The Borough Council of Hamilton have during the past twelve months played about as many fantastic tricks as could possibly lie within the range of any similar body of men similarly circumstanced. We need not enter upon a retrospect of the farces which have been acted, of the jack-in-the-box tricks which have been played, during the past year ; to do so would be neither profitable nor pleasant, and all who have an interest in the welfare of the town have reasons all too pain ful to keep them in remembrance. But we cannot pass by the latest grotesque exhibition which a section of the Councillors had made with out expressing our strongest dis approbation of their conduct. We have from time to time noticed some of their peculiarities, but we have overlooked a great many more. Extraordinary as many of them have been in their way, it remained for yesterday to see them entirely eclipsed. It will be fresh in the recollection of our Hamilton readers that Councillor Knox was, a few days ago, elected to fill the office of Mayor for the ensuing year. Yes terday was the day upon which he was to have been installed ; our local columns will afford a concise account of what happened. Out of eight Councillors in town, only three attended at noon, and only four at seven o'clock, His Worship, the re tiring Mayor, failing to attend at the latter hour. Of course, it is possible that business, ill-health, and a hundred other things might have kept Councillors away, did we not know that these reasons had nothing at all to do with the case, and the guiding principle was antipathy towards the citizen who has been unaifimously elected to the office of Mayor by the Burgesses. How long this little game of hide-and seek can hold out, we do not know, but, as like many other pastimes, it is one at which two can play, it is probable it may last a considerable time. But if the ratepayers are going to stand idly by and see it, then they are a more patient class than we have ever given them credit for being. Such a childish display of wantonness we have never before witnessed, and we hope such a cul pable disregard of manliness will not go unrewarded.
