The Evening Star. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2937, 18 July 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1872.

We do not feel called upon to offer any recommendation as to tho course which the Mayoral election should take. It is a matter on which there should be as little division of opinion as possible. The office of Mayor is annually assuming greater importance. He is not merely Chairman of the City Council, hut a judicial officer—-.a Magistrate j and in his Court difficult cases, involving the property and liberty of the citizens, have not unfrequently to be decided. It needs no reflection nor argument, therefore, to shew that the choice of a person to fill that office should not he lightly made. An error in judgment by one man on business involving the combined action of the Corporation, is almost certain to be corrected by the decision of tho majority. It is something to be discussed and canvassed. It can be looked at on every side. There is time for reflection and for retractation, if on fair consideration the error is made plain. But in his judicial capacity, the Mayor has seldom assistance. He lias responsibilities which few men would care to enter into. Not only is ho called upon to act with the strictest impartiality, but with knowledge of the laws —a knowledge which is not gained without much sacrifice of time, and, we may add, practice in the Court. We have uot always agreed with Mr Fish’s decisions, and, as everybody knows, we have never hesitated to controvert his opinions when they have appeared to ns wrong. We may, and we believe we have, occasionally given him offence through plain speaking concerning public affairs: no matter : we are quite ready to meet the condemnation of any man, if it is to be visited upon ns tor the fulfilment of a public duty. But just on the same grounds wo feel bound to say •that, notwithstanding his mistakes, there have been throughout his Mayoralty an unwearying attention to the requirements of his office, and an evident desire in his magisterial capacity to act fairly and impartially to all classes. It may he that the votes of his fellow-citizens may seat another in his place. We leave that to them. When two respectable men oiler themselves candidates for an office involving no distinctive policy, and where the choice lies more upon personal than public grounds, the journalist’s course is not to attempt to bias opinion. But while we feel under no obligation to recommend as to tho future, we feel quite at liberty to speak as to the past. (Should Mr Fish not he re-elected, he may at any rate take with him into private life the satisfaction that men of all parties concur that, in spite of inevitable differences of opinion on certain points during his term of office, he has ably fulfilled its duties. We had intended to make a few remarks upon the unwarrantable attack made upon him by our contemporary with regard to the Gas question. Mr Fish himself, however, has saved us that trouble in the letter published yesterday. It must be very evident that if an error has been committed in dealing with Mr Larnacii, it has been more in tho manner of conducting the negotiations than the matter. We have no doubt whatever of the hon<t Jkl<’x of Mr Larnacii, and so far as the price of gas to the citizens is concerned, that they would have been equally .safe without, as with the security sought by the Corporation. But we do not agree with the opinion that the Corporation had nothing to do with it. It was part of the bargain that the City lamps should be supplied with gas on certain specified terms, and that the citizens should have it at 12s Gd a thousand for a given time. On those two conditions the Corpora tion consented not to construct new gas works. It seems to us that the two conditions formed the terms of the contract, and could not well be separated. It is, however, needless to discuss this matter further since the occasion for its discussion has passed

away. Instead of being blamed, as the Daily Turns lias blamed the Corporation for fulfilling their duty, we think they ought to have been thanked for taking all reasonable care that an arrangement arrived at with so much labor and difficulty should not be liable to be disturbed by those who, in the turn of events, may next year or year after occupy their places. Mr Fish’s earliest efforts as a public man were to effect .a reduction in the price of gas, and ho has had the gratification of seeing his efforts successful.