Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-05-03
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8. 1875.
The AMENDED CHARTER.-This is the last

The AMENDED CHARTER.-lnlsl IL tue lAst
opportunity We shall have to speak to the peo-
ple of this city about the proposed amendment
to the city's charter. Tomorrow will be
day fraught with much of veal or woe to the
citizens of Alexandria, for the question, whether
or not their city shall be reduced to condition
approaching anarchy, must be then decided by
those who will be affected thereby, and We ap.
peal to all who have the welfare of the city at
heart who love law and order, who desire to
see the taxes collected, the city properly pc
Iced, and the laws faithfully executed, to go
to the polls and cast their ballots against the
act submitted to them. Remember dbat If
this ameudmentto the charter be adopted the
tax collectors, all the members of the police
force, the man who sweeps out the market
house, the scavenger aud all the other officers
aud employees of the city, to the number OF
seventy.fve, must be voted for at the polls on
the fourth Thursday of this mouth. Can any
thing be imagined that will produce more con-
fusion. be of more desriment to the communl
ty, or be more Instrumental in putting unworthy
men in Office than this j? Will tax collector
do his duty and compel those whose votes keep
him in Office to pay their taxes, or will he not
rather, with an eye single to his own interest,
fail to execute the law, and thereby make the
taxes of all who pay without compulsion SO
much the heavier? Will policeman do his
duty when called upon to arrest those who
have been his active supporters and friends
during the canvass which ended In his cleo
ton ? Can we, 10 other words, expect the
same strict and impartial administration OF the
laws by man who is directly under the iuau-
ence of popular clamor, and affected by it, as by
one who is in certain degree removed from
that influence not Immediately dependent on
the people for their support-and therefore
not obliged to shape his course so as to secure
a re election at the expense Of righteous exc
cution of the law Answer these questions
according to the dictates of your better ludg-
ment and all will be we'll, otherwise the city
will become laughing stock, 40 object of
pity, and place to be Stunned. You must
also know that you, who signed the petition
praying for the passage of the act amending the
charter, were deceived. You signed one thing,
and it was afterwards altered without your con-
sent or knowledge. A portion of it was torn
off, and the character and object of the paper
changed You wanted to have the right to
elect only the officers that we're elected By the
people under the act Of 1866. but you have
been made to appear as if you wanted to
elect the policemen, the Scavenger, the Mes
seogers of the Council, and all the other of
6cers and employees Of the city. to the number
of about fifty more. 1t should also be recol-
lected that those who originated the amend
ment and secured its passage through the Leg
islature are now SO ashamed of their work that
they deny its authorship and attempt to SHIFT
the responsibility of the odium and ridcule
that are attached to it, and if that be the case
surely the voters Of the city should not stultity
themselves by rstifying any such absur-
ed piece of legislation. Think of these things,
and tomorrow, through the medium Of your
ballots, express your determination to see that
the laws are faithfully executed, and trusty
public servants secured.