old principle of "every tub on its own bottom" [Laughter.] Still, they agreed with Mr. Ginner in thinking that they should show just a little kindness. But, not a bit of it. The thing was to be done all at once, and out went the order for the paint-pot and brush. It seemed that no words of his were needed to prove that the Town Council had interfered in an un-called for manner. The people had been grumbling over for the past week. It had put them out of tempter, and they had thought that such a feeling was not the feeling they were made to have. [Cheers] The Town Council had made a great mistake and had tumbled themselves over in the dirt. Perhaps they had no other end than an exhibition of their own power, or were practicing that dangerous game of running after their own dignity. Like a man running after his hat in a gale, they would not overtake their dignity by giving chase to it; it must be brought to them by other people [Cheers.] The business of the meeting was to make peace. They did not want to have this ill-feeling last any longer. Whatever might have been the motive of the Council, Let the meeting hold out the hand of good-fellowship. They must have a brotherhood - Mr. Ross was fond of "Brotherhoods." [Cheers and laughter.] Instead of going to another part of the country for one, let them have a brotherhood here. Let them not shut the door at Christmas against those who had done them a little wrong. Let there be forgiveness - not compromise, but forgiveness - if the Council would only leave off daubing on their houses and they leave off rubbing out [Loud cheers.] He had learnt to respect many of the people of Hastings while residing there, and he wondered how some in the Council could have acted as they did. If anyone in the room had a friend in Hastings, let him whisper to that friend tht if the Hastings people had any respect for the welfare of Hastings they had much better paint the inside of their own houses than the outside of those in St. Leonards. [Prolonged cheering.]
Mr. W. P. Beecham, jun., on rising to second the resolution said the Town Council had taken the proceeding of putting up Hastings on what the meeting had always called St. Leonards. This was either legal or it was not, but it was uncalled for and vexatious; for, did not the meeting show that not one voice had called for it? Where were the injured innocents -
