The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-22


cessful contradiction. that no .c,,o MAS
ever held II, his tawn, :, &c j Mas q Town,
more strio.iy and rig.dly i'll Conformity 70 law
than the election which had been held this
day, the views of the city fathers and " the
legal opinion to the contrary notwithstand-
ing.
AS to the legal opinion" he proposed no
lengthy criticism upon that, though he sup
posed it was made fair subject Of criticism
by its proclamation to the public. We might
be allowed, he supposed, to say thus much
abourit, that every professional reader Won d
readily acknowledge the illegal opinion " to
| be what it purported to be upon its face--to
wit 1.-The result of very limited examina-
tion of the law" This was what the authors
themselves said about it, as would be seen on
reference, and whilst the fact was sufficiently
patent without its having been stated, the
statement was, perhaps, well enough, as it
served to explain one or two features of it.
otherwise not easily understood. Itexplained
why the legal OPINION" in all of its points,
directly oyerrulpd the decisions of Chief JUS
tice Marshall ON the very same points --deci-
sons which are presumed to be familiar to
to advise upon the law nf munici pal corpora
lions. 1t explained, too, how it happened
that the authors Of the legal opinion cited
for their Standing Authority treatise which,
by it's very title, ignores all discussion of the
Corporation ,aw which applies to such Cor
pora tons as the city OF Alexandria
Mr. b. would repeat that, notwithstanding
epioions, legal or other. the election was le-
gal, ami, not only legal, bat proper. They
mad violated 40 right guaranteed by the char
ter. They had simply taken the administra-
ron of The charter from The hands of disloy-
al. and placed it in the hands of loyal men.
Respect tor the position which they occupied
imperatlyely demanded this, and The salts
action ut this demand had wrought injury
to no one.
The whole subject was in a nut shell.
Among the chartered rights of this town
WAS the rgh. to have a Mayor. Council
and other officials 1t had been our charter.
ed right to have VIM. i Price for Mayor
and 20 have him for Mayor until the 4th OF
March, lS62-but when the sovereign con
vention Of the State IN the exercise Of an an
doubtei poacer declared, for wise reasons,
that VIM. B. Price should be no longer
Mayor, it then became our chartered right
to have somebody els. for Mayor, and that
chartered right we have exercised in the
election his day.
Looking at the whole subject, was there
ever seen such straining at quats, and such
a gulping down of camels Fifty or a hun.
dred men can get together in secret concave,
and they can vote State out Of the Union
they can declare war against the govern.
ment-they can upturn the very foundations
of society-all this the gentlemen of our
Common Council can see and applaud-but
when competent authority by competent
legislation, declares that John Smith shall
no longer sit in the Common Council Of Al
exandria, these very same gentlemen fall
into spasms over what they call the 'mons.
frosty Of the outraged"
But our city fathers had taken the whole
subject of elections into their debate. and
had commented upon another election held
here few weeks agO-cOmmented, accord
ing to report, in terms OF severity - That
election, it seems, did not please them. 1t
was mt held, he believed, for that particular
purpose. He was glad it was not required
to please them, though he had every DISPOSE
ton, if it were practicable--it was assured
ly impossible to do it, if he acted simply
upon his own convictions of judgment and
conscience. AS to this last named election,
he had but word to say. Whatever might
have been said Or thought touching the fit
ness or qualifications of the person chosen
at that election, he had nothing to say
gentlemen might discuss these as freely as
they desired, and he should not quarrel
with them, however low they might place
!, their estimate. But the propriety of the
election itself he would defend, at all times,
and any where, and he would defend it up
on the ground that the rights, and every one
of the rights of citizen Of the United
States still attached To those who stood firm
in their allegiance IL mattered not that
nine ,enths or nlnety-nine hundredths had
become dlsaffected and disloyal-it was not
therefore for the loyal citizens to surrender
and abandon their privileges when oppor-
tunity was presented for their enjoyment.
And pray who has the right to take excep-
tiUns TO The course which had been pursued.
Surely not those who ignored the existence
OF the United States, and disclaimed allie
glance to its government.
lie reiterated that in holding both these
elect ions, the Union men had done not only
what he conceived to be right, but what he
honestly believed to have been their duty
and so far at least as the election on this day
was concerned, he believed the result would
work no injury, but would be conducive to
the peace and the happiness of the town."