Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-07-20
LOCAL NEWS.

running along the city buildings were uileo
with an excited crowd all discussing the EN-
broglio between the Mayor aud Police Board.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.--Mr. Suite asked
If the Committee on Finance, to whom had
been referred the resolution relative to the col
lection # license taxes by the Auditor was
ready to report; if not be would be glad if ear
" action could be had for the time was short.
Mr.. Harmon said he had prepared the re-
bort and handed it to Mr.. French.
After some consultation the committee re-
ported back the resolution with the recommeu
dation that il be passed.
Alr. Markell did not think it right to take
away the perquisites of the Mayor, which were
his at the time of tho election, aud the per
centage on which went to increase his salary.
tie was willing TO requr, him to give bond o
account for it.
Messrs Agnew and French communicated
to the board letters received from the Mayor
identical in form as follows:
"SIR-By virtue Ct the power vested 10 me
by Art. VI, SEQ 90, Constitution of Virgins,
| herewith inform you that you are suspended
a. member OF the ''pOlicc bard TO which
you were recently elected by tine City Council,
and YOU are restrained from exercising the func-
tions of said office. Your Ob't. servant,
HUGH LATHAM, Mayor.
No formal acton was taken 10 reference 10
,he matter, it being understood that the
Common Council were considering the subject.
After an hour CT 30 bill was received from
the Couucij introduced by MIR. Wheat repeal.
lus :, much If Az old act Of 1874. relating to
,,u,tat.les a. required said constabes To
give bond, &c.
Mr. French said that this act seems to be AL
..ud"svur to get around the police bill some
l,,, 'rh,, u,r sru,al,u SaS An ACT I'm relai ION
TO t0nstdhitS but policemen were not constaules,
for while conStahcl cJllect money policemen
never d., So For him,ef he Was opposed to
allowing council to tiect cun>tahles and not re.
uuir. them to give bond 1t the new act did
,pueal the ud one why should thu busld s;ulti
,g itself ami repeal 1t aga;o. He was opposed
10 il.
Mr. Suite ,pucurreI with MIR. Freuoh that
his act was Useless, ANA the matter had better
remain as It wa3
Mr. French read tn. notioo OF his suspensions
and contcnded that even under the cooSitu
,ionaI provision quoted By ths Mayor it WIS il
legal
Mr. Markell III wed tu cohcur with Council,
but IN this motion there was no second.
Mr. Harmon said that formerly there were
tour policemen and sixteen watcbmen, these
c,nstables, he believed, were required to give
bond. but there was no need that the new pc
;ics should give bond.
On motion the act was laid on the table, and
be board adjourned.
COMMON Council At the opening OF the
board the chair laid before Council a communi-
cation from the Mayor relative TO the new
police, which will be found in the Official pro
ceedlnqs
Mr. Wheat ey planned The action CT the board
"a reference to the matter. and narrated cen.
81 la5 Ybaa
ZION of the Mayor, as mentioned in bis com.
municltiou, aud out of which had grown his
letter notifying the Board Of Police that he
had SUSPENDED then. He defended tho ac'
ton If the Police B1ald The act referred
10 ty the Mayor related to town oonstables.
tgo Of which we're provided for, and it
directed the said constabIes'' TO give bond.
Mr. Sn0ot (vacating the chair said that the
.,,n uuder consideration was ono that be r.
srattei very much He had voted for the
po!ica bill. The Mayor had called Gu hiln this
afternoon aud stated what he had done. He
cav very Clearly that between the authority
claimed by the board OF police ADD that claimed
by the Mayor, there was certain to be collision.
Sir. Smoot read the provisions OF the old act,
recurring the policemen TO rive bond in 5000
and take tho oath Of Office before the Mayor.
The new act reorganizlng the Polio, Vas silent
40 10 this, making no such requirement. The
question was whether the new act repealed his
clause of the old one The new act repealed
al acts eud parts Of aut5 inc lnSlstan with that
a;t.
Mr. Massey desired the speaker to show
where the new act repealed the former law.
which required the police to give bond.
Mr. Smoot held that tue new act did not re
Zeal the provision which required the police to
rive bond, and asked if MIR. Massey agreed
with him.
Mr.. Massey was Of opinion that If the lat
ter act was in any part inconsistent with the
provision which required the bond ,itrepealed ii.
Mr. Smpot reiterated that IN his oplnloa tue
giving Of a bond was not inconsistent with the
.,rw act, and lie thought tue new policemen
ought to give bond. He hoped that some Way
would be found to reconcile all difficulties on
this subject 1t was causing great deal OF ex-
element. He could eeit in this chamber, in
the streets, and in the workshops. lie was
favorable 10 the new police plan, but wanted
the matter harmonized.
Mr.. Smoot submitted the resolution publish.
ed elsewhere continuing the old constables and
night watch until the difficulty between the
Mayor and Police Board is settled.
Mr.. Massey enluired if 1t was proposed to
repeal law by joint resolution.
Mr. Smoot explained his position. The
Mayor declined to recognize the new ponce,
and the question was, have we police? A
resolution OF this kind was needed to keep the
night watch and constables on duty, for Capt.
Smith who was Captain on one force and
lieutenant on another, and other officers were
on both forces and they might feel some deli
cacy 10 continuing to discharge their dut;es.
Mr.. ShiDn called for the reading OF the act
quoted ~ Mr. Smoot, and it was read
MIR. Shinn held that the wording tho said
constabIes' in the biI just read referred to the
TWO couStabes then authorized. Under that
oct the cona,abe3 collected money, and bond
was needed, but under the new police bill the
police collect 10 money and therefore need no
bond The whole OF the old act was in conflict
with the new act and was repealed by it. In
his opinion tho position of the Mayor was 10
tenable.
Mr.. hlassey-WiIl he read sth sectioa Of toe
L. L.