The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-17
CRY ENGINEER.

7, has been in,irnated 10 US, from more than
one Quarter, that the object of the Council in
creating this new Office, is to get rid OF the Su-
perinienden, OF Streets, not of the City sur
v.vor. Tha, may be so, and probably it is, in
,,r, bu, the duties of the Engineer will GER
,ainly trench likewise upon those of The sur
yeyor. There will, 10 fact, be little use tor
that officer. and we presume he viii! be gotten
rid of by cutting down bis salary TO the starv-
ing point.
Admit however, that it is the object to reach
Inc Superintendent, and him alone. ls this
the way to do it Z He was until the August
law. an officer of The Council. Attempts had
been made, without success, TO put him out.
The law in question made him eligible by the
poople. The people elected him by an over
rhelming majority And now, the Council,
not being able to make the people vote as they
wish-no, teing able TO eject an officer elected
by the people-have determined, it seems, to
thwart their wishes at ell hazards, and finding
no other way to do il, destroy the office merely
be cause the people differ with them IN opinion
as to the fitness OF the incumbent. This Is re-
publicanism with vengeance This Is a
way of setting the people at defiance, and null
lifying their edicts, which it must have required
go me ingenuity, and no small share OF bold
ness TO devise. The people say, we wish to
have certain man for our officer, and they
elect him. Tn, Council say, if you do not
elect such man as we wish you to elect, we
L l. al, .l- Gle
10 free-you may vote for whom you please
but, understand, that if you do not elect such
q man as We wish, he shall not serve. We
nave heard great deal about compulsory vo-
ling in France, for Napoleon Ill. If there was
any thing to beat this, we certainly never
heard OF it.
1.-THE Superintendent OF Streets and the City
Surveyor are not fit for their "ffices, let those
who elected them turn them out. Let no third
power intervene between the people and their
officers. The city charter gives to the Coun-
Gil the power TO create such Offices as may be
necessary. This Office we hold not to be ne
cessary. The law. most assuredly, was never
conferred for the purpose of enabling the Coun-
Gil to nullfy other Offices in existence.
The Council, we presume, will consummate
their work this evening. AS soon as 1t shall
have been done, petition will be presented TO
the Legislature for such en- amendment of the
charter, as will make the new officer eligible by
the people.
To the people of Richmond we appeal to
support this pc tition. The contemptuous dis
regard Of thsir wishes manifested in the crea-
ton of this office, cannot but rouse them to a
proper assertion of their rights. Since they
nave chosen to take the Offices into their own
hands, let them not be cheated out of their
right to Go so. Let them meet this system,
which the Council has adopted to resume the
entire power Of distributing Office, at every
turn. Whatever officer may be put in by the
Council, we pray the people, as soon as the
Legislature shall have given them power over
the office, to put their mark on him. We want
no intrusive officer in this city