The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-05-21
OPIN 10 n

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lam ssked 10 ssvi.e ihs Cevne;l "vasthss III.
h ,,sh,e "a, property Destroyed hF riosrs and
N ihsre "a no such liability, wastaar, i1 hy ci'o1
tbs Couooi has the risai enass TIA essfier OK Ire
CITY, to assume ard paw olasrls fer sncn property
II 10 not assumed In she terms u tie q1ssi9u
nat there hes been any neglect ct out7 en- 1t e
part Of the cfieers o! tbs city Ia preventing OF
eupp-essir tse riot which ccets nea the ioss CON-
pIsined Of, hut tss nahed IL q7,ry II, in effect,
whether IA tsstrsr OF all The property within tts
territorial s,s against iptsries by vioisrcs con,
mttted BY mebs ard rioters, the city Is respontib,s
fyr tu u Injuries recently me here and SO under.
swsr In The nesativa There Is nothing. certe.El-,
In the character sud objects Of municipal ccrpo-
ration (which tAis city LAY IN create such liability.
10 . pGs;ie body, In which 10 ve.isd puriioa Of
the civil power Il the Stl.s TO 30 exe-cei for the
purposes Of local government through lie several
Observation-Disclosures. executive. and Judicial
hind Of imperiam fnpcriorsf.c!I7 a in fainIaiu %
In lie relations W! tho ,cs.l constituent body thu
government Of tbs State Itsei IN Il, relations with
The Rfeat budy Of the people It's brsne Il to 10
stisrts ana e.io,cs al proper messufss .csordirg
for the good government ef the city; and when
that IL done with the ie't Judgment iss members
fan bring 10 the task, thef Functions eee sppron'
atsiy discharged and st Gil end For ito proper per-
Torrance they are ike the nenbs.s OF he Stats
government anensbe 10 porulsr csnsurc - tbs
polls, ard In ceses Of wl:ni end co'rrp. r,iso5n
duet, 10 -mlnal prosecution. Among tho nur1s--
Gus provisions Of the charter, iDc nothing sx.
press or implied to warrant tho idea shst sueh lis
bili,y exists, have re: with any report eae
text writer which recognises any such incident Ss
pertaining 10 corporate municipal bodies fhns IN
the exse Of Prsther W the city Of Lexington 3'h
B Monroe, $50 In which l: was sought II make The
committed by lawleas mob, the Court ssy I'VE
know OF no principle Of law that snbi.cis Ecmi.
cipai corporation to responsibility .oe tho ss!et7
Of tie property within Its ts.r:toIi., Units
eipie has been recognised CT established -
If euch = liability exists, wha: is its Mature rnd
extentf Does Is afosd protection against toe
dator. or only against the violencs CT 3 lswl.ss
mob II against the ia.ter cuIy whence arises
The distinction All the acts may be alike irju,i.
~ Of IL members In nj events ssa.rss all unlawful
violsuce. there Is room for Discrimination, bus
similar liability would exist 10 each 81 the cases
mentioned There Ii nothing 10 tbs nature or de-
Ggn Of amu1lcipal corporation that imposes such
duly upon II. The chief purpose Of sach a. inssi
tuti0n Il the adoption Of such measures OF police
viii promote The comfort convenispcs sud sensrei
welfare Of the Inhabitants within tho city, sud by
local laws adapted 10 the condition o; euae pop.
ulation. TO imosrt efficiency TO tbs socA govern.
Msnt." Against the nseessity which Was fe: Id
1nglscd for special legislation on this subject and
by which such liability has been imposed on local
communities - hundreds, ;og-u and cities shows |
that BY common law (which In this instAnee curs)
IL was cot incidental to corDon EuciSipsi bodies
the hundreds Into which the COUNTIES were divided
ware By statutes made Liable 10 psrscGi robbed |
within the Lmlts, under csftan c;rc,Iss.ss-ss il |
damages equivalent to the loss Er~sas.sc. rhs:s
&ctnsnN hGvs bseo greatly Extended in nodefn
firss In the! rc1oe AID eejses, unsil now, by the
rlos 49, ..s b.aek act, Is It is called, snt o:hs.s
sla!lSt, there il scarcely any injury - property
committed 10 vio!en. snc t;naisaoas n s.lasE,
that nay not be redresseo in saft County, By action
as.ns: tie handrsd 20 thsrs 10y hs a.jsi tbs
o7th Geo. ILL., th ~. eco So assi3s; j, jaIi.g Sy
muituous Assent es making The es.g :Gss5. Liable
II 10. within G huadsse. Ba: ne nave such
legislation hsrs
do not know thA. it Is Claimed ay thcss no afs
sskbs reiIess by tas city os o.aos inflicted ~ t1s
lsts rIo:. that thcse LOSES have eFiss from Ire
failure OF tic Council 10 sEss proper issxsnsEs or
os the oihcscs Of ihs city properly sG6 faithfully
70 exert themselves, to prevent and upp-ess the
fiot but II Eaitksr ssces! OF ts Gss d. consider
he city Ioe TINS Uouleii, II is tfne tY TIE Char
ter must 'adop: nessnEss to suaprezsr gaming
and uppiDg bous;s" be. fte3 hsys the pOHeE
70 impose anes, within certain Limit, sal thoy
have lie sppo'ntnisn: Of officers o! pol:seno. the
Mayor, however, nor the Captain OF tie Eisa, |
Essca- tho pix eiIGi cfiios1S, vsho e.scio4 LS
See people, and they may deilc and prescribe tie |
Sa..ss of tasse cezs-Sus thSss ase puSii5 Gu.ss
e legislative nature, for the proper discharge OK
which the members are respozsaio!e only la tie.r
political, representative character. IN sais ther !
