THE MAYORALTY.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 779, 19 December 1876, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY.

To the Editor of the Olohe. Sir, —As “ Ratepayer” accuses me of ignorance, and of trapping votes by an unwary dodge, you will no doubt allow me the right to reply. It shall be short, and, I trust, sharp. Cr Ick states that “he was nominated already by the members of the City Council”—not by certain ratepayers called Messrs Hobbs, Turner, and Thompson. Cr Ick insults the ratepayers, and the opposing candidate, by saying that “no gentleman would come forward in opposition to the Council,” and then he proceeds to give that extraordinary threat, that shameful libel on the City Council, that “they (the Council) would make the ratepayers’ candi-, date extremely uncomfortable.” Men always measure com by their own bushel; they cannot help it. Cr Ick would make it hot for an opponent—so he thinks the Council would. Cr Ick’s letter, joined to “ Ratepayer’s” faux-pat, remind me of a boy who, when the magistrate said, “Tell me, sir, did you hit that fat man in the nose ? ” “ No,” said the boy; “ please sir, it was not me, it was only my fist, sir, that hit the fat man.” [Laughter.] The ratepayers can catch the idea of Councillors, as private ratepayers, doing, but not doing. Yours, &c., J. W. TREADWELL.

To the Editor of the Olohe.

Sir, —Councillor Ick has in no way improved matters by his explanation of the 15th instant. In his original address he assuredly intimated that the Council would make it hot for “ any gentleman ” who might be elected in opposition to their wishes; and further—and what is of far more importance to ratepayers—such an election should be “prejudicial to the interests of the city.” Reading the sentence referred to, as Mr Ick wishes it to be read, “with the context,” no one can come to any other conclusion than that the City Council, though unofficially, had determined from foregone conclusions, that Mrlck should be Mayor. The parenthetical portion of the sentence in question—“especially if he be a member of the Council” conclusively proves the threat to be not limited to a brother councillor, and therefore not in allusion to Councillor Ick’s position last year, as outsiders are not supposed to be acquainted with all the semi-official workings of august councillors. The election of Mayor, as provided by law, is placed in the hands of the burgesses; and while we do not deny equal privileges to councillors, we outside ratepayers do justly claim, and will demand, that they shall not, for the mere satisfaction of supposed claims on their honor or bounty, even semi-officially interfere with the rights and privileges of ratepayers generally. Doubtless Mr Ick has spoken facts, although imprudent in stating them so plainly ; and it is equally clear that the members of the City Council have been even more imprudent in exceeding the privileges usually accorded to gentlemen in their position. Yours, &c, B. C.