110 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



proper, and he had never before heard of any ring. He was a friend 

 of Mr. (air. but thought it bad taste, if not indecent, to make the 

 charges that had been made. Here were men all could indorse, 

 and it was only a question of men. He had watched the course of 

 these Directors, and could say he believed them honest, diligent, and 

 earnestly devoted to the best interests of the State. 



Hon. T. J. Clunie said he placed Mr. Biggs in nomination and saw- 

 no reason to withdraw his name. It was an insult to the Directors 

 to charge any ring existing, and such imputations upon the members 

 of the Board were without a particle of foundation. When he nom- 

 inated Mr. Biggs he knew he. and all the Directors save one, had 

 placed their names upon a promissory note, large in amount, for this 

 society, and he believed this no time to make a change. He pro- 

 tested, as a life member of the society, against their removal until, at 

 least, the debt for which they were responsible was wiped out. 



Considerable confusion here ensued, and several members were on 

 their feet at once. Mr. Curtis asked to be heard, and interjected 

 remarks which were inflammatory in effect and added to the confu- 

 sion. 



The President said the discussion was all wrong at such a meeting. 

 If charges were made they ought to be met and investigated, and 

 every man who made them be held responsible. For himself, he 

 denied all knowledge of rings or cliques. He knew the Board had 

 never heard of a ring; all they did was unselfish, and all charges 

 against it were untrue. He invited any citizen to examine the records 

 of the society, and point out a single dollar improperly appropriated, 

 or to show a particle of evidence from any source, of combinations, 

 cliques, or rings. He would serve with any man the society would 

 elect, and if bad men got on the Board, they'd get pinched very 

 soon. 



J. J. Green said this was the first time he had known. such a dis- 

 cussion to come up. Mr. Cox, for one, ought to be retained, for he 

 was the best Superintendent the society could select, and his removal 

 would be a calamity. As for himself, he was about to change his res- 

 idence, and would not be able, he feared, to attend the meetings, as 

 every man holding a directorship ought to do. He would therefore 

 like to resign his directorship, and hoped Mr. Carr would be placed 

 on the Board in his place. [Cries of " No, no ; don't resign. Serve 

 your term out."] 



Mr. Poorman hoped Mr. Cox would be retained. Mr. Curtis had 

 been hasty in taking it for granted Mr. Carr would be beaten; he 

 hoped the election would proceed; all the men were good men, and 

 if the society desired to keep the present Directors in, he saw no 

 earthly objection to it. 



Mr. Jesse D. Carr said he was sorry his name had caused so much 

 talk. Half an hour ago he had withdrawn, and he hoped the matter 

 would drop there. 



Mr. ( 'urtis obtained the floor, and said he had not charged any ring 

 existing in the Board, but he had seen such vigorous efforts made 

 with written tickets for the present incumbents that he had a right 

 to his opinion that there was a ring. 



Mr. < base said Mr. Curtis had printed tickets all prepared also. 



Mr. Curtis (amidst much confusion) replied and said he had noth- 

 ing to apologize for. Possibly he had gone too far. This was a State 

 meeting, and he had hoped no ring would control it. He continued 