aEe to be dz'ir gashed il their action from aneg
tons. exercising tho eo'p orsts fanctioEs for
zhe benefit # the E.mbs's. are naoe &c iEai
v,dusls fer sn Cia.sslon O. Gaisfe*ssEce CT |
.hcrs sccesions: Otherwise G. public ccrpo |
xa.ions, Instituted for purposes OF govern. |
.asnt, ciaiess sa action hc givel ssa!aa t:.sui |
hJ statute" Whi.s VS. City Coaaeil Of Charles |
TN, Hit, z 6 O al Neither would scy eei:E. |
ausacy cf dasy On tie part CT tas poiSe, In PIE
Seatirg or suppressisg the rot ocSaaloUing tas /
io.s eory iarea o. render the city liable ecr hsse
ofacars, although sppOinte1 by thu Council sad d |
Wa:eh sho ere not go appein.ed--:.o uc! bear to |
tbs city tie retsioa Cf asents to rricirsi who is
liable IL. tel, acts "Iho eficcrs OF city srs |
quasi civil efsis,rs CT ihs Government although |
Isxf ta ssnz.
Liable for iaa.f -aslsss2aEce CT noafSsgsnos Ia Of
Eesi bit for neither IL lac corporation !;s5le |
Omissions c! du:y imprred upon tds,n by law |
aot
70 e1iss; bu: does Io Ia tea. rc., sanction .aeif
of1aisi nIsccaeact (" FEATHER VI City o, Lex Sc: /
cup. "Bscauss tie corporation Is AZ to tins sss. /
aages Of ordinances and the appointment q otcefr
Government exercising political power. j. Is !
irresponsible for It's offica. gsisSsEdus. CT it,.
officers Ipan sEs naEae p..oeiPls which gr..
orally proseota &GysIdcreE.s sud ppb,;, 81; |
,sra from liability for TIC rnalfsss~ s,.,
sHeissssanoes Of peIsoos useessatD- emnioIesnn
tisr ,hs,a in the pubic service ku.ies., s,rvo.
gstisnf qao 90 kss s.s -Ioa the s.a.e faund..i IA
rAn raoac o. Counties. tonrsAifz es::
y ~ ga" scrpor.iisns, shsrssd villa ss0so Pat
. q: iuvcgsea VIII 81 ios Gart OF las sUshGT-
~ II GoYsruaasE. xlazre tos employment Q: sifi-
Gags u IecsxUy xDd laval Es,E,a os Mayer !
u keL,le 3ist Alabama 4 q. } 81. tty |
40 gsnesal ~asrsaisr Gsns. tie Gets q indiv,du
ais IL pclies msy BE- sgpetiea to, log tho pas' |
ruas OF preventing inIpisi but II Eueh police or
10 gEasns, OF il ilnf.es occur esckaa2 shay ara
ins III ,sat IN tie d, charge of the powers With
vlisa taty are invested. tho city st lx.gs c:cnot
be 10 responsible ior ses q Third psrsars, which
unfe- more saEeclous and efnoieat police. might
,.ossis.v EaSs been prevented" Eoue %. New Or
.ea,.s le.h Leu an 4ea.
kr 10 .Ao sscond branch q iIa airy, Il the pc.;-
..oyl Us veil founGsd-ths "the city Is not Liable
crptopsriy Destroyed by ricters"-E follows logi
csy tbs. ITO Council has 60 tight to Gssnxsc AID
pay oaisas for eco: property caieSs the power &c
s'arrsd ter Il TO dosGn tho corporate fusd TO oh
iscis which may exciso the sympathy Erd cCmpss
sion Of tts uaeAbsrs But municipal chsrier b,.
ieS In dsf0saIior Of common right IL system Of
strictly delegated powers TIE power Ct making