Senator and Representatives.
AMONG THE CRIMINALS.