The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-26
evening State Spl,rnaL
Tun oUT-eoINc CoUNCIL.

NesA~N 'sNW POheSot cbutOh W PoPtf~A
outcry, or died by natural death, so cursed,
despised, aad universally execrated, as the
majority Of lhe councilmen of the city Of
Richmond, now about to retire. 1t is diff
ficult to conceive of body of men so
generally despis.d by friends and foes, or
to find one who 70 we'll deserves all the
contempt which Las been heaped upon
them. Entering upon office, and admins
tering upon the affaira of constituency
friendly to them, more than willing, ready,
and glad, in fact, to approve of their ac-
ton, as far as it is possible for an honest
and intelligent people to do SO, or to cast
the mantle of charity over acts that no
man could approve, it is remarkable that
these outgoing gentlemen have no ad-
mirers, approvers, friends, or apologists
even; but unbroken, united, universal
execration follows each of them and all Of
their acts.
They found city torn, distracted and
distressed by internal dissensions, bitter
ness and animosity,-a people nearly
divided on the unfortunate line of color /;
community oppressed to the last degree
with an enormous burthen of debt, and
this was true not only of the finance of
the city proper, but of the citizens gene
rally. The only redeeming feature of the
unfortunate condition of affairs then exist
ing, was the general willingness prevailing
in the public mind to commence anew
substantial, permanent reconstruction,
a disposition to readily adapt themselves
to the new condition of things, and sin
cere desire to allay past animosties, while
they invited new reign of fraternity and
good feeling.
These wretched marplots not only failed
to do what they should have done, but de-
feated the good intention and benevolent
purposes Of better men. They have inten-
si6ed the hatred which before was bitter
enough they have waged relentless war
fare against the city and its prosperity |;
they have divided the citizens on a line
worse than that of color,-the line of outs
and ins; they have squandered the re-
sources of the city and burdened the citi-
zens with new and unheard-of taxation till
now the great regret is that they take them
selves off by natural death, by the expira-
ton of the term of their misrule, without
allowing an incensed, abused and out
ragged constituency the pleasure of kicking
them out of their places.
The disgraceful scenes that occurred be-
tween the partisans of Mr.. English and Mr..
Wyuue are still fresh in our recollections.
1t was not matter of great consequence
how these gentlemen and their friends dam
aged each other, but it was a cause for
sorrow and regret that they had it in their
power thus to defame the public character.
Nobody has forgotten, or is likely to for
get, the grave and important mission upon
which a committee of distinguished men,
.bers of the Council were sent to the sover~
eign and Independent State of Kentucky,
for the highly honorable and creditable
purpose of purchasing mules; nor will they
forget the wasteful and extravagant ex-
penditures thus imposed upon the city SO
long as they see day by day lazy, idle and
indolent mules and masters lettering up
and down our streets, as useless as unorna-
mental.
Mechanics and laboring men are likely
to remember for many day the suicidal,
bitter and remorseless policy of proscrip-
ton against labor, which induced these
same unfaithful public servants to cripple,
by every device which their Internal inge-
nuity could suggest, every home enterprise
and every Richmond mechanic, laborer
and workingman. They we're in fact, as
intelligent men know, ready to pay tribute
to every city, to buy anywhere except in
Richmond alone
Another year of such financial manage
ment as the past will involve this city in
nothing short of revolution. The debt
of the city has been increased 1868, 129 58l
The estimated expenses for the coming
year, incurred by the extravaganza and
vicious policy of the gentlemen, is the
enormous sum of $7ss,7S2.71ll The dis
bursements by the same reckless men dur
ing the last year were $7o9,572, and after
they had squeezed the orange perfectly
dry, SO dry in fact that its skin was not
worth preserving, there still remained un-
paid appropriations amounting to $52,-
1851
1t is matter of public notoriety that
city bonds have been sold for less than
three quarters Of their value that these
men have so debauched the public credit
that no prudent man would loan upon it,
except at enormous rates of usurious in
terest, nor without the deposit of immense
amounts of city securities for comparative
ly small loans. and then only for a short
time, with "interest off," Still after ex-
hausting all these extraordinary means of