The national Republican., 1867-09-04

DrninaEc.-Mr Turton reported fayorably a
bill to lay q water main in Maryland avenue be.
tween Ninth and Tenth and between Maryland
avenue and D on Ninth street. Passed.
Also, reported favorably bill TO construct q
sewer along a portion Of Twelfth street west
Passed.
Also, presented a bill to purchase new gar.
bago box In the First ward. Referred.
Also, presented q bill to repair stone steps In
front Of the First ward station-house. Referred
Mr.. Lloyd, on leave, introduced a petition
from Charles Walter and others for relief Re-
ferred.
Also, a petition from certain citizens against
being taxed for sewer on Fourth street. Re-
ferred.
Claims.-Mr Lloyd reported favorably bill
to reimburse H. A. Hall for an insurnce license
not used. Passed.
At 1904 the Board adjourned.
Board OF Common Council,
Tho Board met at the usual hour. All the
members present.
The President laid before the Board mes.
sage from the Mayor announcing his approval Of
an act to provide for paying for medicines for the
poor in the First, Second, Third and Seventh
wards an act to abolish the police department
Ct the city Of Washington; and an act granting
permission to c. G. Nelson to put an iron rail.
| ing in front Of his house, in lot No. 1s, square
No. 366.
| Also, q message from the Mayor returning
without his approval, the bills for the relief Of
John Riggles and W. Il. Hooper, as follows:
GENTLEMEN l return to your Board, where
10y originated, the acts to reimburse to John
Riggles and W. Il. Hooper certain moneys, with.
out my approval.
The acts are intended to reimburse to these
parties certain moneys-in the case Of Mr.. Rig.
giles two thirds, and in that Of Mr.. Hooper the
| whole Of what was paid by them for licenses to
do business as tho agents Of certain companies.
| The moneys were paid by the parties-Mr. Rig
giles on November ], 1866, and Mr. Hooper on
March 5, ls67-under tho act Of the Councils
approved April 81, 1866, which required for
such licenses the prepayment Of tho sum Of
$500.
Congress subsequently, by act Of March 2,
1867, repealed the act Of the Councils requiring
the pre- payment Of the sum Of three hundred
dollars, and provided "that the tax or license
| should not exceed ono per centum on the cash
premium received" The effect Of this inter
vention by Congress has been to deprive the cor
poration Of the power to compel the prepayment
for license, and leaving 1t to the option Of the
party doing business as an insurance agent to
account or not for the tax on cash premiums.
It is now sought by these bills, which return
without my approval to reimburse to Mr. Rig.
giles two.thirds and to Mr.. Hooper the whole Of
tho sums paid by them for licenses as insurance
| agents. In the case Of Mr.. Riggles who OBJ.
tained and paid for his liconso long before the
passage Of the act Of Congress, and has been
doing business under thom ever since, there GER
tainly is no legal obligation on the corporation
to refund any part Of the moneys paid by him.
| Both Of these gentlemen have been doing bust
ness as agents Of insurance companies In this
city, Mr.. Riggles for period over nine months
and Mr.. Hooper for period over Ave months,
and are indebted to the corporation, respectively,
| in sums equal to one per centum on tho cash
premiums received by them as agents Of the
several insurance companies they represent.
1t seems to me, therefore, that the better, II
not tho only proper, way to settle with them
| would be to reimburse to those gentlemen what
ever, if any. of the moneys paid by them for
licenses that may be in excess, after deducting
what may be due and owing to the corporation
on account Of the one per centum Of cash pre-.
miums received, or let the matter rest until the
expiration Of their present licenses and then re.
iniburse to them whatever they may bo entitled
to receive.
Very respectfully,
| RICHARD WALLACE, Mayor
The message was referred, on motion Of Mr..
Piau, to the Committee on Claims
The president also laid before tho Board the
report Of tho Intendhnt Of the Asylum for the
month Of August which was referred to the
| Committee on the Asylum.
Mr.. d n. Clarke introduced bill to amend an
act entitled IAN act in relation to the grading
and grayeling Of Third street west, from X street
north to New Jersey avenue. Passed.
Mr.. NallOy presented to the Board the follow,
ing communication
CRY OF WAsHISGrOS, Aug a. 1867
DEAR SIR In reading the proceedings of tho
Board Of Common Council OF which you arc a
member saw 1t stated by a member from tho
Second ward, that the vice president Of the last
Board Of Common Council was not resident Of
the ward which he represented.
beg to have you to say that such was not
| tha inst nd kEaa kpn npII kar L..
known not to be so, when uttered; but II true,
is no Qualification for any wrong-dOer Of the
present Council.
am, yours, &C., S. A. PEUGu.
Capt ENLLEY, present.
Mr. Pfau said that the statement he had made
on n former occasion that the vice president Of
| the late Board Of Common Council resided in
another ward for period while he represented
the Second ward in the Common Council-had
| been furnished him by an old citiZsn-who had
just surel him that the same was true as
stated, notwithstanding the disclaimer. He
would also say that one Of the gentlemen Of the
Board Of Aldermen is continually bringing up
the subject Of the eligibility of the members Of
this Board, notwithstanding the charter declares
that each Board shall judge Of the qualifications
and eligibility Of its own members, and the gen.
orally accepted maxim that persons or legislative
bodies can best attend to their own business
and that too while that gentleman sat during the
whole Of the last Council with one Of his col.
Leagues, who was not able to hold property on
account Of judgments hanging over him. Further,
there may be serious doubts as to eligibility of
two members of the Board Of Aldermen on ac.
count Of counterfeit ballots cast-the utterance
OF which, in many States, Is held a penitentiary
offence lie would say that notwithstanding
these charges against the members Of the Board
which were continually thrown in their teeth,
eVory one has n freehold, and that in point of
equity or justice their record would compare
fayorubly with the other Board or any previous
one. This Board might also suggest, with tho
same proprety, that the members Of the Board
of Aldermen who do not represent majority of
their constituents resign their seats. Ono
member of the Board-Mr. Baker, Of the Seventh
ward-has been repeatedly referred to in the
other Board as not being a taxi payer, when the
error occurs from the negligence of the tax
clerk, or some other Oficer Of tho corporation