Daily Republican., 1889-08-10

posits, leaving the bank. which has the
only substantial pecun.ary interest in the
matter, a passive spectator. This, l am
most empbatically Of the opinion, should
not be.
In conclusion, again state It MS my
opinion that the proper course to be pur.
sud by the Council is the passage of q
resolution directing the Union Bank to
pay the check for Si20, 900 without fur.
liner delay. Very respectfully,
HENRY q. TURNER,
=, City Solicitor.
Mr.. MeKenney insisted upon the read
ing OF the minority report, which was in
the desk of the chairman OF the Finance
COMMITTEE, and he would not give 1t up.
Mr.. Chambers said there was little
mitch In the joint committee over the
words direct the bank" to pay tht
checs. He well understood how the
bank, under the circumstance, had re-
fused to pay the check, and he could
well excuse the city III .ials who united
10 protest to the bank against paying 1t
lie considered that they had acted
through pure and honest motives, but a,
tho tame time he could not see the pro.
priety of Council voting to direct the
bank to pay check which 1t had already
ordtred to be paid, and when Council had
taken no action whatever to stop the pay.
ment Of the check. lie could well un-
lers.and, after the fight they had at
Dow over the bill to divide the city's
money among the different banks, and
why, after they knew the bill had been
defeated, they saw the came scheme about
TO be accomplished In covert manner,
how they affixed their names to the letter
OF protest, but there was not the least
doubt that they had exceeded their au-
tdority. He severely condemned the
men who stopped to the level of thieves
to get the G street rider bill through the
Legislature. But be could not see the
use OF City Council weakening Its au-
thority by directing second time the
bank to pay check that 1t had already
been ordered to pay.
MIR. Roberts made lengthy and ar
gumcntatlye speech against adopting the
report. In the main he said he agreed
with. Mr.. Chambers He did not believe
that Council had any cause to take
any action whatever in this mat
ter. Mr.. Roberts then went over
the who.e history of the &c" street
rider bill, showing how honestly Council
bad acted In the matter, and how much
PiiNitJ QbCu NY lnt GbTepJ anu
Sewer directors to accomplish their pur-
poses In dishonest manner. He showed
how the bill before the legislature proy,d-
ing for division Of the city's moiey had
been defeated, and there Council thought
the matter ended. lie pictured In Crauh-
ic language the coust yrnat.on of Coun
Gil to find that what they hon. stly
thought had been defeated, had been ac.
acc mplished through the Infamous sc"
rider. lie, himself, was at first one of
tie two or three members OF tho C,ty
Council, In favor OF division of t.e
city's fund, but when Council defeated
the meas ure, loyal to tha decision of that
body, lie opposed division afterwards.
He contended that the sc" Street rider
was no law; the investigation by Coun.
ell showed that it was rot legally passed,
II had never teen promulgated as a law
and Council should not be bound by IL,
He was very severe In his denuuclation
Of the zone man" power as exercised by
the president of the Street and Sewer
Directors. He contended that IL he
wanted the money he could bave got it in
the usual manner. But no, lie must
have all or none. The ordinary course
did rot suit him, and then he tried to
eoerce Council by threatening to stop
work upon the streets. Was Council
always to he dictated to by this one man,
and tremble when he speaks! Mr.
Roberts said he was In earnest In this
matter and in the position he bad taken
he felt rs If he was the whole Council
and was responsible for their actions.
He CLOSED BY saying he could net vote for
the report.
By this time Mr.. Mckinney had got
possession OF the minority report which
he presented and had read as follows:
To the President and Members of Coun-
ell.
GENTLEMEN: Your joint committee.
composed of tho L nance and Law com.
mittpes. to whom was referred the com
from the Union National
Bank, ssEing instruction In regard to
the pay yment of check fer Sl20, 900
drawn TO the order OF the Board OF Direc.
tors of the Street a"d Sewer Department.
would respectfully report that, In the
opinion OF the committee, the check was
mada In accordance with n resolution of
Council; no further action Is necessary.
SAUL CHAMBERS,
finance ommtttee.
DANIEL McKENSEY,
A. $. BEAIE,
Law Committee.
MI. Lawson eaii he did not think that
Council had anything more to do with
the matter, it having already ordered the
bank to pay the check, and Ia r, f,isiug to
pay 1t the bank had acted upon its own
rcspoL LsiDiaty.
MIR. MtGonigal eaid the bank had acted
with Council the same as 1t would with
any other OF its Gu toners In protecting
their rights. He knew that the city Off.
clalH who protested against the payment
of the check had done so without tne au-
thority OF Council, but 1t WAS to protect
the rights OF Council when they saw an
attempt was TO be made to divide the
city deposits. Tie bank knew the feel
ings OF the members OF Council, ard that
the G ttreet rider bad been investigated
and cloud thrown upon Its passage,
and 1t visited to know Councils feelings
upon the matter.
A motion mede by Mr.. Chambers to
substitute the minority for the majority
report WAS lost
MI Lawson offered the following as
substitute for the resolution In the ma
ority report:
"WHEREAs, City Council having at
its regular meeting, held July 25, 1889,
passed an order in favor of
the Street and Sewer Directors amount
Ing to Sl2O,000, this sum being appro.
priated TO them by this Council. (Said
body he ng created by an act of the
General Assembly or Legislature OF the
State OF Dslaware)
"WnEREAs, The officers of the Union
Natl. nal Bank having refused to honor
such order or chick Notwithstanding
instructions from this Coun-
Of the president of this Council, the
chairman of the Finance Committee,