The national Republican., 1867-08-13
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
board of Aldermen.

fresent-messrt. Elyans, Iurton, uNen, ofind-
or, Larmsu, Noyes Talbert Richards, TAFT,
Moore, and J. Russell Barr, president,
The socretary being absent, on motion OF Mr..
Noyes, Mr. o. X. Harris was elected secretary
pro TEN.
The reading Of the minutes of the last meeting
was, on motion, dispensed with.
Mr.. Elvans presented the petition Of Q. M
Rosenthal for the remission Of q fine. Referred
to the COMMITTEES on Claims.
Mr.. Elvans presented the petition OF Charles
Stewart and others for the closing Of barber
shops on Sunday. Referred to the Committee
on Police.
Mr.. Elvans presented the petition Of c. Good.
enow for an improvement on Boundary street.
Referred 70 the Committee on Improvements.
Mr.. Elvans presented the petition Of Edward
Lilly for the remission Of 6ne. Referred to the
COMMITTEES on Claims.
Mr.. Grinder presented a petition which was
referred to tho Committee on Improvements.
Mr.. Grinder also presented q petition rsgulat.
ing hucksters' lioensts Referred to tho Com
mittee on Markets.
Mr.. Noyss introduced bill making appropri.
ations for the repair Of bridge in NJ street
south, on james creek. The bill was, on mo-
tion, passed.
Mr.. Noyes also offered q resolution, that tho
Surveyor be requested TO furnish the Committee
on Improvements Of this Board with q plat Of
the alley requested to DO condemned, by Rev.
Mr.. Mead and others, In plat 49i.
Mr.. Elvans spoke in favor Of tho adoption OF
the resolution. He said that the surveyor was
directly respontiblo to the Board Of Aldermen
He sale that some action should be taken by the
Board in relation TO the conduct Of tho Surveyor,
and he should bo held responsible for the per.
formance Of his duty and his actions before tho
Board.
The resolution, on motion, was adopted.
The President presented the petition Of Mr..
Putneyi which was referred 10 the Committee on
Finance.
Mr.. Moore submitted preamble and resolu.
tion In relation to the eligibility Of the members
Of the Boards, and mentioned the names Of o. S.
Baker, Henry II. Tilloy Appleton P. Clark, W.
M. slowen, Thomas G. Connolly, d. G. Parker,
John Arrison, L. D. s. Miller, and s. s. Baker,
members Of tho Board Of Common Council, who,
according to the law, were now holding seats,
yet were not eligible;
Whereas the charter Of this corporation pro,
yides that no person shall be eligible to a seat
In the Board Of Aldermen or Board Of Common
Council unless he shall be more than twenty .hve
years Of age, free white male citizen Of the
United States, and shall have been q resident Of
the city Of Washington for one year noxt pre-
ceding the day Of election. and shall at the time
Of his election bo a resident OF the ward for which
he shall be elected, and be the bona fds owner Of
freehold estate in the said city Of Washington,
and shall have been assessed on the books Of the
corporation for the year ending the 3lst day Of
December next preceding the day Of election"
Tho preamble goes on to state the names Of
the gentlemen not eligible.
Mr.. Moore said he did not wish TO be partisan
but he wished to know the eligibility Of all those
parties, and had called on the Mayor in reference
to it. He, the speaker, named the parties, and
he thought there was one moro who was also not
eligible But he wished this matter settled ere
tkat taw NulFa
In the charter to the word white, and there was
also in regard to the status Of the gentlemen oc.
cuPying positions.
Mr.. Richards said II the inquiry was one for
Investigation he would vote for the resolution
otherwise, not.
Mr.. Elvans said that according to the resolu.
tions the members spoken Of were declared to be
ineligible He wished to hear the report Of the
Committee on Elections. To regulate the tenure
Of office of members of the Board they had no
business to do. The resolutions called upon tho
corporation attorney for advice in the matter,
but the gentleman who has been acting as such
Is no longer member Of the bar, and therefore
any opinion from him would not bo valid. uo
hoped Mr.. Moore would wait until the Commit.
tee on Elections would make n report.
Mr.. Richards called for the reading Of the
resolutions.
Tho rssolutiOLs were .ssia r.~I.
Mr.. Elyans said ho knew two Of the gentle
men mentioned TO be owners OF real estate, viz
Messrs. Parker and s. S. Baker. Ho trusted
that the gentleman from tho Fourth ward would
wait until they could inquire into the facts prop
erly and not use any discourtesy to members Of
the lower Board
Mr.. Moore said that, according to the tax
books, the gentlemen mentioned were not cligi.
BILE In tho lower Board the ommitteo having
in charge the inquiry into the matter had not
reported, and the motion calling for their report
had been constantly voted down. Quite an
animated debate ensued In relation to the suJ.
ject, participated in principally by Messrs.
Moore Elvans and Richards.
Mr.. Moore stated, in answer to Mr. Elvans
about Mr.. Bradley being no longer allowed to
practice In the Criminal Court, that that had
nothing to do with Mr.. Bradeys position as
corporation attorney, as ho was only called upon
by the Board In relation to civil suits, and any
action of the Criminal Court in Diminishing him
did not interfere with his right to give the Board
advice as corporation attorney
Mr.. Larman said he would vote for the resolu.
tions, and expressed his reasons why he should
do SO. As the representatives Of n tar. paying
population II was a most important matter, and
should, as q duty due to their constituency, bo
inquired into. He should vote for the rcsolu.
tions II offered every night Of meeting.
Mr. Moore read the law Of 1860 in regard to
the matter. He also read, at the suggestion of
Mr.. Elvans, q law Of 1858, in relation to the du.
ties Of the corporation attorney.
Mr.. Noyes said that when the resolution had
been previously offered he had voted against its
adoption, as he wished reasonable time al.
lowed the Committee on Elections to report.
He moved that It be printed in the proceedings,
and action postponed until next Monday even.
ing.
Mr.. Richards offered resolution as u substl.
tute, which he thought would settle the question.
He afterward withdrew the substitute and sec.
onded the motion of Mr.. Noyes, to postpone.
Mr.. Moore said he should ask a direct vote
upon his resolutions. lie wanted to have light
upon this subject, and should oppose the motion
to postpone.
The motion to postpone was lost Messrs.
Grinder, Noyes and Richards 10 the affirmative.
Messrs Elvans, Given, Larman, Moore, Tai.
bort, TAFT, TurtOn and the president in the mega.
tive.
Mr.. Richards then renewed his substitutes
which, on motion, was lost by vote Of in the
affirmative and 10 In the negative.
The question then recurred on the original
resolutions which Twas adopted by the following
vote:
Yeas-Messrs. Given, Grinder, Moore, Noyes,
Talbert, TAFT. Turton and the president-S.
Nays-Messrs. ElvAns, Larman and Richards
%.
Mr.. Moore, from the Committee on Improve.
ments, reported back favOrably the bill repair.