Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-12-28
Z & 6 4 j. n b, w S
City Council.

proceedings see another column
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.-A few bills were
ordered to be paid, and the rest of the evening
vas spent In discussing motion to take up
the consideration Of the report of the commit
tee 10 whom had been referred the applioa-
ton of the A. & F. R. R. for right of way
through the city.
COMMON CoUNcIL-The Board was called
to order at = clock The Chair said that
under the rule, the hour for the meeting of tho
Board was clock. 1t was now half an hour
beyond the time of meeting, and by the rules,
rs there WAS now no quorGm, the rule required
that The Board should adjouro until TO- morrow
night, and he should accordingly declare the
Couuc;l adjourned until that time.
MIR. Massey suggested that, By general con
sent, tic members might wait awhile longer in
order that quorum mis- ht come in. He hoped
that the clerk would De instructed to enter
tile OF one dollar against each absentee.
The Chair said that the % rule, which i'm.
posed fine Tor non at, nGancc, would hereafter
be enforced.
Mr. Massey said that there were members
who hal been elected to this CounciI who paid
no attention 10 their DUTY, and he thought
such mcu,bers should he deprived ct their
positions.
Mr.. Wheat endorsed tn, position Ct Mr..
Massey liz had here very important business
TO bring 10 the attention of CouocL 1t was
necessary to start the >clool system on the lst
day of January. He had himself routed rooms
ior these schools, taking such responsibility as
was uceded TOR this purpose. The Lane tstcrlau
school would not be re upcued agsio, and yet
be had 10 authority tG alter The Lincaster,an
school tor The new schools. If members were
not wllng 10 di-charKo their duties they
should not accept the position.
Mr. Shion and Mr.. NeaIe also erd ,rSed the
suntimcbt OF Mr.. Massey.
After waiting some time, the messenger
having been sent Tor abSen' ees, MeSsrS Water
man and Portnrr appeared.
A Quorum being thus made up the Board
was opened.
The following communication from the
Mayor - then read:
MAYORS OFFICE,
ALEXANDRIA. Dec l6. 1870 !
10 the Honorable City Council:
GENTLEMEN The veto message which |
addressed TO the Honorable City Couac, AID
delivered to John 3. Smoot ESQ.,, President O!
the Common Council. has been returned to me
by rhe c'erk Of said body. The ACT" was pre-
scented to me by tn, clerk OF Common
Council on the 24.h dag of November. ard my
veto message was placed in the hands OF Mr.
Smoot on, or before No7e;uber Goth [ think
on the 25th.
l.
territorial error in sending my veto to the wrong
body it should have been returned to the
President of the Board ct Aldermen. This |
regret The Honorable City Courcil has the
ADVANTAGE of me on a echnicaitS, hope they
will pardon me if place the poisoned chaice
to their own lips.
Chaater 1872 section l6. acts Of As sembly
1866, rocltcs, the acts of the City Council
shall ce signed by the President OF each branch,
ADD shall be presented to the Mayor for his
appreciation, who il be objects thereto shall,
within three days after it snail Re presented
to him for his assent, return it to that branch OF
the City Council in which it originated, with
his objections in writing, &C.
The '.act" alluded TO is on scrap OF paper
81 BY - inches. written with pen,l and not
signed by either the Presinent OF the Board OF
Aldermen or the President Of the Common
Councll. n3r is there space on the scrap OF pa
ner for such signatures. The respect have
for the people OF Alexandria prevented me
from calling public attention to that "act,
and 10 he manner which some Of their bust
ness is attended 10 BY their representatives.
The acts of the Ci,y Council shall be signed
by the President Of each branch, aud shall BE-
presented 10 the Mayor, &c Was this done
Again, emphaticay assert that the act
did not receive the necessary vote in the Board
IF Aldermen. only five members were present
dill not vote Tor il. This hare from his o,cn
lfps. This is the first time that have ever
heard of veto message being returned to tie
officer ssuog it, and is pied as az additional
evidence of the Intention OF some OF the mem
hers of the City Couacil to treat the Mayor
with disrespcct. but desire to say that Ger
tain pcrsous are harmless 10 that particular.
( will not allude to the endorsement on the
returned veto message, as that only reflects the
sentiments OF the Board OF Aldermen, and
his message is for the City Council. Eocosed
nlesse fad tbs act first presented to the
undersigned. HUGH LATHAM, mayor;
p. S. Since writing the above the act has
been returned, at his request, to the clerk CT
the Common Council.
HuoH LATHAM. Mayor.
The Chair said that the communication was
before Council If no motion was made, the
communication would be sent to the Board OF
Aldermen.
Mr. Massey inquired Of the Chair if it
were true that the bill in question had not
Teen sgned:by hilD.
cepted the bill az regular and vetoed 1t. 1t
was very inconsistent in him now to osject 10
the method by which it was passed, or the
want of signatures to 1t.
The Chair said that when the bill was PIC
sented to him he signcdlt.
After some further discussion the Chair said
he though the Mayor had taken this opportu-
nitv 70 read a lecture TO the Council. He 1.-THE
Chair) had sigoed the bill which had been pre-
sented to him. but another cory of the bill
had been sent 10 the Mayor, and it was that
COPY which the Mayor vetoed. (Mr. Wheat
Add thereby recognized lt,) 1t was question
whether the original bill, with all its interoea-
tions, &C., should be sent to the Mayor, or q
new copy have been made for him.
Mr.. Massey thought the Communication
should be referred to special committee COL
sisting of Messrs. Shinr, Wheat and Parker
MIR. Shinn had the Communication read by
the clerk, and then asked Mr.. Massey if he
considered that communication respectful
one.