"Hard Times" came a little too early, and has proposed names of
parties to you _who have resigned_! If that is his way of doing
business--jumping so hastily to conclusions, and reckoning upon
his chickens before they are hatched--it augurs badly for the
list he has proposed to you.
Brother Ratepayers, put your shoulders to the wheel, and
get rid of "Hard Times" and some of his lot, as speedily
as possible. Depend upon it "Hard Times," is by no means a
safe or congenial companion. Choose men who have stuck to
your interests when the "times" have indeed been "hard,"
men who have fought for your welfare, and ever had in view
the interests of those small ratepayers who are not at all
represented in the present Board, but who _must_ and _shall_
be represented in future. Great Ratepayers can take care of
themselves--and the great ratepayers _only_ were represented
in the old Board. You, therefore, that are sneeringly called
by certain gentlemen "small" ratepayers, and whose interests
are thought to be nothing, take care and see that in the
present contest _your interests are not overlooked_. Prove to
these dogmatic, would-be despotic individuals that "small"
as are your interests individually, yet that when united you
can break down the opposition of such men; and as you have
before accomplished your own object, and gained freedom of
representation in Parliament, so now prove to the world that
you can be fairly represented in the humbler Board-room of your
Poor House.
Brother Ratepayers, look to your interests! Be not deceived!
Choose your men by those principles of Independence which they
have not only _avowed_ but always endeavoured to _carry out_.