Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-01


| respectfully submit the following ot:'.
vations and suggestions to the citizen, Of 4
exandria. They were sent to NE frcU
friend in Wheeling, copied from a paper !.
that city, and appear to be worthy Of cl.
s!deration here. IL would be better for d,
in this place, to have the elections once
three years-as at present, the whole things
q nuisance. An ALENASDEIAN.
at WAS a matter of no small sgIIctuH
among the fathers Of our constitution ~ BIZ
upon proper terms or iur,tiOns 10 elice. ID;
the one hand they had t. guard against o.
pampered insolenCe of Office for life or Te'i
long terms, and on the other, especially A..
large cities against the demOraizing eiec!
frequent high political excltement'. 40.
this brings w. to cur topic as to how oi's
city officials should be elected. IL i aln>.
an in possibility to carry out q munG@
election cody and dsp0ssionstcly. As
general rule, the more numerous and mig.
fcant the cliques or factions. the greater %.
turore with which they push the claims
their champions. No one 50 worthless u
what he has a c0terie OF "elows" 10 sr'!
bin forwsrd-go round ard button hgs
his neighbOrs. and casual acquaintance u
HE behalf. while the champion hlm'e,
here and there, laughing and CajOlDs I''
tering. smoking, drinking and dece'k
where and how he can. Promises are 'Us''
about like leaves in the blast, and are u"
as hard to trace TO their source. Inl' "a
state of things which we all know 5ccIn
periodically with city elections. The ql''
ton il not how we can prevent il, for th'i "
cannot do, but bow often we must sufei J.
/. not, in other words, tae policy Vi anh.h
election for city officer, a very que-tooa.'
onel We believe it il. Ole great, boz
no means the onl objection, l. the ua'
want Of true Independence which Il lo',''
in the officials. Suppose, for instance r.'
A is a man holding profitable city .1I
the tenure of which is his popularity ~.
year to year. lie has perhap- large i'1...
depending on bis salary. QuertI ne e'sa'!
day come up, 10 which the incllnatIon' (.
voter and the interest Of the public cas-
How is il likely that an Office holder W"
swayed? The parable vi tue UNJUST stew,
is parallel to such cases. Men will prov.
for their private interests before they VII y.
the public. Visionary philosophers "a K 40.
the extirpatIon of this weakness or isu',
homan nature-but practical men, re2h'"'
il as inevitable, secure tbemTelyes by ac..-
ter-ac,ion so far as possible.
We believe biennial elections woGI J.
swer every purpose Ot an annual ee'..
and would lop of many Of the abu'e' 3.
expenses Of these yearly CommotIOn'
direct cost Of city election--that 1h..'
footed up with the votes at the close o' "
polls, is not the only nor the chief item ''
pense. There is what we might call tue .
premiership expense, which, unseen ~ J.
by the popular eye, cot the city gr'''''.
more than any one would think. Every o.
must learn the incomings aud out
Of his office at the public expense. IL,
airy is just the same ~ IT he had been 4.
ing the office for year,; yet be canno'
in day or week, or 10 few weeks " ,'.,,
! has learned about the time he is ca"e' -,
to give up his Office. Real good ana I' ~ 7
men for any given office see thIs--tn' ~,
/ do not care to take the trouble Of 40 oiI'h :.
study its duties properly, when the t'o,f
are that they will be called upon Y1V'.
at the end Of the year. Two year n,.,s
would be more likely to secure toS en-.
men for the righ, places" than oneyea' 10, I'D
and we would be glad to see our eIeeuoL 40
(! 50 amended ns TO make our elecIlO"'
NAL instead Of ANNUAL"