Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-09-12
Monday afternoon, Sept. nth 1871

My Dear Sir 1 have just been informed
by the Superintendent Of Police that last night
the offices of the Finance Department were
secretly invaded and that as 4 consequence
thereof, valuable vouchers, evidences Of pay
ments, cancelled warrants, together represent
ing large amount Of discharged city liabilities
are alleged by some Of your subordinatcs to
have them disappeared. The Superintendent
and the Mayor Immediately had full CONVEX
sation regarding the means ofinve stigatlng he
untoward circumstances of the alleged burg
larry so as to punish the guilty, procure the
restitution Of such papers as may have been
taken and protect the interests OF the city.
Our constituents will have right to hold
YOU responsible in measure and to withhold
from The Finance Department the desirable
publ, confidence 1t Is impossible not to per
ceve that the city credit will suffer, in q very
critical period of the municipal government.
With great personal reluctance | have OIL
ciay reached the conclusion that the exigency
demands YOUR retirement from the head OF the
Finance Department that | may place there
another gentleman who will be enabled to tho
roughly inveStig ate its affairs and restore pub.
lie confidence [ cannot suspend any Head OF
Department, not even pending an investigation,
| can only prefer charges to- the Common Pleas
who alone can remove after considerable time
for trial [ am compelled to throw myself there
fore, us Mayor, in this unexpected and sudden
emergency upon your magnanmlty, and ask
under the circumstances, for your resignation,
Yours, very truly,
\. Oakley HALL. Mayor.
TO R. B. Connolly, csq., Comptroller.
The World says: Every honest man in the
city will endorse and applaud the trmness aud
vieor OF Mayor Hall in demanding the lmnle-
date resignation of Comptroller Connolly, after
the unloward accident Which has Just occurred
in his department.. 1t Is well known that the
Mayor has no power TO remove LEADS OF De-
partmcnts. If he Possessed that power the
request now made would, OF course be followed
up in the event OF noncompliance by Il step
equally prompt and still more decisive. The
case is too urgent for the slow and dllatory pro-
cess of impcachment. Since this unfortunate
occurrence the Comptroller has lost all capacity
to be useful in his present Office; and not only
the public interest but the self-respcct of his
associates in the city government demand his
immediate retirement. 1t is impossible that
he should longer reulain; aud although there
there is no official action Ivy which he can be
forced out to-day, he surely cannot resist the
powerful coercion Of unanimous and vehement
public opinion, shared by the honest of all par
Ties, and endorsed by the official head of the
city government If he is so mad or so blind
as to disregard the firm demand OF the Mayor
he will find before light that the scorching and
resistless public indignation will make the city
too hot to hold him.
st may be his misfortune and not his fault
that this alleged robbery Of his department oc-
Cured Just in this critical juncturc, but 1t has
so suspicious and damaging look that II ne Is
an upright innocent man with reasonable sense
and honor he will be very glad to afford the
Mayor an opportunity to appoint successor or
high character Who can investigate the affairs
of his department without being suspected OF
any motives tor cOncealment. Innocence un-
Justly accused or suspected courts investigation
in order that it may be vindicatcd.
IF Mr.. Connolly still clings to his office, the
public will have no doubt that the alleged theft
was a trick, and that he holds on for the pur-
Dose of screening it, But if he promptly sur
renders his department into other hands for an
unsparing investigation he will act the part
which would be taken by any man with high
sense Of character who, confident In his lnteg-
rity, was eager to submit his conduct to an III
ouiry which would make his innocence evident
to all men, with the least possible delay.
"Itis morally impossible that he should hold
on. deserted and repudiated by his associates,
in the present indignant state Of public feeling
and resting under the suspicious which natural
" attend the recent occurrence. If these sus-
picions do him injustice, he of all men has the
deepest interest in their prompt removal by
allowing his department TO be placed in other
hands which will probe this affair and whole
administration to the bottom Every hour that
he delays sending his resignation will kndle
the iucenScd public to Il more burning inten-,
siy of feeling. We run no risk in predicting
that before the sun sets tonight he will have
mo friend in the city to stand By him if he fails
to comply with the firm and reasonable de-
mand Of the Mayor.
The Tribune say<:--'We are beginning to
reap the reward Of the great, popular cam
paign against Tammany 4 con>ummation
has already been reached, which it would have
been iuduly Sanguine to hope for few months
ago.
''NIayor Hall has at last taken the slip which
had been half deri>ively recommended to him
by Journals thar did not fully believe in its pos
sibiity and by this act the Tammany rins-ls
broken He has requested the resignation of
Comptroller Connally in terms which should
render his further CONTINUANCE in office impos-
Il 1