The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-20

THE CITY.-A joint meeting of the two
branches of the City Council was held yes.
terday afternoon in the Council cham Der,
Mr. John A. Meredith, president Of the
Board Of Aldermen. in the chair.
The President stated that it had been deem.
ed advisable to call this meeting for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration proposed
amendment to the city charter, which will
place the city upon the same footing that the
Code places all the other cities, counties, and
towns in the Commonwealth in Nation to
subscriptions to works of internal improve.
ment.
Mr.. Christian said that he was not op-
posed to increasing the debt of the city, but
he thought that the same guard ought to be
thrown around this city as Is thrown around
other cities and counties In the Common
wealth.
Mr.. Christian presented the following:
"Whereas BY the 9th section of the char.
ter OF this city it is provided that the City
Council may, in the name and for the use of
the city, contract loans and cause to be is.
sued certificates of debt or bonds, but such
loans, certificates, or bonds, shall not be ire.
deemahle for q period greater than thirty.
four years; provided, however, that they
shall not contract such loans or issue such
certificates of debt or bonds for the purpose
of subscribing to the stock, or appropriate
money or bonds, for the bentit of any COM
pany incorporated for work of internal
Improvement or other purposes without first
being authorized so 10 do by three-fourths of
the legal voters Of the city voting on the
question and whereas this provision gives
less protection TO the property Of this city
with reference to such subscriptions by 1t TO
works of internal Improvement than is given
by the general law of this State to every
other county and corporation therein, which,
in the opinion of this meeting, should not
be the case: therefore be it
ResOlred by this meeting. composed OF the
members Of the two branches OF the Coup
Gil of the city of Richmond
First. That the General Assembly of the
State be respectfully requested to pass the
bill now pending in the House Of Delegates
to amend said section G. of the charter, and
designed to remedy this defect in it, and
thereby put this city on the same footing
with every other county and corpora
ton in the State with reference to these
| subscriptions.
Secondly. That the General Assembly be
respectfully and earnestly requested not to
pass any bill authorizing any subscription
to any work Of internal Improvement or for
any other purpose without making 1t SUBJ
iect to the provisions OF the charter as thus
amended.
Mr.. Darlington opposed the resolution,
and offered the following substitute
RssolrcG. That the Legislature be.request.
ed. in addition to the provisions in the CITY
charter now allowing three-fourths OF tne
voters voting in any election to r4tily
subscriptions to works of internal improve,
ments, to make the further provision thai
three.fourths of those voting shall be tree
holders.
Mr.. Darlington moved that if there were
any gentlemen present who desired to ad
dress the joint body on this subject tnat they
be allowed to do SO.
Mr.. Straus objected.
The question being taken, Mr.. Carrington's
motion was lost.
the substitute offered by Mr.. Darlington
was rejected, and the resolutions presented
by Mr.. Christian were unanimously agreed 10
Adjourned.