The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-27
SURPRISE FOR THE MAYOR

WiImingtonia0s In Bruus.
wick. Ca, Present Mayor Waddell J
with Valuable and Beautiful Gold
Ivory Gayel-The Preseuea.
tion Made by Alderman spruns Last
Nfght-Patriote Letter From the Alb.
sent Caroiinians
Last night at s O'Clock the board OF
aldermen was called in special meet
members.
Mayor waddell presided. and there
were in attendance Aldermen Sprunt
and Taylor, and A"ldermen-elect John
H. Handy, of the Fourth Ward: c. L.
Spencer, of the First ward, and F. A.
Montgomery. of the Fifth ward.
Justice Martin Newman administer
ed the a of office to Aldermen Ham
by, Montgomery and Spencer and they
took their. seats.
The mayor stated that the meeting
had been called by request, and asked
what was he pleasure Of the board.
Alderman Sprunt aid on the table a
box and taking the cover off, said he
had a surprise in store for the mayo
With appropriate remarks he then
presented Mayor Waddell with a beau
tiful gold mount ivory gavel and
1 read a letter addressed to the mayor
| from a number of former Whining
tonians residing in Brunswick, Ga,
and who sent the gayel and letter TO
Alderman Sprunt to be presented to
| the mayor The gentlemen who sent
| the present are Messrs. Alfred V.
| Wood, Adam G.. Latta, John j. ono
! ley, Robert B. Wood, Ed. S. Nash,
| Jas. w. Conoley, Albert c. Banks.
| The gavel bears the following in
scription: Colonel A. Nj. Waddell,
| Anxious Humani Generi Ipse dixit,
Sit paxs' ct pax erat-November 10th,
| 1885,.
The letter, which is dated Bruins
| wick, Ga, December 21st, is highly ap-
preciative of the splendid part taken
by Colonel Waddell in common with
| other citizens in the recent revolution
which brought order out of chaos and
| gave that sense of peace and security
to our people which they had long
| been denied by an incompetent public
| service. The remarkable forbearance
shown by our people which has ever
been characteristic of North Carolina
1 civilization, meets with the hearty ap-
| prevail of these gentlemen as does the
| th~Oroughness with which the yoke of
] oppression was thrown off WI en- the
burden became so heavy as to threaten
the of our people. The revO-
luton is justly characterized as com
parable with the Mecklenburg declar-
alton, and is an assurance to these
gentlemen that he principle of politi-
cal liberty is rs strong with Enc peo-
pie of the Old North State now as it
was in the days of yore.
Our people are assured that they
a " nothing to be ashamed of and
no regrets to entertain. bat on the
contrary the heart of every true North
Carolinian living beyond her borders
was sympathetic with them in their
troubles and ~humihations, as il is now
responsive to the sentiment of pride
at their glorious deliverance. In a
word while it is a letter addressed to
the Hon. A. NJ. Waddell, it is a mes
sage of love to the good people of our
community and gives a most satisfy
ing evidence that in the cause of right,
old New Hanover never loses the SYM
pathy of her loyal children who,
though absent in body, are present n
spirit.
The letter refers to the gavel as the
Emblem of Order"
Colonel Waddell has indeed received
a testimonial of esteem from his alb
sent friends and in years to come can
but contemplate this beautiful gift in
the light of duty don
Mayor received the gavel
with remarks expressed in the eloquent
and felicitous manner so peculiar to
him. He expressed his high apprecia-
ton of the action Of the gentlemen
in presenting it.
He said while he was deeply thank
full to the gentlemen. he thought they
gave him more credit than he deserv.
ed, for hundreds of citizens would
have done the same thing for Will
mington. He only did his duty and
was the instrument through which
the people acted.
Alderman Sprunt then made remarks
in which he spoke approximately of
the gift, and commended Mayor Wad-
dellS administration for dealing equal
| justice to all classes of citizens, white,
black, rich and poor.
After the presentation of the gaveI,
Alderman Taylor, in behalf of Mr..
Sprunt, presented the city with a o
of statistics Of Glasgow" Alderman
Taylor went on to say that Glasgow
was the best governed municipality
and the most thoroughly regulated city
in the world, n stated that the book
would be very value bic for the city's
library. Mayor Wa1dell accepted it
n III behalf of the board of alder
men I'M city, returned thanks 70 Mr..
Sprunt.
Alderman Handy thanked the board
for honoring him by electing him to
succeed Alderman Bridgers, resigned,
from the Fourth ward.
The a announced the meeting
as adjourned and stated that he knew
of no exigency that would call the
board together before the regular
meeting on the End Of January.
ROBBERS FOILED