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he should have guarded the interests of his constituents more vigorously and not presented bill at
<br />all.
<br /> "It transpired during the course of our investigation that a citizen, as an individual,
<br />has a right to request representatives in legislative bodies to pres.ent~a measure, which we do not
<br />dispute. In this connection, however, we. are ~o~t .emphatically of the opinion and assert most pos-
<br />itively that, when a czvzzen requests presentation of a bill directly in conflict with a measure
<br />pending before a municipal body of which he is a member, or a paid official, that he is entirely
<br />out of his'jurisdiction as a member or official of such body~
<br /> Tin conclusion we wish to say that our investigation has been a most thorough one, and
<br />in stating the above do so without fear of contradiction.
<br /> "The Committee refrains from making any recommendations in the matter, preferring to have
<br />such action emanate from the Council.
<br /> "Respectfully submitted,
<br />
<br /> The report having been read, }&r. W.
<br />be given an opportunity to reply thereto.
<br />
<br />"Geo. R. Parrish, C. C.
<br />
<br />"E. B. Langhorne, B. of A.'
<br />
<br />C.. Moors moved that the several~gentlemen criticised by it
<br /> The motion was adopted.
<br />
<br /> The City Attorney spoke first~ He said he thought that the criticism of his conduct was unfair;
<br />that he had fully explained his position in regard to the "Ferry Bill" at the last previous Joint Ses-
<br />sion of the two branches; that he had kno~ Aothing of the bill untml~ ' it was presented to him by ~.
<br />Eurry; and that he did not like it and had O. K. !d it as to form merely.
<br />
<br /> Er. Williams said, that he ~&d been given a draft of the bill by an employee of The Ferries Com-
<br />pany, with request that it be han~ed to the City Attorney for his approval, but that he, Er. Williams,
<br />had forwarded the bill to the City Attorney by Er. O. P. l~urry, Chairman of the Ferry Committee, and
<br />Mr. }~urry had so delivered it. Mr. Williams acknowledged that he had asked the City Attorney s~veral
<br />times to take action on the bill, until he finally approved of it, b~ at no time had the City Attor-
<br />ney said anything about approving ~he bill "as to form;~ and he had thou~h~,~ therefore, that it was
<br />all right. ~
<br />
<br /> The Olerk said that he did not think he had been treated fairly by the Committee, because, while
<br />he had been summoned as a witness before said Committee, he was also an accused party and had a right
<br />to hear what other witnesses might~ say against him and be ~iven an apportunity to cross question them,
<br />which opportunity he did not have, as the meetings of + ~ '+
<br /> ~h~ Commm~tee were not only held in secret but
<br />only a few of the witnesses wer~ examined at a time. However, he added, that he had known nothing
<br />ahot~t the proposed bill until it was brought to him by Er, Nilliams, with request from the City Attor-
<br />ney that it be copied, making ~ansfer of a section beginning with the word "but" from one page of
<br />the original bill to another in the copy, and then copies of it sent to our representatives in the
<br />General Assembly. He el&imed that the charge of the Committee was incorrect mn stating that he had
<br />made "substitution. in the bill, as he had not substituted a single word therein but simply transfer-
<br />red the section specified from page to page, as instructed to do, and that, while he himself, did not
<br />like the bill and ought to have done nothing with it but to copy and forward it (it having been ap-
<br />proved by the. . City Attorney), yet he did take it upon himself in the interest of the City, as he thou-
<br />ght, to cautmon our representatives in the General Assembly that said bill D:ad not been passed on by
<br />eith~ branch of the Council.
<br /> COncerning the charge that he had used ~official paper" in communications to ~4essrs. Eontague
<br />and P~rker, he said he did not imagine there could be any objection to writing to our representatives
<br />on such paper as is used in writing to everybody else.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Nontague spoke last. He replied to the charge against him by saying that it is a rnle in
<br />the General Assembly for members to present petitions coming to ~mby request, especially such~as
<br />are from.official bodies, and as this bill seemed to be in proper shape he gad felt no hesitation in
<br />presenting it.
<br />
<br /> Er. Hawks and others expressed themselves as believing the deductions of the Comittee to be too
<br />drastic.
<br /> Whereupon, Mr. Davis off, red the following amendment for said deductions:
<br /> "While the gentlemen charged in the report have committed some indiscretion, we do not believe
<br />that they intended any harm to the City or i~s interests..
<br /> The amendment was adopted.
<br />
<br />On mot i on,
<br />
<br />adjourned.
<br />
<br />
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