Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-15
Mr.. Ncale nominated I. B. Loyejoy,as good

| N1oIllOe, ~, LofeJoS, Q, olu uallol uuouioe,
TO-; Lovejoy, 10.
On motion the election of Gauger was then
postponed, and the meeting proceeded to bal
lot for city scavcnger,
Geo. E. Price and t. l. O Neale, made ap-
application for the office.
James r. Cole and Hannibal King were
placed in nomination-the latter by John
Seaton.
A communication was read from l.. |.
O'Neal offering bonus Of 1925 for the posi-
ton.
Mr.. Hughes moved that the election he post
poned and the Committee on Public Property
be directed to contract for the work with the
highest bidder, and if no one offered more, then
contract with Mr. O'Neae at the rate offered
by HIM.
Mr.. Henderson said that committee had al
ready reported against the contract system.
The balloting was proceeded with as follows:
lSt ballot-Price S, Cole 7, King 3, . Ncale
. No election.
Mr. Scaton was sorry to see that but three
members Of Council had the courage to vote
for King He had been pursuing the business
of scavenger for the last II or ID years, had
worked at it when white people thought 1t
disgrace to be scavenger. Why would not
| the members vote for him At the last election
the colured meu divided and lost Repub
ican victory-(Mr Henderson-I must call
you to order.) He was sorry that he was
out of order. 1t was difficult for him to
gather up the various matters and make
point, but he would try to do 50. Gentlemen
had always told them that when the colorcd
vote divided the others would do likewise.
| Now at the last election the colurcd people were
divided in voting and he wanted to see the
whites do SO too, on this occasion. The office
here was one that white meu were ashamed to
| have in old times: its duties had always been
performed by colored men. Why not then rem
der unto Cesar the things that were Caesars ;,
and offer the colored man an opportunity to
know that the whites did not intend to drive
him from every sort of position.
Mr.. Clagett was surprised. that so few votes
had been given for Mr. King. He had heard
| many white gentlemen say they were the hest
| fienls of the colored men. He did not doubt
this in the least but would judge a tree by its
fruit The voting proceeded as follows:
Second balot-Prce, !; Cole, .; King, G.
Third baot-Prce, s; Cole, 5 King I.
Mr.. Worthngton said that the remarks he
had to throw out would he hoped, lead to good
This was, he thought, an excellent opportunity
to extend the olive branch to the colored peo
ple The Office was one that few white men de-
sired. There could be no doubt Of the compe-
charging its duties for years past and there
Here is the lowest, the most contemplate office
that could be given, and yet Mr. SeatOn had
proposed to accept it, as an olive branch. Why
not extend it?
Mr.. Wheat said that at the last election word
had been sent to Hannibal that if he would Use
his Influence to elect John b. Smoot, at the
last city election, he would be supported for
this position. But King, after agreeing to
support Smoot went off and did the utmost he
could against him. Mr.. Wheat added am
elected as Conservative and | cannot vote for
any other.
MIR. Worthngton said he had merely made
the suggestion as holding out the olive branch
He could not conceive Of Il more appropriate
occasion to do SO.
Mr.. Clagett knew that Mr. Wheat vas elect
| ed as a Conservative, but he had always sup
posed that when public officer was chosen he
became not the representative of party, but
of the whole community For himself, although
elected by Republican votes he did not come
as party man, but come to act for the inter
est of the whole people.
MIR. Seaton had on Il former occasion sup.
ported Mr.. Smoot for Council. r. Smoot had
made pledges, and he had carried him through
the 18th Ward on his shoulders Mr.. Smoot
had told them that he was not Democrat, not
a party man, and they had elected him to the
| Council on the promise that his friends would
give the coored meu ofice-as they said "di
vide the spoils Did the colored people get
any thing? When he even asked to get the
place of sweeping out the Market for colored
man he was told, I'VE can't do anything for
you" After this was it to be expected that
they would support Mr. Smoot again.
| a 49, 70
give little something to the colored people:
to show the feeling that animated them, and
vote tor King as Scavenger. If King was elect
ted they would see the good effect 1t would pro
duce. lie was not here to tell them how he would
vote Laughter. But the election of colored
man would be step towards the end which SO
many white men desired.
Mr.. Pinn said that Mr.. Smoot had voted for
a colored man for a policeman.
The chair said he could not allow the discus
sion to proceed further. 1t was clearly out OF
order, and the gentleman could only proceed
bv combining himsclf to the matter under dis
cuSsion.
Mr. .Janney wanted to know if there was any
way to put an end to this debate. 1t Was get
ting near ten o'clock.
Mr. Beach said that Mr. Price had when
candidate for another office urged his friends
to vote for Mr.. Cole. lie would continue to
vote for Cole.
Mr.. Hopkins said that the members from
the Third Ward owe their election, if not to MIR.
Price alone, at least in great part to him: 1t
would be remembered that MIR. Massey fell but
a few votes behind the lowest Conservative
candidate But for the efforts Of Mr.. Price
the few votes that defeated MIR, Massey would
never have been cast
Mr. Worthington was surprised that he as
one of the Third Ward members should be
charged with deep ingratitude in not voting iol
MIR. Price, but he would continue to vote tor MIR.
King and thus hold out an olive branch though
a very offensive one. to the other party. lie
owed nothing to any man for his election. II
he was not the free choice of the ward he would
decline. 1t was no favor to him to send hun
here.
Mr. Hughes said why gentlemen had been
so anxious to secure the election Of Mr.. Smoot
in the 4th Ward was because he was an ex
ncricnccd councilman. but failed to vote for Mr..