Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-01-05
HALF THE NIGHT
SPENTBY THE REPUBLICANS IN FORWARD
ING THB ORDINANCE
To Take From The Mayor the Power TO Appoint
Election OaicGs-Ths Measure Not Yet Safe.
The Railroad Ordinance Amended.


They come up to the scratch more and
more slowly after every round.
LAST evening they were slightly groggy,
bus toed the mark, sitter good deal Of de-
lay, with a sickly smile Of confidence
which was absolutely painful.
These explanatory observations refer to
the Republican majority in Council. The
body had been called, in obedience to the
mandate Of the autOcrstic mismanagers
who are running the Republican campaign
into the ground, and about ten Of the men,
be,s of the two Branches gathered together
in a secret and solemn way, about Z
O'Clock, ard pas ed a prayerful half hour
in looking back at what they had done,
and glanciug ahead at the trouble IN store
for them in the immediate future. The
prospect was far from being reassuring,
but the desperate amateur politicians saw
no alternative bat TO 90 aheld with their
programme, aud about ten minutes OF
they filed through the corridors and
mounted the stairs to the Council cham
les.
President Gillelaud called the Second
Branch 10 order at ;. 20, when nine mem
nsis answered to their names. AT $50
they could muster an even dozen, and as
there seemed little prospect that the neces-
sary quorum would put in an APP
pearance Of their own volitOD,
csltain of the gentlemen IN
waiting. who kill time by fill
ing official positions in the con-
troll Of Council, were depatchei as me ssen-
gers to gather the derelicts into the fold
They succeeded in finding one or Two acdi-
uanal members, bat il was not till nearly
niue O'Clock that the necessary fifteen
members were recorded az being in ioelr
seats The call for the session, siguei by
Messrs Caldwell, Ketsler aud Tracy, was
read. Toe reading OF the minutes was dis
psnsei with. ct the suggestion OF Mr..
Max yell, WHO truthfuily remarked that
the hour was growing late, and tntn ire
ordinance taking from the Mayor the au'
thority TO sppOiut commissioners Of eltc'
lion, and-sls0 making the city election
law conform 70 the State law, as outlined
10 the REGISTER yesterday, was
taken up and the reading OF the document
A second ume, for amendment and debate
yss commenced. while Mr.. Sesmon, Of the
pas ofIice, came IN On a tiOt with Mr.. KRAFT, /
the last ore Of the Republican members, /
not before on hand. At the cod Of section /
three. Mr.. Gruse said il did not seem |
right 10 make any change in the duties OF |
an officer during his term. He called /
upon Mr.. Caldwell for Information. That
gentleman said there wss nothing in the
position taken by Mr. Cruise. The State |
law not Only allowed such changes, but |
made u incumbent upon COaEciL The |
sc.s OF Council must conform 10 the State |
aw, and not the reverse.
Alr. Gruse-lou were long time find |
lug that out.
Me- CALDWELL don't know about that.
That's e matter OF issue between US.
Mr. Cruse chen offered an amendment,
making the ordinance apply 10 future
Meyers, and not to the present incumbent.
lie said that Mayors all through the his
tory Of the city had had the appointment
Of election officers, aud be plead that the
ordinanCe ought 20 not apply 20 the pres
ent Mayor. II it was for political effect,
10 would probably cut AZ deep ca the Re
publican side in the future, ~ il row
threatens to iriure the Democrats.
Mr.. Caldwell took the door, aud said the
thing was all right The Stste law re-
Iquired the Council 90 pass the ordnance,
and to do il before the pelding election
! To this Mr.. Hairell made retCrt that Re
publicsrs had completely lost sight If the
law when they were pUeeling cut the Of
fcss within the gift q Council after the
lafe city election. Why he said, did
not the City Solicitor call attention OF
Council TO this law when Mr. Haller was
made Market NJ aster, OF Mr.. Caldwell him
self made City Solicitors"
Mr.. Caldwell, in reply, said not oaly was
Councilmen bound, under their oaths Of Of
ice, to pass the Law, but besides that,
there was another reason for the passage OF
the law. Tie preseat Mayor was
candidate Tor reelection, and he
| Thought L q most uneeemly thing that
Mr.. Seabnght sl0ald appoint Off
GERS to Judge his own election. This
eudden sticking for the prophecies, and
the eleventh hour regars for "oathl OF
cmce,n struck everybody as highly
humorous thiug especially whsn viewed
in the light Of What Mr. Caldwell and his
| fellow Republican members bad done IN
the past, when they had ignored the State
law aud violated ito provisions in the
most fagrant manner.
Mr. HarreI replied to Mr.. Caldwell,
and read the Republican record from the
time OF the Lincoln Club caucus down TO
date in a manner which ought TO have
made even q Republican blush. He
hammered il in on the Republicans TIL
they squirmed in their seats, and efforts
were repeatedly made to choke him of by
Doiats Of order, &c. Nc. Harrell proceed
ed. however. and concluded his remarks
After having 50 ,ksn about twenty five min
utes.
A vote was then reached Upon Mr..
Gruse's amendment, and 1t was lost by a
party vote, ayes 3, noes Is.
Some pending miscellaneous business
was pissed upon, aHd the Branch ad-
jOurnsd.