1886.] 5Jo [Rothrock. 



was attended by more than eighty of our then leading citizens. 

 Nothing had done so much to prepare the public for the con- 

 templated change, as the mobs of 1844. 



They supplied all fair-minded me 1 with ample evidence that 

 in city politics, party lines must be abandoned and concert of 

 action effected on this vital question. There could be neither 

 peace nor progress without it. 



Added to those riots which sprang out of creed or color, were 

 others more serious (because more frequent) which grew out of 

 the volunteer fire system. In the spring of 1853, another meet- 

 ing was called to consider the latter cause of trouble, and, if 

 possible, to devise means for its suppression. It was a foregone 

 conclusion, this need of consolidation. The only question was, 

 on what basis should it be effected. To accomplish it, legislative 

 action was requisite. Public sentiment settled upon Mr. Price 

 as the man to represent this part of the city's interest in the 

 State capital. He was not offered the office as an honor, for it 

 was felt he would honor the office, but it was tendered as a 

 sacrifice of inclination and of interest, which he must make for 

 the public good. And as such he accepted the nomination for 

 the office of State Senator. To say that for the mere honor of 

 office, which so possesses some small minds, he cared nothing, is 

 to make a very mild statement of the fact. In so far from 

 spending time or money to gain a seat in our legislative halls, Mr. 

 Price would have given freely to be allowed to remain a private 

 citizen. His letter of acceptance, read by his friend, Mr. Joseph 

 B. Townsend, before the nominating convention, is in all re- 

 spects a remarkable one. The expressions, brief and sharp, in 

 which he pointed out the dangers from what has since culminated 

 in that greatest of political curses known as the Boss System, 

 are now recognized as prophetic. 



Mr. Price (as already stated) was elected "by independent 

 voters who left their party attachment and discipline" in the in- 

 terest of the greatest good of this city. 



proc. amek. rniLOS. soc. xxui. 124. 3x. ram ted dec. 17, 18S8. 



