Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/106

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��Eastman was moderator ; Jonathan Kittredge, bravely seconded and assist- ed by James Eastman, took the lead in the services, and offered the following- preamble and resolution, which seems to be weighted down with indignant distinctness : —

" Whereas, at the close of the annual meeting on the 8th instant, a vote was passed purporting to be a vote of the town of Canaan, to the effect, as recorded, that the treasurer remit to the proprietors of Canaan Union Academy, the interest on the notes given by them to the treasurer of the town of Canaan or to the agent of said town, and also that said notes be given up to said proprietors when they make and deliver to the town a good and valid deed of the academy land, and buildings thereon ; and whereas, the design in passing said vote was carefully concealed from the legal voters of said town in the article in the war- rant for said town-meeting under which said vote was pretended to be passed, giving no sufficient notice thereof; and whereas, the absence of a majority of said legal voters was designedly and fraudulently taken advantage of by said proprietors to secure the passage of said vote ; and whereas said vote was carried by the votes of said proprietors contrary to the wishes of a large majority of the legal voters of said town ; and whereas the said vote is for the above reasons illegal and void — therefore

" Resolved, by said town, in legal town-meeting assembled, that the said pretended vote be, and the same is, hereby rescinded. That the town will not accept of any deed of the acad- emy, and the selectmen have no right or authority to accept the same, or to perform any other act in relation thereto, obligatory upon the town."

The treasurer was directed not to give up the notes. Jonathan Kitt- redge was appointed agent of the town, and directed to demand and re- ceive, from the treasurer, all notes and papers relating to the matter. A mo-

��tion to reconsider these several votes was negatived.

The other party were much disturb- ed at the passage of these votes. They met and talked earnestly together. But feeling quite confident that they could maintain their position, they re- quested " William P. Weeks, Esq., to consult some learned counsellor-at-law, and procure his opinion as to the bind- ing/orce of the vote passed at the annual meeting," concerning the re- mission of interest and deed of the academy.

A special town meeting, cailed April 23d, for various purposes, gave rise to some lively talk. Mr. Kittredge was severely criticised and unceremo- niously dismissed asagentof the town, and Mr. Weeks was reappointed to receive from him the notes and papers in question. But Mr. Kittredge did not stay dismissed. He had already brought suits against the makers of the notes, which he determined to push to judgment, either as agent of the town or as an interested citizen, and the party was late in discovering that they had passed one more illegal vote, as the subject was not named in the war- rant for the town-meeting.

In consequence of the vote of '• re- mission," &c, passed at the close of the annual meeting, the proprietors of the academy appointed Joseph Wheat their agent to convey the property to the town. Pie hurried up the business so rapidly that the deed was made and delivered to the town agent before Mr. Kittredge was authorized to enjoin the proceedings.

The " learned counsellor-at-law " (Mr. Josiah Quincy, of Rumney), whose opinion they procured, in view of the suits which had been com- menced against the makers of the notes, advised them to compromise with the town's agent upon the best terms they could obtain, as Mr. Kit- tredge was in a frame of mind to push them to the utmost extent of the law, and his cost might soon exceed the principal of the notes.

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