The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-06
HIRING OUT CoNrICTS.
The Cify-Limits Extension Bill and
the Meeting Of Citizens Of Henrico
on Monday Last.

To the Editors Of the Dispatch:
IF our representatives know the facts OF
this meeting they cannot with prorriety
consider themselves instructed to vote against
the "city-limitS extension BILL" The Dis
patch reporter is greatly mistaken in saying
that the meeting at first comprised three
hundred persons. | think every one will
copccde that there could not have been more
than fifty, CT at most sevcnty-fivc. At the
voting there were only "about twenty-five
persons voting.' OF these not more than
ten we're suburbans living within the pro-
posed two miles city extension, and these
only in justice should be permitted to have
voted. The citizens of Heniico generally
have nothing to do with this bill. 1t is moi
bill to extend the city limits. as the name
generally used TO designate it may have led
some TO suppose. When the city proposes
to take any portion Of the county into its
limits it will bc time enough for the citizens
OF Hcnrico generally to oppose such leSisla-
ton. The truth is that in this meeting we
were ovcr>laughed by citizens not owning
land within the prescribed two miles. Within
this two miles there are no doubt several
hundred landowners; and are the few who
voted against the measure TO be considered
exponcnts of their wishes?
The citizens outside Of the "two miles"
are opposing this bill either through mlsap-
prcllcpsion Of its objects. or for fear it is all
entering wedge TO the real extension of the
city limits. When the time comes, we may
all make up our minds thai the city will be
extended not only over the two miles, bui
further when he population becomes dense
or it may he deemed proper within 4 few
years to take in the whole county, as some
INTELLIGENT persons are even now advocating
In this meeting Oil Monday tie advocates o!
the iriil had no spokesman. The otherparty
| were fully prepared with their orators, who
discourscd largely about constitutions,
Magma Charta, vested rights, act ORfe ia
ge1.us," and the deuse knows what else. We
know" Constitution is IL weak point i'll old
Democrats, and very probably, ii the Fedc.
lal Government were now to propose to pay
OH Nirginia's debt, these gentlemen would
shout against the Constitution" us they did
in former days. When in power they refused
to take Virsinia's share Of the "smpiu'
fund.-" derived largely from the public Go
main Virginia had given to the Government
Their principal speaker on Monday was /;
| worthy, honorcd, and intelligent gentleman
| but an Old Line Democrat, with this weak
ness about CONSTITUTIONS" Against tho
| Constitution was the war-cry and The
! lesser lights, ever ready TO defend "tht
| rights of the dear people" Ito say nothing
! of the votes OF the dear people,, joined il
! the chorus. The gentleman alluded TO cal
make good speech OH Il good subject, but Or
| the present occasion tie only point he made
or could make, was that under this bill liz
one could hereafter build where be
| pleased on his own land. Now, in al
candor, What practical man would desire
| to build on the line Of the future streets
lie should desire his building to be perma
ncnt, not 90 have it pulled down and dam
ages paid therefor by the city. If this bill
should not pass he would get damages, bu
AL know these damages are never sufficient
the asscSsorS looking upon the building us n
old one only fit to be gotten rid or-and the
owner would have the Inconvenience of hay
ing his plans broken in on, and doing iol
sometime without his house. There was
something said about the impracticlbility
should this bill pass, Of making the street:
uniform in every direction around the city
OF course everybody knows that, and the
city only expects TO make the streets uniform
It's far rs practicable.
If this bill is any concession to Richmond
which it really is not, for the property-oWn
crs are to he greatly benefited by it-shoult
not some concession be- made, when it i;
known that but for our proximity to Rich
mond our lands, instead Of being worth seye
raj hundred dollars pcracre, would probably
sell for twelve or fifteen dollars per acre?
SUBURBAN.
=. SIN justice to our worthy representa-
tive, who spcechifed on this occasion,
should say he mounted the fence very hand
somcly and gracefully, with one foot point
ing to the suburbsand the other to the county
pencTaliy S