Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-26
CITY COUNCIL.
regular semi-mootbly meeting OF beth
Boards Of the City Council was held last night
BOARD OF ALDERMEN


This Board did not meet until S:l5 O'Clock,
when there were present. Messrs Janney, NC
keuze, Smoot. Neale, Downham, johnson and
Beach. Mr.. Moore came 10 later stage OF inc
proceedings. making full Board. ~
Mr.. Moore moved reconsideration OF the
resolution 10 regard to the charter, defeated at
the last meeting; and moved that the amend
ments be submitted to the people on the Isl
Thursday 10 May, aud that the same CnmulS
siorers act, who served at the last election.
MIR. Mckenzie moved 10 refer the matter to
the Corporation Attorney for repor upon th,,
act. He had never seen copy OF the act aud
wanted ia know what 1t meant.
Me>srS. Jauncy and Beach concurrcd IN the
remarks of MIR. MckeI zl".
DR.. johnson said he had copy OF the acI,
gotten through the ordinary channels In"
Governor was not expected to scEd copy to
each nan woman and child it he did, 1t would
take three thousand clerks aud halt a million
dollars. He said the act simply amended The
eighth section of the charter by taking the elec
tiou OF officers FROM the Council aud glvlDglt TO
the people. The law of the General Asst mby
required the Council to submit it, and there
was DO discretion abcutit. H. believed in popu-
lar elections and spoke at some length, III sup
port of the amendments to the charter.
Mr.. McK.uzie cffared resolution directing
the Clerk of the Board to procure certified
copy of the amended charter from the Clerk OF
the House of Delegates. He said it Was oct
usual fir town OF cities 10 act on such matters
without, certified copy of the act, which could
be gotten from the. Clerk of the jusa Of Dele
gates at any time, b. paying Tor Il. nc refer
red to the threat to put out members OF C"un,
eli who opposed this matter oil the charter lie
\ i u,t,n t1,nr h,.y n
him ia or out, as he never sought the position OF
Councilman. He was 10 favor Of the election
nf some officers by the people, but did noi want
the trouble of voting for forty or fifty officers
Dc. johnson riiiculcd the idea Of trouble ID
yotluy. He again spoke 10 favor oil the char
ter.
Mr.. Mckenzie said even the members OF the
Lee stature did not know what the law was. and
ne wanted certified copy. He wanted light
ou the >utj ct before action was takep. lhe
Council could be called together 10 xtra session
if necessary.
MIR Smoot also favored referring to the Cor
poration Attorney, IN order that members
might vote understaudlugly
Mr.. Moore understood that some one had
sent for a certified copy. The law seemed to be
mandatory and he wanted it referred to the
people and If anything was wrong let them
take the responsibility.
DR.. johnson said there was not az amblgu-
Gus word in the act, everything was plain.
The reason given by those who procured the
passage of the charter of 1871, was that it was
to keep the negro out OF power. de would
not agree 10 sacrifice part of his Liberties TO
keep those of others from them. 1t was worse
than the Yankees had done. They had been
noble and generous 10 their action, requiring
us oaly 10 take the oath, and then CIV ~ US
all of our liberties wheo they had us dowu aud
could have taken them from u.s.
Mr. McKenzie's moved to amend so as to
oricr certificate copy OF the charter to BE- sent
Tor, and It TO be submitted to the Corporation
Attorney.
The amendment was lost. Ayes, Janucy, Nc
Keuzic aud Beach-3 Noes, johnson, DJwu-
ham, Ncale, Smoot aad MoorC-5.
A motion to reconsider was lost.
The question was then taken on the original
resolution submitting the amendments to the
people on the first Thursday 10 May, which
was adopted by the following vote Ayes John
SOD, Downham, Neale, Smoot and Moore
Noes, Beach, Mckenzie and Janney-3.
Mr.. Moore said he would now vote TO send
for certified copy of the act if members want
ed it.
DR.. johnson said that was all nonsense.
MIR. Mckenzie called DR.. johnson 10 order,
and said the members did not come there TO
talk nonsense.
DIR. johnson apologzed aud said he meaot
only that any member could get a copy BY
sending for il.
MIR. Mckenzie offered resolution to pay to
DR.. j. 3. johnson bis bill for repairing the
Friendship Engine House.
Mr.. Beach though the matter had been set.
tied long ago.
DR.. johnson explained that the former reso-
LUTON was so drawo that nothing could be done
with it. The provisions were so made that 40
deed could be drawn 10 accordance with 1t.
He recounted the circumstances attending the
rebuilding OF the front.
MIR. Smoot said he was on the committee
which audited the till, and while they thought
the doctor had claim on the house, yet he
had none on the city.
Mr.. Bench was also on the committee, and
thought he bill should be paid bat that the
property should pay it. 1t DOW seemed that
the fire company were unwilling to have 1t set
tied this way. He offered as a substitute for
the resolution, that the property. be sold al
public auction and the bill be paid from the
proceeds.
DR.. johnson said he had lived this long with
Out uOucJ duu Wuuiu PiooooAy NV oo''t
another CouuciI got in, and then he would get
his money. He scorned the proposition to re-
ceive his money from the sale OF the property.
He would not be instrumental 10 destroying
aud selliog out company which had existed
before the member was born. He or the mem.
Der from the Fourth Ward would not work to
extingush fires, and they must hold up the
hands of these young men who would He at
tackled the present system of fire department.
as expensive and unnecessary. He would ex-
cuse the Council and wait.
Mr. Beach reiterated his opinions about the
Calm
Mr.. Mex nzie said that the difficulty was
that while the Friendship Company did not
claim The legal title to the property, they calm
ed the right to occupy. He favored the pay
meut of the bill.
Mr.. Beach said the company remained,
whether the properly was sold or not. The
company said they did not claim the owner
ship, but still claimed the entire right OF occu
pancy, which he thought amoul ted to owner
ship.
MIR. Ncale favored the payment and opposed
the substitute.