Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-07-31
EVENING STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

my ohe IOui Ut D j. hatellf, physician 10
the poor for the Fourth Ward, in renly TO the
resolution of the Board of the 23d instant
with reference 70 the manner In which he dis
charged his duty on a certain occasion, was
laid before the Board
In this paper, DR.. Ratclitf says CA man
called on me on Sunday afternoon. July 18th.
and asked me to go to see man who fell from
building day or two previous, and not being
satlsned that he was pauper and entitled to
rehef from the Corporation of Washington, as
ne had been regularly at work up to the time
OF the accident, by this mans own statement,
considering it my prergativo 20 decide in
sEch cases,) and he having physician in at
tendance. also by his statement, and consider
ing it breach Of professional decorum to in
terfere without said physicians request, 1 de-
cEned to attend him on these grounds. due
regard for the interest of the CORPORATION as
we'll as respect for true medical ethics gov
erned me in the matter, and the result was q
dcclinatiOn;" laid on the table, and ordered
10 be published.
Also, communication from the Mayor COW
ering one from the city surveyor replying to a
resolution of inquiry concerning the cause of
and proper remedy for the inundation on the
corner of Twelfth and G. streets; referred to
the improvements committee. with instructions
30 inquire into the propriety of raising the
grade of Twelfth street at that point
Mr.. Pepper reported from the committee on
canals a bill apprOpriating $3.50 for the repair
of breach in the canal near Twelfth street
west; passed.
Mr. Houston introduced bill to pay A. j.
Larner for his services as clerk to the commit
tee on elections.
Mr.. Smith moved to fill up the blank in the
bill with S25
Nj Miller explained that the services rem
dered were offending four sessions of the COM
mittee-Srie for an hour and half, and the
others FOR less time down to fifteen minutes
and ynaking two copies Of the report of the
proceedings of the committee.
After debate, in which Messrs Smith. Pep
per, Evans, Miller and Houston participated
on motion of Mr.. Miller, this bill was referred
u the finance committee.
Mr.. Smith called up the lower Boards bill
TO repeal the law providing that no member of
the Councils shall hold the office of police
magistrate.
This bill having been read twice, Mr.. s. ex-
planned that the charge made in the Star some
time since, that this bill had been gotten up
for his benefit, was not true. He was not de-
slrous OF being elected a police magistrate
Inns would be apparent to all who reflected
on the fact that his term of Office expired in
April, and that the President would then fail
70 reappOint him a justice Of the peace He
thought hard of the editor of the Star, his Old
schOolmate and personal friend for permitting
60 into his columns; as he conceived that he
1.-THE EDITOR must have known at the time that
the story, out of which the paragraph had
been framed, was untrue. The purpose of the
bill was for the public good only, as the Ward
required police magistrate residing therein
There was no other commissioned Justice Of
the peace, except himself residin,, in his
ward. His colleague, Mr.. Peter NJ. Pearson,
was er ofeio a justice of the peace un-
der the charter, an2 it was that gentleman
that was to be Elected under the bill. Mr. s.
argued at SJme length to show that the Alder
men OF Washington were full justices of the
Pesee, whether commissioned by the President
or not
Mr. Busey held that this was not so. and
that II would be detrimental to the public in
terest to repeal the law fOrbidding the junction
OF the alderman and police justice in one man
he would not sustain the bill to reward one Of
ms political friends through it, nor would his
friendship for any man induce him to sustain
q bill fraught, a. he believed this proposition
To be, with so much that was likely TO prove
Injurious
Mr.. Smith again taking the floor went on to
snow by many cases instanced, the absolute
necessity for making a police officer for the
ward who resided and held his Office within
its limits, These circumstances superinduced
Inc introduction Of the bill. 1t was not con
ceiVeu 10 reward a partizan, or for any other
improper purpose whatever. Mr.. 5. again
argued the question u the eligibility Of an
alderman to act as full justice of the peace,
tnOugh not commissioned as such and in
slstlng and eOntending for the consequent
eligibility of an alderman, the two boards con-
sentlng, 70 be elected police magistrate He
further ayerrei that Mr.. Alderman Pearson,
though he had consented to serve as police
magistrate, if elected, was not aware of the
purpose Of electing him to the place when he
NJ SrnIth ~ tla.h anl - -
the lower board.
Mr. Busey, rejOining, held that the circuit
court had decided that an alderman is ineligi-
bic to serve as police magistrate, and that
this fact should prevent the Councils from en-
deavoring to put the discharge Of such duties
IN the hands of an alderman. He conceived
that the fact that Mr.. Smith had himself
declined the place, was proof of the un-
soundness Of that gentleman idea that the
election of police justice residing in the Sew
enth Ward was q matter of great public i'm
pOrtance
The debate on this bin was further continued
at great length by Dir. B. and Mr.. S the lat
tsrcontending that the former Mayor of George
town, Mr.. Cox, and he believed, the present
Mayor Of that corporation, acted and act as
police magistrates. This, be thought, would
not have been done if the circuit court had
made any such decision as Mr.. Busey had rep
resented. If it had been illegal for them so to
act, he felt sure that long since appeals from
their decisions would have been made, and the
circuit court would have upset their action,
&c, &c
M Magruder taking the floor, describing
the history Of the existing law On the subject,
SAID that gentlemen who were magistrates were
elected to this board, and by improperly using
,nelr influence here got themselves elected pO-
nee magistrates; and as such had tried al ]
.ne corporation cases, and when propositions
70 remit fines or otherwise reverse action of
tuch police magistrates came before the Board
they have invariably opposed them with great
Perunacity. The court had time and again
decided that aldeTmanic magistrates, being
portion Of the corporation, were not eligible TO
Try corporation cases. Under these ciTcum-
stances, the Board had applied TO Congress to
amend the charter so that members OF the Board
G0uia not thereafter act a. police magistrates.
nder these circumstances also, the existing act
had passed providing that the aldermen should
not De placed ths. rnSiripu If Y.nliea M yiS