, 1874-07-16
City-Attorney Jamieson's Opin-
ion as to It's Legality.
He Has No Question Of the Power Of
the Council to Do It.
Why The Constitutional Provision
Docs Not Stand in tho Way.
Corroboratlvo Opinions Of Leading
Lawyers.

At meeting Of the Finance Committee held |
yesterday afternoon tho following opinion Of
City-Attornoy Jamloson. with accompanying |
docnmonts, on tho Bubioc Of tho legality Of tho
rocont increase Of tho salA1os OF certain city OIL
ccts by tho Council, waa laid before tAom, but
WAS not acted upon.
legality Of the recent actio Of tle Common Council In
.nd employees. In reply respectfully submit Tho fol-
lowing as my my vfeas l upon n that subject: ,,,..
TIE MAYon, 7aEABunHR, ETC,
rsscct'ys ees Gr IT, the Of to and Until
Sec Of the chapter provides that gil officers
Of tho Municipal Government Of said city, elected BY
bs oa s: appoa the ss nd
Monla, Of DeeemDsr, lsog or ~ soon thereafter rs
IL nut Sec. @ .. .oi ohsp. of tho charter declares
tst .o5s shall BE- appGM'at9a p M BY the fMayor With the
s as e s
rosr, Who aal b. CHEF Of sad Treasury Department,
and Mold his office until removed or auecessor be a1
rcntcd . . , and who shall bo removable Mt 1T
times, 1t tho pleasure Of tho Mayor with tho
rcnco Of the Common Council,
cor M o.y conroier ss o1espted s sos.ed or appoin
81 a. ne esso may bo for daano torm OF olee to-
oenmon @ Council to essS1!sh nd a1 tho sn,ount Of
salary to ne ra ana ~ city a az 1ho otis cado sy
hov, po '1shpS ii s ino S,nual approor,s,jon iii
Maes & fs5 tic purpose I; ,v21 providing ~
M e ~ e shy a ~ r eaa
nsne" nn.r,,,, snan NJ ,scnr..rr, ,on n,,,,r,a,rn
hv N. sa rano mm oms ases a assnpa o ,a
annual appropriation bll during tho year for Which
sec H. Ghan. Of tlu charter declares that all
appropriations sha DO based upo, specific and detailed
statecnsa made " some proper head of Department
Sr 9sr Of h 9 ey W snd shall gs made n t
10 LEY 10 commence Oh 'oe 1as aas o' "p1A Ii every
5ears" u.u,.
sOe 10 Of tho sano chapter declares thnt II aha bo
tne aHty o. inc ot H. OF ne,1fo ine dJ.
say o. May n each year, before tne anna alrroh.n
t!ols hre nlate by tho Common Council. to submit to
REPORT or TIE hsT1asA3Es s1:s sncEssahy' a., o.
o. neaty as may DC, 20 Gerry ths ot INC o5
government auGlhg tne un!sent asGa! year;
Under thesa charter provisions, II mus be conceded
h, v ~ e H. any r con-
s.M'1oaat fes'slct'op' posse0neS 'A0 po"of 0na "o
auor'l3
TO 1NcREARE OF prM1SIat
ta ts ssasz aTpa s iny s sea at
sate Declares ahat tue feca sa!ary or
dehnito term of oilee shsll bs increased or Mmn-
ishod during said term, ....-.-..-..-.-.
1s sco, Il. oSsp e !, of % tSo carter nsoss;e or TO
pignant TO thu constitutional provision ahove qndod
sna to t Gse r. a IL Sr sattes a M
not DO held unconstitutional, except when the viola
n , an m I'D papP and 81 sst'a % s l. ,, i
pnsaible, 40 consruo them TINT each may stand aud
fulnll tho functions ter Which 1t Has c5eased. -,
Now, tis constitutional provision declares that tho
salary Of 20 uunicipa officer aiall bs Increased or
Diminished dur1nA hs term o. n,nce. Inat ta wheh-
ever tbe hn!a!s Q! nny Mncipat 9een LIEF ~ spa;. - haso
or @ ,s% prnx n s er To- nnr FIR heh 10
,dtnt,oncI nrorsin fn lin case nj nt,y rrtcia1 m
epr' Il mMst annenr' " ~ wy 'AA'
nj II. tt es nm. bn fnr ncnitc tcr,n ~ tPm
ssro.nIThyt I E|s sslsyy hos been tseI and esab,
ta1sa y ~ T,sr .um c.su op ruy o.rr couprao,,rn
p,s In - Rent hat he ID not nnnoinrI fnr .leao,
time H. s'mpy hods Dis n 9es Until ha rsaoTed or
tho Common It i nnasr. III to
ngaFe whether n" saay a1 meen et a1sd , or ea"G p
not nnonc ~ fnr dens term Or oice. it neea M
M te sno - III s ease .ns
A'' ~ 'pp'>p The apaa1slwa QUESTION,
thon TO b. dstermlnsa IL, Were ths ssasies Of tho
nnsntei nr dtinja tcr,, Of u1ico. f,rei md essb
sted by iaw Il Io timo o, ther election or appoias
nsnt9 ~ -" - '@1' '@''' - sN S''S' - ~fse
iug,,1 ~ a., .,,,,,., ,,,o, ,roro mi
H. H. ny t ~ 'aIy Y, "fsu "niSs;,o n,,,ed ia, ~
aSo Me II IN " aa e a ~ a
n - an Isclsred ot tha assa war I. ahss s Iho ho
e ,s Ssy 4 Of
~ E'.nn, E Nv - G,'ny,i IT, ~ n,ota lin nnresosrv ~
tno ,o. Gp.uh 5,ta ~ .Sa rnan""s ~
PREPARATIONS 10 tu''fy 'ie eo rrrt .tn nG
1a, ,pe VIVA nn intcriu botwccn tie naction md lin
year. lueto -, "as ~ H. Iii ~ 1 ~, 1 % nv
o e III 10 os was
a1ea anmeSt snu41aneousif "''a sne'e e'oeon VI sr
po'1'a'sA'' ru,. am n,v.,srn ~ ,opoz
until March 10 lSaot when he Legislature changed
TIC limo fos holding tne municipal election 10 TIC next
Tnradny atter the frat Mouany IN November Of each
| year; but the fiscal ycar remained unchanged.
| THE Errkor or TIl1s LEti1sIAT1os
time fixed for tho eections and tf1e beginnng Of tho
next dsca year. Tie eloefions Mke place ~ Nosen-
Der, tha persons elected q'al!y u geceMoer ioaoWne:
Auu to - ~ .na ~ T..
rs ar"r ~ n a o aea yaa neat Altar be
LUZ We nave @ .Sa .heso tSrsoa o a, ,n'. aIn
en 1os 'ns peors +, n ar a i' 1ovrn
o. thGis eomRehsaEon ' t. aep ssas us'ns
Win y noW esA1es nna cain 10. tua ~ ~
preparations to meet taesn. 1aese eAatea aEe lor
9ne ysat ONLY. I've ss.ssy o. 10 nma'Ssspaa e1aset
s1ssenns Attorney H. nS1u ~ asy tH ssn-
Efal QTulHlIcGt OF ny any law III cIaae