The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-04
CONFERENCE OF THE COUNCIL
COMMITTEE AND TIE CITY LIE.
GrsLATIvE DELEGATION. @
The City Debt to be Limited to Eigh'
teen Per Cent. of the Value of
the Real Estate.
AN UPPER AND LOVER COUNCIL.
THE MAY0R,ss: VETO.

ouo
whereas 4he Legislature of the State
naflng oeen requested by petition to amend
me charfer of our city ! and whereas this
Council, representing the citizens and tax
payers and their interests, being entirely in
ignorance of said proposed amendments.
and nQtat all consulted as to the propriety.
eXpediency, or necessity Of these amend
ments rs proposed, contrary to all establish
ed uSageS or customs; be it therefore
Res0ived, That this Council, through the
President, appoint committee of five men,
bers to consult and confer with the legisla-
tive committee in charge of this proposed
amended charter, examine the same, and re-
commend for adoption or rejection such por-
tions of these proposed amendments as they
may think proper and consistent with the
interests Of our people.
The city delegation Of the General Assem-
bly,, consisting of Messrs. Ould, Wynne,
Lovenstein, Holiday, Gilman, Dooley, Con-
nalIy, and anderson, were present to confer
with the Council committee and discuss the
subject of the proposed amendments.
Mr.. Wynne called the meeting to order,
and on his motion Mr.. Anderson was invited
to preside, and Mr.. Scott OF Jefferson Ward
requested to act as secretary.
Mr.. Scott of Jefferson Ward read the re-
solution under which the committee met,
and also statement Of the city debt pre-.
pared by Mr.. j. B. Royster, City Auditor.
Mr. Wynne said he proposed to discuss
the manner in which the charter shall be
amended; and the first matter he believed to
be considered was the suggestion to form
two branches of the City Council. BE then
briefly gave his objections to the PROPOSE
tions, saying that he could see nothingto De
,,aI ~ f1a pGn nR no
they should be made. 1t will cause an addi-
tional expense. 1t will be necessary to have
two clerks, because in the event of the two
branches OF the Council holding meeting at
the same time Mr.. Howard, who is the pres
ent clerk, could not possibly act as clerk of
both branches. And there would be the ad-
| ditional expense Of having two halls in
| which the Councils will hold their sessions.
| He was opposed to the idea entirely.
Mr.. Anderson said he had not heard any
| thing said about the proposed change in the
| legislative body of the city, but he had heard
| the debt of the city spoken OF, and that an
| effort was being made to restrict it..
| Mr. Ould said that at the request OF sew
eral gentlemen he had prepared the bill,
| which had been already reported by COM
| mittee of the House. He did not know un-
! til very recently that there was any objec-
| tion to the proposed amendments, or oppo-
| sition to the provision looking to the limita-
ton Of the city debt. He was informed by
the morning papers Of Tuesday, for the first
| time, that there was an objection to the
changes. He appeared before the House
committee on Tuesday and stated that he
had understood that there was very de-
cided opposition to the idea Of restricting
the debt to sixteen per centum, but he heard
Of no objection to the other two proposed
| amendments. He therefore suggested that
the committee leave the percentum blank
until the matter could be further iEyesti-
gated. The committee, however, took the
matter in their own hands and reported the
bill unanimously with the sixteen percentum
clause in it.
Mr. Oud then proceeded to argue at some
length in favor Of the amendment proposing
two branches of the City Council, saying that
it would tend to check hasty and indiscreet
legislation. TIE danger Of precpitatc and
flucluating legislation is very great, and BY
havinga Legislative branch of the city gov
ernment, rs is proposed, this danger may be
ayerted.
Dir. Wynne replied briefly to the remarks
of Judge Ould.
Mr.. Straus said he was satisfied tna. two
u
decided benefit to everybody. lie believed
| the Council would save {. great deal by the
change. AS to the city debt, which is
$4,000, 900, believed it would be well not 10
increase it to over eighteen perccntum of the
| assessed value of the real estate Of the city.
He would be willing to accept this compro-
mise.
Mr.. Wynne next discussed the veto power
of the Mayor as proposed to be given him
by the amendments. He was decidedly op-
posed to giving him this power for the rca-
son that some improper person might get
into the office.
Judge Ould said he would run the risk OF
bad Mayor with the two.thirds vote in the
Council. The idea is not SO much to give
| the Mayor the veto power. but to have the five
days in which to ascertain the popular senti-
ment before the matter becomes law.
The next subject lin regard to limiting the
city debit Mr.. Wynne said he would be will
ing to trust to Mr.. Strauss views and opin-
ions.
Mr.. Straus said that he would agree to
eighteen per cent.
On motion Of Mr.. Wynne, it was agreed
to request the Council to take up these three
subjects at the next meeting Of the Council,
on Monday.
Mr.. Ould said he was very frank man,
and he would vote for these three amend
ments proposed to the charter even if he
had to 90 contrary TO the instruction of every
man in lhe Council.
hir. ConnalIy said ne ceincided with Mr..
Ould. He did not mean to regard the in
Structions of the Council on this subject at
all. He would not pay the slightest attention
to any instructions on the snbject. He be-
lieyed twas the wish Of the people that these
changes should be made. he believed the
moving cause in this matter was an effort 10
break up cliques and rings. This 1t was
which had brought the matter up at this time.
Mr. Gilman thought that as the great bug
bear had been gotten over--the money part
Of the dScussion-the matter was reduced
to Il very small compass; that everybody
present seemed to agree that the amend
ments were desired by the committee except
Mr.. Wynne, aud he (Mr. Gilman) thought 1t
could be easily settled.
Mr.. Dooley said he came to the meeting
to listen and not to speak. He desired to
say, however, that he had great respect for
the opiEioUs OF the members Of the City
Council, and was pleased to be present
pleased that he bad been invited. He thought
there was decided difference OF opinion as
TO the matteraf the Limitation OF the city
debt. He thought it a fair subject Of a com-
promise. He regarded q great debt as an
injury to city, but he thought real estate
ought to be improved. He was willing, with
his present views, to accept the eighteen per
cent. as compromise, coming to him no. in
the manner Of instruction, but as advice
pi YEN him by those who knew. ;;k -