Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-12-04
CITY COUNCIL.

Oouucii Was heiu ldsI hlSAt, LOT the puFpose vi
further considering the revised laws.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
The Board OF Aldermen met and immediate
ly proceeded to the chamber Of the Common
Council and went into joint meeting, alter
which they adjourned.
JOINT SESSION.
The Common Council did not obtain quo
rum last light until long after the hour of meet
ing After that B ,ard came to order, Mr. Nc
| kenzie 10 the chair, it was announced that the
| Aldermen we've wllhou: a quorum, and soon
afterwards President Janney, OF the Aldermen,
appeared, and said there were but four menu
bers of the Board of Aldermen present, and
| asked whether these members should come In.
The Chairman said that as this was mere
conference Of the two Boards, aud was an ad-
journed joint meeting he surpassed it would lie
| perfectly regular for the four members to take
| their seats.
No objection was made to this view and the
| four Aldermen came In. TO this number two
others were soon afterwards added.
| The Chair directed the revisor to read chap
| ter 4, being where the readiDg stopped the
evening previous.
This was objected to on the ground that a
report of changes made was III order.
Dr. French thought this work would be end
less aud favored printing the book with an al
| 6davt of the revisor appended as to the faith
| fulncss of the work.
The RcviSor then proceeded to state the
changes, when it was suggested that this method
was waiting time, and after some dcbatelt Was
ordered that Mr. Carne have thirty minutes to
explain what changes had been made.
| The RGvisor then proceeded, chapter by
chapter, to note where changes had been made.
Mr. Latham asked a question, aud then said
nc had no right to speak now but would give
the subject IA hit i'll the Aldermen when II
got there.
When the RcviSor completed his expla-
nations,
DIR. johnson said that upon the turning over
of the Code to the committee last June, the
committee had paid Mr.. Carnc $500; but 500
vet remained due 90 bis contract, and some
additional work had been done, aud it was un
derstood he was to be paid for experimenting
the printing, revising the proofs, &c. This, II
was understood, completed the report OF the
committee, which, on motion OF Alr. Brodcrs,
was accepted.
After some discussion Us to the method OF
procedure the joint meeting dissolved.
COMMON COUNCIL.
Immediately upon the close of the joint meet
ing the Council took up the Code for amend
lneut, aud capter !, Division of the city chap
ter ,. The Common Seal chapter 3, Bonds OF
| City Officers were revised, provision being
added to the latter section relative to the City
Treasurer bond, 6xidg it, this term,at 5 900,
and for subsequent terms at S2O,O 600.
Mr.. Evans introduced resolution Tor print
ing the code ten pages at time tor revision,
which was lost.
Chapter 4, Clerks, Auditor Of Public Ac
counts was then proceeded with, aud an
amendment agreed to, making the Mayor the
custodian OF the bond of the Auditor, and the
Auditor the custodian of all the other Official
bonds.
| Mr.. Evaus did not see the use of these
amendments The Chair said such ADD such an
amendment had passed but 1t Was evident that
such vote did not make it law. 1t required
niue members to vote tor a law before 1t passed.
The Chair said certainly not.
The Rcvisor 10y permission of Council) sug-
gestcd that the bill could by unanimous con-
| sent, be considered to be upon Its second read
| ing, when amendments could be adopted Nine
votes would not be required to adopt amend
ments They did not thereby become law, but
were inchoate or provisional ouly until the law
passed; then uine votes were needed.
| Col. Chas. E Stuart, Corporation Attorney,
was requested by the chairman to give his views.
COL s. said that there was sometimes confu-
sion 10 consequences of the use of the words
code" revsions &C. He had been concerned
with his father in the late revision, and the
proofs we're still at his Office. There the laws
had been gathered together and such changes
as had been made since the previous edition OF
the laws Incorporated in it. He suggested same
method Of procedure.
Mr.. Carne-Whena bill is upon its second
reading 10 this Council is vote Of nine mem
bers necessary to the adoption Of an mendment.
Mr.. Stuart Certainly not The amendmen
became law only on the 6aal passage, and then
nine votes are required by the charter.
MIR. Evaos was as much 10 the dark as ever.
This was no second reading Off bill. 1t was a
reading over of the laws, for what purpose Was
not clearly shown.
The reading was proceeded with. and chapter
5, ION streets and alleys" proceeded with as
far as the end of the first subsection, when
the hour of ten arrived.
The Chair asked how much OF the code had
now been read.
The Revisor said he thought about one
fourteenth
Mr.. Rock moved that the Board adjourned
until tonight; which was agreed to.
r OST-In transferring our freight last night