The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-01-25

PUEBLO MEEr1NG.-Agreeable to a call from his
Honor Mayor Tabb, large number of our clti,
gems convened at the City Hall last evening, and
on being called to order proceeded to business
On motion Mayor Tabb was called to the Chair,
and Thomas F. Owens, Esq, appointed Secre-
tary.
meeting was to devise some plan by which the
existing state of lawlessness in the city may be
suppressed, and good order restored.
Mr. John Belote moved that the Mayor be re-
ouested to appoint secret detective police OF
AZ men, to be added to the present police force
Adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Hall, the resolution was re-
considered and an amendment offered to increase
the number contemplated to twelve men. lne
motion was lost :.
onirino whether the Mayor of the city had not
authority to appoint sufficient ponce force 10
nrotect the lives and property OF the cltlzens
and that if SO, he thought the proceedings out OF
order.
<marks in regard to the doubts on his mind as to
the Councils acquiescing in the action of the May
~ should he use his discretion in appointing an
;ncreased police force, as it was the inv.riable
practice of the City Fathers to grumble at any
Increase of expense which might be entailed upon
the CITY by the action of the Mayor.
Mr.. Ludlow's remarks were received by the
meeting generally with applause. He wanted the
meeting composed as it was of citizens, to let he
Councils know that the Mayor had their sanction
and appreciation for what he was about to do. He
believed, with the Mayor, that there was a neces-
stv for an creased police force, and appealed to
the many bruised heads present to bear him out in
his assertion.
The Mayor made some suggestions in regard to
the getting up of volunteer police force of one
hundred men to assist the present force; said
volunteers to serve every night for week. Thi.
seemed to be the embodiment of a memorial or
petition signed by large number of citizens
and handed him.
On motion of Mr.. W. G. Ellis, His Honor was
requested to appoint a committee to organize a
volunteer police force of one hundred men, The
Mayor appointed the following named gentlemen;
who are requested to meet at the City Hall this
morning at 10 o'clock, to carry out the object of
the resolution, where and when all persons who
desire to volunteer are requested to come forward
and register their names, it is the design that
said force shall enter their duties tonight,
without fail.
Committee-Thos F Owens, Ludlow, Jas.
Saunders Samuel Moore, and Walter II
Taylor.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
We say to the above, $50 far SO good" But
there is something else to be done. The volun-
tsers can not be expected to act for any great
length of time; and when they flag or wear out
in their efforts for the public safety, the same
evil will return upon with increased vim.
We must have the vagrant law enforced; make
every idle man in the community give an account
of himself, and if he cannot show clean record,
start him off to where he came from. This will
strike the evil deadly blow in its vital parts.
This the Mayor can do with his day police; and it
will have to be done before we can have security
In this city for life and property. By our laws
we can protect the citizens against white despe-
radoes and will then be enabled to see if the ne
gro il party to these outrages.