The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-18

10 HemTy 4Eansfcid. Lenis Mckenzie N.,,hs,
Shthn, and Nm. Aynold F"''
IL may oe presumptuOus in me. plain business
man. to address you, after the elaborate and ahl.
legal opinion of II. O. c., endorsed by j. +. X
which l have read with great satisfaction an.
when, II you have not, would earnestly invita-
you 70 10. D"t nave been presun ptuous enough
10 suppose that perhaps the opinions Of a plain
cluzeh IKE yourselves, whom you have known
fton your boy hood, and who, fatter mvself hoe
been respected by you as an honest, ndenendo,t
and candid man, might have even more we;obt
with you than the opinion Of gentleman .learned
in the law"
therefore beg you to pause he ore YOU commit
he act wa 'ch you propose by your advert; se,r.nt
ana rehset upon the position i'll which that ,ct
VIM place yoa, aud its probable consequences.
shall lay down certain axioms which 7 hel;e,
70 DC true, without attempting to argue them. and
neneve hatahy legal gentlemen however bigh
thelr standing IN tic profession, will admit f., bn
generally true. '" 'o
In the first place, chartered rights granted INV
r, opo 'oS's'h.Ve authority, can be anne nCled or
Altered by such legislative authority, but bv m
other authority under the sun, SO that nether In,
Le'chcr hor Francis ii. Pierpont. let which NAV
'e o"e "oVerhof can any more divtstthe citizens
VI eA'harla or any portion Of them, or the off
GERS duly elected uuder the charter. thau ,nv ona
of you can. ' any o"e
Now please bear in mind. that the ,er;s,.,;v
BODY which sat in Wheeling some montls 700 -,
ia' .s KNOW or have hoard have not pre,.nd.d
~ ,'.of Ut amend the charter of the city Of Alex
anu a. ana the power under which YOU propese 1o
act is the lint of man SOLELY
me election in March last WAS REGULARLY b.,d
""aer the charter tor city Offices and the election
was participated in by yourselves and our citizens
S'neh All AZ home, of all parties and AS in dnty
'ouho' cneefiui,y acquiesced in by ALI You pro-
pose '' election to be held under your auspices to
Apstt dill thls and to reveuGionze the city govern
msn'' 80 f'r rs have heard, without canse
Has the City Council been derelic, in thar i,
es! know, by experience, that it is a troubls- =
UNIV anu thankless position H. be a member and
10 "no VIII 90 his duty us he should will be nnur-
, Paw n ny inc honor Of the position. As to tho
LII pnicers Vi The Corporation, there are some.
VIII not say how many, thst shuu,d mar uel,o,
. or thelr capacity, &c., but you will hardly denv
na' your nominees are not better fitted for thess I
'iaoes IN any respect The second position as l.
ume' 49, mat no man can be punished for opin.
- sake, ana Hfyou mean to "make ciesn =
p !, % al the officers Of the Corporation be-
ause II Is supposed that some portion of them do \
o. agree IN opinion With you or Mr. Pierpoipt. y
ha you wiz wiz hardIy deny that furnishing those
"Sioo Win you, Is at least u sample of unmit
;a;J tyranny anu oppression, from which, as in 4
~ a'a' know some OF you would shrink with sa
,..a ~ Had th's course of conduct been pro- I
'.ea 70 you siz months ago. and tho voice of bro.
oie'eld 10 you individually that you should
.''loipa'e 10 such an act of revolutionary tyrap.
upon your old neighbors and friends Won
.'u nave exclaimed like IIuzael, King of Syria,
u'' 'ne prophet Elisha after locking him earn.
ny 70 the face wept and fsretold to him tho bar II
~, ne would hereafter commit Is thy ser
II aog that no should do these things read
Alngs S.v to l5-and yet, netvithst.ud;ns
power and indignation, all that the prophet
.'eia was actually committed by him. Psus.
~ gentlemen, and let not the future histor;.n
.nesc msaianehsy days, have to record that Won
paInSlPsted In this act, which, if sonsumms.
4 !, pace you Ne the poet says, :" Like Crom. 49,
!! damned t" everlasting fums," in th. anna.
:. "u. should regret the any ene-the M
lemory. ' '-'1'N aosve sach
no eo'sers 81 the L.oeal News ar, auth cried 10
- .sAsN wsomsssvss may desire TO knov pail