Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-08-13

which WILL prOOaUly pass lulOu9ll llc hdhuo VI
the Collectors, gives at once a deficiency of over
has been concealed from the Finance Commit
tee and the City Council. could go further
into the Alderman's falacies, but enough for
the present..
When the charge of irregularities was made
against the Alderman from the 2nd Ward, why
did he not ask that committee should be APP
nointed to investigate his official acts in order
that the truth or talsity of the charge might be
determined Because of conscience he comes
into the Board of Aldermen, however, and
seeks to shield himself behind honorable gen
temen who were his colleagues on the Finance
and Light Committees, and by showing that
General Corse and Mr.. James Green are hon
ored citizens and Christian gentlemen, draws
the inference that he, Colonel French, must
necessarily be as honorable as they. | enter
tain the highest respect for both General Corse
and Mr.. Green, the latter of whom, the Alder
man, properly designates as the kind ard
sffectionate uncle of the President Of the Com
mon Council and has warmed and nurtured him
in his BOSOM" l admire both Of these gentlemen
for their high sense OF honor, their noble c''arI-
ties. their lnhcxible Gl.Iily to trusts their UNI
swcrying integrity and rre-emlncnt CHRISTIAN
virtues. How strangely does The record # the
! Alderman from the Second ward ,ntrast with
that of his colleagues He argues before the FL
nance Committee that they should issue IN order
to the tax collector restraining him from collect
ing taxes due on his, (French's) property, be-
cause the property is III litigation, and asserting
| that n court Of cqultyWould restrain them. The
committee. presumins he had investigated the
| law did issue the order. IN this no one can CEN
sure any member, but the chairman of the COM
| mlttee Now what is the law on this subject?
| The CITY charter expressly declares that There
| shulI he u ieiu on real estate for city taxes
sessed thereon, ard all lawful city charges
| against the same from the commencement OF the
veur for which they are assessed The question
of tfic is immaterial so far ne the tnJ,eS con-
cerned, and in this assertion Am sustained by
every lawyer in this city with whom l have con
versed upon the subject. The Alderman did not
use this subtcriuge to cvnd, or postpone the pay
ment of his State taxes, Tor reasons which must
be apparent to every one
As 10 the gus bills, the Alderman was Chair
man Of the Committee on Light; he WAS the Or
gan of the committee, whose duty was to see
that the laws Of the Corporation, bearing upon
the gas works, and the orders Of the committee
we're executed. How did he execute the trust
confded to him? On March Is, 1872 his gas
bills amounted to Sl356O. This amount was Sc.
tied by payment of cash SD, and then came
an cnlry "ulowcd" S6J60 Mo authorZ I'd he
| Chairman of the Committee on Light to settle
his bills by compromises and allowances? Butsays
the alderman, the committee for good reasons.
no doubt. did what they deemed right, and the
clerk entered the o,d"r." Where is the evil
dence that the committee ever had any kn"wI-
edge Of such transaction? When did the com
n,iltee issue the order? Where is the record
There is Il book in the clerks office, in which is
recorded the proceedings OF the committee. L
have carefully searched its pages, and no such
ordor exists: And the Alderman Is o:1ssed with
q remarkably convenient mrlnory in Joryrt'my
these transactions when he Is perfectly la!nlilnr
with events which transpired in the days of
! Ahasueras since whose death, two thousand
wears have elapsed. These were the irrcgulnri-
,r.,tlt ha \ iIlI.r
man from the Second ward with being u party
10 them His defence is that because TWO honor
able gentlemen were his colleagues on the commit
tee he himself must be pure. lie knows full well
the transactions were dlsrcputab e, and, proha-
biy, fearing they might be brought to light. he
sought an interview with the Alderman elect
from the Second ward. (Mr Janney,) with
view to retaining his position on these important
committees, in the event of Mr. Janney being
elected Pr sdent of that board. Perhaps his
object was to cover up former transactions or II
may have been to practice further trreyuIn'I-
It's
With the Aldermnn's private debts | hHve
nothing whatever to do We are all liable 70 pccu
| mary en- burassmcnts, and when|sucrlng from
such are cntitled to the sympathy OF our friends,
but do not recognize the right nor appreciate
the motive OF any one in official position who
prostitutes his office for his personal aggran-
dizement know it is not customary to allow
the gas bills of consumers 10 run for >lVe and
|
with reasonable promptness the law is tina, the
flow of gas shall be cut OF. Yet the late Char-
man ofthe Finance and Light Committees debas-
ed his official position, and although he owed bill
! which had been standing 0rcr trctrc W"HthS. ne
tells the superintendent not to cut oil lIs supply
of gas.
As citizen, it is my right to make any sng-
peslion to n member Of council relative to the
formation of Il committee, and n II member OF
the City Council it is my dHty to make such >ug-
gestions to the the prcsiilnS officer OF either
board, whenever the interests OF my constituents
require it, and in my official capacity did ad-
yocate the removal of this OK tinancler from
committee, after his irregularities bad rendered
him unworthy of the pc ltlou, and the President
Of the Board of Aldermen who, IKE myself, en-
tcrtaincd but little opinion of the Aidcrmnn's
worth, promptly removed him, in order that n
| better man might fill the position.
This ex. fnanccr takes occasion to remind me
that advocated change in the mode OF assess
| ing the license on commission III 'rchants nd
mt il; also that l failed regularly to attend the
meetings of n committee to adjust delinquent tux
| bills in the hands of collectors. l admit 1t also
that forwarded to the Legislature of Virginia
y certified copy Of resolution relative to the
consolidation of the debt of the city. admit
this ALSO but these matters have nothing what
ever to do with the irregularities of the Alder-
man from the Second ward. Yet, rs drowning
men catch at straws he spas modlcally graspS At
every little incident to shield himself rom the
| Just condemnation his official acts nave herit':d
shall NJ tica one assertion of the lnte CHAIR
man of the Finance Committee and then have
done with him and this controversy He asserts
that he President of the Common Council has
appointed the member from the Second ward,
tMr. Hopkins SUPERINTENDENT OF the market
house" This charge is utterly false The po-
silion was never in the git Of the Presldcnt OF
the Common Council and the Alderman from
the Second ward is well aware of this fact:
And now Mr.. President must apologize for
the time have occupied in noticing the mlsrep-
reservations and irregularities of the Alderman
| from the Second ward. l s"ouId not have no.
ticed them at MI on this OCCASION but for the
tact that my silence might have been construed
rs an admission Of the truth of his statements
that had charged his colleagues on the FL
nance Committee with irregularities. have
too much respect for these honorable gentlemen
| to allow such impression to exist, and An evil
deuce of my confidence in the purity Of the in
tentions O. these worthy citizens, move to lay
on the table the resolutions to Investigate the nj
| fairs of the Finance Committee. And IL the