Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-03-26
nmArnnAnrr.

ans aEEaAaAf N@N 6"#NA4
or Of Mr.. WebbeF, to the Chief
Magistraey Of this city, is y matter
worthy Of the serious consideration
Of our citizens.
Have we forfeited our city char
ter, that the rights and privileges
guaranteed By It are rudely taken
from usi fs this community sn
incorporated municipality, author
lied 10 select their Oficerb, and
through them 10 frame ordinances
for the government Of the city3
Il Governor Alcorn to appoint
" Ton, Dick or Harry" to offices Of
honor and profit In the government
Of this city without regard to law,
or the wishes Of this community?
These are questions which deep
ly concern " as citizens. If we
are TO submit to such unauthor-
lied Entertainments In any
one important particular, may
We not look for other encrOach-
ments TO follow fastI A precedent
IL . quasi law, and this instance, II
allowed to pass unchallenged, will
make it one.
There is only one place in the Con-
stitution under which the Governor
can claim any pretence Of authority
for making this appointment of our
city officers. This 10, 40 we have
before said, sec. Q Of art xii: "The
term Of Oflcs of all county, town.
ship and precinct officers, shall OK.
pire within thirty days after this
Constitution shall have been rati-
fed, and the Governor shall, by and
with the advice and consent Of the
Senate, thereafter appoint such off,
cers, whose term Of Office shall con-
tlnue until the Legislature shall
provide, by law, for an election Of
said officers; Provided, The pres
emit incumbents Of all county, town.
ship, district and beat Offices shall
hold their respective Offices until
their successors are legally appoint
cd or elected, and duly qualified
Can any one see authority here
for the appointment Of city officers
by the Governor?
Whether It was intended TO In
clude city offices In this section we
cannot say and it does not matter
II ID enough to know that there is NJ
authority here for the Governor t
/ appoint other than "cOunty, town
ship and precinct O~fiicers," and OUT
side Of this even SO great 9 man O.
Governor AlcOrn has no right t
60.
= II the appointment is made IN
der the next section (sec. y, whicl
provides for the appointment o
officers not otherwise provided 70
In the Constitution, then Il de
vOlves upon the Legislature, VIII
@may determine the mode Of HllinI
all vacancies In ell Ofices."
= But this 10 not the only grOuD,
Of objection to this appointment
Take It for granted that Coy
AlcOrn has the right 10 make hi
appointment then, we contend thG
b he 10 compelled to appoint q quail
|. fed person which Gen. Weber
f not.
v Section four OF the city charte
J. says: "The Mayor and COunc
10 shall st the time Of his or their ele'
tiOn be legal vOterS Of said city an,
have resided IN said city at lea
too years neat preceding the ele'
~ ton, and the COuncilmen shall n
side in the respective wards "a
which they are chosen" The yer
!" purpose for which the above Wi
10 placed in the charter holds good !
" case Of an appointment as well
Of an election. The gOvernmel
= OF this city Is intended for the GOO
I" Of its citizens, and the laws aud o.
J dinances relating to IL are also
y intended.
% The people Of this city have d
- clared who only shall be eligible
III hold its Offices. The very basis (
all government authorizes and sut
tains this people in so doing.
Because incompetent aud incl
gible persons have stolen In
= Office by the course of circuT
y stances, 1t is no reason that sue
wrongs should continue. Unless Ia
- can be produced to authorize Il
~ appointment Of General Weber
v. Mayor, and a'Mr. Gardiner
Councilman, and to show them e
~ gible to hold these Offices, then v
- urge the citizens to assert the
rights in the matter, By Z form
er protest to the Governor again
such action. We hope our Citize
'er win take action in the matter.
ne Since writing the above o
~, auaalal dfunaknhaa from Tonkpnn I