The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-22
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
MONDAY, Sept. 81, 1868.
Hazard of AIderm en-.

orders Mr. secretary, plehbe Iehu ihe pfocceu-
The Secretary proceeded to read the Jour.
nal, when he was interrupted by
Mr.. Talbert. move that the reading OF the
Journal be dispensed with.
The Chair. II there be no objection, the
minutes will be considered as approved.
MSssrs McGSshrs an TslSsrt and Mor'el Tin
The CHAIR proceeded to put the question on
the adoption of the minutes OF the last meet.
Mr. Moore, taking chair, approached with
II 70 the Presidents table and placed 1t on tho
The CHAIR. l. object to Mr.. Moore taking a
seat on the platform. 1 am the President Of
this Board.
Mr.. Moore here hesitated as to whether he
should take his seat on the platform Or not:
Mr.. Lloyd, who also approached the plat
form, "Take the chair, Capt. Moore, or
authorize me, III take it III take It,"
The Chair. object. Mr.. Moore Is not pres
Mr.. Lloyd. He is president. You have no
business there.
tions, &C., from all the wards In turn, objec-
tions in the meantime being offered BY men,
bers Of the opposite party:
Mr.. Lloyd here offered to Mr., Moore, as
Richards objectinE, and, at the same time,
bringing his gavel repeatedly and heavily on
whereas the legislative business of this
corporation has been, and still is, impedcd BY
differences of opinion arising out Of the selec-
ton Of a presiding officer of the Board, its
members being equally divided-seven against
Be 4 resolved, That each Of the claimants to
the chair be, and is hereby, requested to re-
sign his preteDBions thereto, In order to ena'
bic the Board to select presiding officer &C
ceptable to q majority of its members, and to
proceed to the consideration OF the public
business requiring its attention.
Mr.. Moore attempted to read the resolution
the Chair using the gavel vigorously.
MIR. Fcnwick. You are a usurper, Mr.. Rich
ID utE1
Mr.. Morsell. Yes, you arc usurpcr.
Mr.; Knight. object to MIR. Moore being OF
MI. Cook. l object TO Mr.. Moore belut
there. He is not the President of this Board
Mr.. Fenwick. Mr.. Richards, you have NJ
business in that chair. You should take thu
Mr.. Moore again attempted to read the reso
luton.
The Chair. Mr., Moore, so to your chair ant
Mr.. Moore here sent the resolution to Mr.
Lloyd, who read 1t.
Mr.. rnlbert moved that abe yeas and nay
DO called on the reception of the resolution.
The yeas and nays were taken, and re
Bulted-yeas s, nays o. as follows:
Seas-Messrs. Fenwick, Grinder, Larman
Lloyd, MeCathrNn, Moore, Morsell, and Tai
Nsys-Mcssrs. Baker, Clark, Cook, Crocker
Knight, and the President-6.
Mr.. Cook desired to know whether the res
olution was worth the paper on which 1t wa
written. He thought 1t would amount Il
nothing even should the Board adopt IT, Mr.
Richards was the legal permanent President
Mr.. McCathran contended that there Ia,
not even been an attempt made to elect per
manent president Of the Board on the nigh
organized. by their present actions the
were but throwing dirt at each other. He di
not claim any, more rights than he was willin
others should have, but he did contend tina
1t WAS not right to be browbeaten when b
came here to transact the business OF tn
Board. He would fight them hOnorably an
fall La h..N h - IaA Nabl In
the president to turn deaf car to call 70
the yeas and nays, or any other proper re
quest by member twas matter OF regre
to know that the president treated member
in this way. Ifa majority of members shout
decide that the chair should be vacated, h
might rest assured that It would be vacated
his bantam. He could go there as often as h
pleased.
Mr.. Lloyd here called for the yeas and nay
on the question to yacate.
Mr.. Crocker took exception to what h
termed insinuations made by Mr.. McCathraI
that his party had not treated him MIR. Moo
Mr. McCathran said he did not say so. II
said the Chair did NOS treat him with respect
Mr.. CFocker contcnded that Mr.. McC. wa
wrong when he said that they had not legal
elected a chairman.
Mr.. McOathran. l did not say chairman.
said temporary President. Don't you dare
Mr.. Crocker said there was quorum pres
ent on that occasion. He granted that NJ
tulick had made a permanent president o
heir 1.-THE Conseryatiyes) part. lie explaine
that at the time OF organization motion wa
put that Mr.. Richards be made permanen
president, and that the motion was carried
spirit that would enable Aldermen to get tC
gether and do business. lie believed the
that Mr.. Harmon was with them, but he ate
wards learned differently for he noticed tha
Mr.. Harmon voted repeatedly with the othc
side.
When Mr.. Larman rose in his scat a fe,
weeks since and announced that he woul
vote for any other Republican than Mr.. Rici
ards for president Of the Board, he (Mr. q
felt that the way was open to an early organ
cation. He felt impressed with the impo
lance of legislating that they might pay tn
workmen OF the corporation, the street lsbo
ers, fire department, police, &c. But with III
could see no chance of Cancellation. Both {
the gentlemen claiming the chair had consl'
cradle pride in what they did, and so had
asa member. Had he his choice he woul
vote thousand times for MIR. Richards. "
he was willing that they should have fai
expression, free from party spirit and part
work and legslato for their constituents. ii
WAS unwilling, however, to sec anything don
that would reflect on either OF the Bentleme
In the chair, and much less In the one io
whom he voted. He desired Cancellation, an
would resort to any fair means to effect 1t.
MIR. Talbert What does the gentleman d'
MIR. Crockcr. Idesirc TO have the eight vote
that the Republicans elected to this Boart
The citizens would hold these eight Republ
cans responsible for the acts OF this Board, b.
cause they constituted a Majority.
Mr.. Talbert. This Board does not recogni7
party. The citizens chose the Aldermen. Coz
gress elected one man here that we do nc
recognize.
Mr.. Urocker replied that Congress Ia
passed law giving seats In ms Ioard !
persons holding certificates from the Rcglste
Alderman Cook had certificate and no on
had 4 right to deprive him OF his seat unlei
the court should decide that he was not CT
titled to It,
Mr.. Taibert. stand in my place here to IN
that Congress has no right TO declare any ma
elected to this Board who has not been cleo to
by the citizens.
Mr.. Crocker remarked In effect that II a
the votes had been polled, to which vote
were entitled Ia the Fifth ward, Mr.. Coo
would have been elected by greatly increase
majority. Votes had been received there th'
the commissioners knew were illegal
Mr.. Talbert. 1t 10 well known by the gentl
man, In my opinion, that negroes from Wasl
inRton county and Prince Georges county ha
voted at the late election.
Mr. Urocker replied that he did not believ
cOlored man had voted In the First and Sc
Ond wards who mad not resided In these ware
year previous to his having voted. Thes
statements were false He believed the gel
tlcman INT Ta,beTt) knew that hundreds
colored men were deirauded out OF their vote
at the late election. lie (Mr. o. knew
three hundred himself, who when they oiiere
to vote wcTG refused. II the initial letters
their names were wrong, they were debarre
from voting, and II white man came up an
his name was misspellcd his vote was received
Had the legal vote been pollcd, MIR. Bowe
would have been elected Mayor by ten or Il
teen hundred majority, Instead OF cighty.hv
majority.
MIR. McCathran. We come here, not to IL
eide as to the legality OF Congressional aCi
or the correctness OF tho decisions of court