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24 [centered]

greatly strengthened at certain vul-
-nerable points.

In April '52 [1852], the lines of parties were
first drawn, politically, in the City Elec-
-tion, and the Whig ticket was chosen;
the total vote being 2800. It was a re-
-spectable ticket, and the officers
abused none of their trusts, and their
labors were in the direction of con-
-servation, in view of a debt contin-
-ually growing into a burden and
a menace. Still the City grew and
flourished. Homes were established on
every side as never before; and private
schools became a feature of the
place, in which, as yet, the public
school had not become an institution.