Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-12

T. Suoheei' ouo cdVe 10 US the election OF SUI
l. officers as deal directly with usand cleo; By 1,
= Council such nthc 'rs as do directly the biddin
b OF the Counclrs acts: For myself have a
;. ways believed that the safest Depository Of n
10 elective power Is 10 the will and pleasure Z
: the people, and if the selections which the
sometimes make are not always as good !,
might have been made the error will be fGup
to consist not 10 their lack Of intelligence, juir
1t ment or virtue, but rather in their excess @
tenderness OF feeling aroused by the false rer
RESERVATIONS OF frequently unworthy applicant:
Tor office, and IL now and then they elect CAT
e uldate TO othce who proves himself to be talt h
t less and worthless, 1t Is an event which the,
L couid Delther 1orcscc Dor prevent and they
, usually III Ike no hestancy 10 asking him to RI
e sign or III putting him out of office at the Il s.
opportunity OF the next election. Therefore
pause not 10 CONCLUDING that three thunsanc
! people are more apt to make good sci: ciou
OF officers for the government Of the city than
a majority OF twaoty-tour CouucIm ~ but be
ms as II my, We are bound as meubcrs Of the
City Council to appoint day tor the submits
sloD OF the amendment which the Legislature
made to the charter for attication or r, lection
by the qualified v1ters of the city. That amrpd
mcnt consists III nothing more than an ac Of
the General Assembly to amend section etght
every section from section first to section thirty
Fix OF the present charter, except section ei07tt
stand now as they did before the Lcrisia, ure
| took action at all on the subject. The election
OF the CORPORATION officers is the people bust
ness, aud am willing 10 let them decide the
question, and who so lost to pride in a govern.
meGt where all laws are based upon the con.
sent of the governed will be bold enough to
| say that be and his fellow citizens have not a
natural right Tar above all cOuventionalitv 10
recover that interest which Ignorant or corrupt
agents may have placed in allegiance, or to re-
store to themselves those functions which the
cunnlng lew knavlshy endeavored to accumu.
late TO their Own argranClZ mtnt By fx,uy
their greedy grasp upon an imperfect ac;, nop-
log thereby to meet reward Tor their teuaclty
10 the SPOTS OF near Or distant personal OF pc
cuniary gain.
Mr.. Moore said while he favored elections
by the people, he thought the amendments am
biguous, and that they had better 20 back to
the Legislature Tor explanation
DR.. johnson coutendcd that the Couaci
were bound to submit the question they tad
20 discretion about it, The law was perfectly
plalo; he was proceeding to read the act wi,cp,
Mr.. Mck"uzle ask ID ii it was an official COW,
aud had the name OF the Clerk Of the House
Of Delegates TO it !?
Dr. johnson said the paper was not oficiaj.
but the gentleman knew that it Was the law.
MIR. Mckenzie said be knew nothing
about ii.
DR.. johnson said ignorance was no excuse.
lie proceeded at length to state the action of
Couocll 10 1871, and to demand the passage Of
the resolution,
The resolution was lost-aycs 4, uoes 4.
Mr. Moore stated that his reason for voting
mos 4 hot -
he wanted light on the subject
Mr.. Mckcaze said be voted 20 because he
Tell ike Ii, and was opposed to the resolution.
Nj. Simpson had told him that be kn. W moth.
ing about the bill, and thought it ", d be re-
turned 10 the next General Assembly.
Mr.. Ncale thought Mr.. Mckenzie misun-
ierstood Mr.. Simpson about returning the
matter to the l. gisiaturc.
After some urther collie guy between Messrs
Ncale and Mckenzie,
DR.. johnson again supported the resolution !
uSt declared lost, and 10 the course OF his re-
marks told gentlemen who had voted against :
that that vote was their political death kneII.
THIS remark Was received with dcrisive laugh.
er by members on the other side, whercupon J..
be Chair wrapped to order and called for the
ocular order OF business.
The resolution tor the appOni mcnl of an
,or,f ,Ionnsou SAID the Council WWaptrd to
lect all of the officers, and then had had to
investigate their honesty. The officers elected
" the people had proved houest, somt OF s
hose elected by the Council had not. v
Mr. Mckenzie moved 10 lay the whole mat
or on the table. Carried. C
The Board then adj 'uroed'
COMMON COUNCIL.
With April the Council meetings open at
o'clock ipstcad of u o clock and at the former
i, mr. last evening quorum was present LII =.
he absence of the President Mr.. BrodcrS was
called to the chair
The earlier portion of the business was trans
acted without debate or UNUSUAL INCIDENT
hen the petition Of the fresh meat dealers,
(o,her than butchers) rcmoD>tratlpg Against
cuufinipg the sale OF fresh meat 10 "u cpe' s. was
being read, the chairman, who was reao'hg
the petition, mistock arather dlfncul' cmlf"gld.
ply I'VE hope aud read 1t Que h'e' "'''0n
created considerable merrlmeut
A number of bills for articles furnished the
CITY were passed. - :,
Mr. Reckham called attention to- the tact
one of the bills presented to night; showed that
while the city paid "a per cord for WOOD ior
the poor, SIS per cord was paid tor WOOD lot 'ne
;a;l He thought that hereafter the woou LOT
both noor house and Jail be included under one
contract. -r,e |
Mir. Harlow explained that Que part was
contracted for carly 10 the season, aud the oth-
er at later date when rates had advanced.
Ct Mr. II = Smoot was i"clined to thiOk that the
nor diem received by the City Sergeant tor each
mi Included the charge tor wood. H.
suggested that an examioation OF the matter &c
made.
The subject was referred, c,,, 80,
A resolution by the Board OF Aldermen non
copcurriug in Couuci resolution tor the aP.
''tr,,T mt of an expert to examine the books
~ ,firers Of the city, apdrequcStlug any mem
Var If Conncil who knew areason for sucn &C. a.,
.;an ~ " con,nunicate the same to The Cuec
aan stoned much discussion, as to the parlla
we'tarv procedure which should be adopted 10
order nSe to adhere to the original resolution OF OF
Con- and to uou-concur in the acton OF
no Aldermen. Finally, it vas voted to ask inc