Delaware Journal

KNOCK 'EM DOWN ARGUMENTS.
New-York Corporation proceedings.

Motion, by Alderman Peters—That all Expenditures by this Board, & all acts, ought to be passed upon in public—and that all the proceedings and records of the Board, shall be open to the examination of every citizen qualified to vote for Charter Officers.

Ald. Peters supported the motion at considerable length. Mr. Sibell followed on the same side. Mr. Stevens was in favor of laying it on the table. He was surprised that this resolution should be brought up by these gentlemen, especially when on a recent occasion, when this very information was asked for, if he was not mistaken, these two gentlemen with a large majority of the Board voted against the application—he should perhaps be in favor of the resolution, if it was not defective, when it says that all the transactions of the Board should be made public, &c. Ald. Peters denied that he was ever opposed to making public all the expenses of the Board—it was true, when an application was made by a person to publish certain expenditures, he was opposed to it, unless the same privilege was given to every other person. Ald. Ireland said he should be in favor of the resolution if it was modified—he was in favor of giving those, and those only, who contribute to the expenses, the privilege of examining the accounts.

To stop debate, Ald. Lamb moved an adjournment. Mr. Sibell wished the motion withdrawn, which Ald. Lamb refused—Mr. Sibell hoped the Board would not adjourn. The Mayor said there could be no debate on a motion to adjourn; and the motion was put and carried. Mr. Sibell instantly rose and said, if this Board is now adjourned, I rise to state, in my place, that Alderman Stevens has stated a falsehood to this Board, in saying that I voted against the application for making public the accounts, and that he is a liar, as I was more than a thousand miles from this city at the time.

Alderman Stevens said he did not say so. You are a liar and a scoundrel. The members all rose, and Mr. Stevens darted across the room, seized Mr. Sibell by the collar, and struck him several blows in the face. The members immediately interfered and parted them.