Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-05-18

have made such grants have in express
terms the power of appropriating money
for the defence of the town, given Il
them by the act of incorporation. In Bal
timore, the Mayor Of that place has, p,
the charter authority, to require the.
commanding officer ofths militia to call
out the militia to suppress riot or insur
rection. TIE Charter of this place gives
no such powerto the Mayorqf Alexandria
1.-THE corporation has power to tax the
neople with fifteen hundred dollars for
the purpose of mounting the cannes,
they may tax item with as many thou
sand dollars as they think proper, to buy
more cannon, or TO buy arms for the mi
Iti,. or TO build kisate tor the defence
of the town.
The plea Of necessity has been urged
in defence Of this measure. The mem
hers of the Council will excuse me when
] observe that the plea Of necessity IS
the plea upon which all usurpations
have been founded 1t is plea of this
kind which lays the foundations Tor all
innovations upon Fundamental principles.
II is'not believed that the G mn,ou
Council feel disposed to exercise more
powerthan what slrictly belongs to them
But supposing the Common Council
did possess this power, hive they, exer-
cised it in the manner prescribed by the
Charter.
Ey this resolution the Council tax the
pc pie, and appropriate their money to a
large amount, without giving the May
or an opportunity of exercising his con-
stitutional power of qualified negative
over the measure. 1t has not been pre-
sented to him fer hi: consideration.
The 9Th section of the Chatter de-
clsros "that the acts of the. Coaimons
Council shall be signed oy the PresI-
dent OF Shc Common Council and sds'i
be presented 10 the Mayor for his apprc-,
batios" No part Of ibis section has
been complied with. rhls resolution
has not been signed by tic President.
Iadnlit, whore any prcsion@qaw, pas
ii due form, has AUTHORISED a psrtiCu.a"
expenditure ofmoEey or Greeted . pafti
cu!ar piece Of work Il be done, that 2
simple resolution Of the Couo ii will be
sufficient to draw the mo ey from the
treasury, or TO have previous law ex-
ecu,ed, But this resolution directs the
payment of money for an object not
known to the laws of the corporation, or
pregioesly authorised BY law
III InG Common NOu'Dtb Sesl Sci'oAS' SSi
with the Charter authorize by their sole
resolution this expenditure of hiteen
bundled dollars, then they may by re
solution: regulate oil the affairs OF the
town. and thereby exclude the Mayor
from all participation in thci, Legislation,
This would be defeating The very Oh
lect of separating the Mayor from the
Common Cocncil The Mayor WAS
llrmcrly componen, part OF that body,
aslAade distinct branch OF the govern
ment of the town,with the express IN
,eat that he should be a check upon the
proceedings OF the Common Council, to
produce more election and deilbera,ion
m the procee dings oil the Council, that
the people might not be subjected 10
the hasty measures Of one branch OF tie
Corporation. If the Common Couhcil
can by their own resolution appropriate
money to any new object, it is too oovi-
Gus that the charter is cvsded, and that
part Of it rendered dead letter
II mustbe evident tba; this resolution
| of the Common Council is void 1t not
having been passed in the form directed
by the Charter--and being VOID, the
treasurer will not be justified in paying
any money under 1t.
| These remarks are submitted to the
members OF the Common Council and
people of the Corporation, with view
,hat they should be induced to reject
seriously upon the subject, and to ask
themselves, whether any necessity Can