The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-19

THE COMMITTEE ADDRESSED BYHJUSTICE
WHITE, ALDERMAN TODD, MAYOR CAR
R1NsToN, AND MEssRs. JOHNSON, GRUBBs,
puLLIAM, CAMPBELL, AND sTARKE-A
NEW PLAN SUGGESTED BY GENERAL
JoHNsoN-DEFINI ACTION OF! THE
'CoMMiTTEE-JUDGGE SUSPENDED UN-
TIL II O'CLOCK TO-DAY tMoNDAY).
= The Senate Committee on Counties, Cities,
and Towns resumed the consideration of
the Richmond police bill ut 10 o'clock on
Saturday morning. Present: MeSsrs. Fin
ney (chairmanI Tanner, Greever, Dicken.
son, Ward, Mofett, and Terry.
Police-Justice White said that he was In
favor OF changein the Board. He desired
to be relieved Of duty there, and was OF
opinion that the president OF the Common
Council should be substituted for the Po-
lice Justice, so that the Board should consist
OF the Mayor, the president OF the Board OF
Aldermen, and the president OF the Com
mon Council. He was free to admit that
the duties Of police commissioner were some
what inconsonant with the maglsterial or
judicial character. lie felt That, and he was
not here to speak for himself or for bis own
personal advantage, but for what he felt to
be the city's good. Standing in that atti'
tude, he was compelled to oppose the pro
position to vest in the three city Judges the
bower OF naming the police commissioners,
and he was surprised at seeing here Judge,
rGuigon1 who was to be chief actor under
the new dispensation, actively advocating
the grant Of power in question. "
THE WALL OF CUSTOM.
Justice White repudiated the idea that
the Judges are surrounded by custom with
any wall OF protection that would prevent
them from being susceptible to the intill-
ences that are eXerted upon ordinary men.
Admitting their high character and learn
ing, he would yet assert that they, being
human, We're liable to err, and that, pure as
they undoubtedly are, there are other citi-
zens here in that and all other respects their
peers.
He further contended that in personnel,
discipline, and efficiency, the Richmond
police force is equal to any in the land !;
that the tenure OF Office should continue to
be during good behavior; that the change
in the Board designated by him was all that
was necessary; that the persons signing the
petition for the proposed change were
:. contemptible in numbers" that there
was no real solid ground for the change
asked. and that the true interests OF the city
and the merltorious services OF the force
should cause the rejection Of the plan for
REORGANIZATION OF the Board under the
Judges. The only amendment requisite, in
lis opinion, was that he be relieved from
service on the Board, and that the presl-
dent OF the Common Council fill the va
cancy.
WHAT THE BILL IS.
Alderman Todd explained the action OF
the Council and the exact character OF the
changes proposed by the councl!men. Inc
latter were substantially that the Police
Board should consist OF seven persons-the
Mayor and six citizens-the Mayor to be the
presiding officer, and to have vote only IN
case OF tie. The three judges to nominate
to the Council eighteen citizens-three Tor
each ward-from whom the Council, IN
Joint session Of the two branches, should
select one from each ward, and the slX, WltD
the Mayor, to form the Board. The Councli
might reject any or all the nominations OF
the judges, and could compel them 10 sena
in new names in place OF those relected uh-
til six satisfactory persons were CHOSEN;
Instead Of allowing policemen to hold
"during good behavior" they were TO pc
enlisted for three years, and arranged in
three classes, so that each year one third OF
the force would come before the Board for
reelection. BY this system Mr.. Todd con-
tended that the good men would be re-
tanned, and the force purged OF the 1ndlf-
ferent and valueless members, and that there
would be constant stimulus to the men IN
the knowledge that their official character
would be passed upon once IN three years
From the change in the character OF the
| Board it was hoped that political influences
would no longer be permitted to operate.
po1SGs OF THE COUNCIL.
r. MIR. Todd said that OF ~ councilmen who
voted on the question % were recorded fol
and II against the measure. In the Com
mon Council the vote was 20 to G. In the
Board of Aldermen it was s to s, and it was
lost there entirely through the active exer'
tions OF and great influence welded by
Judge Meredith, who gave the casting vote
against it. Except for Judge Meredith, a
member OF the present Board, the measure
would have been approved by the aldermen
by a vote as decided as that by which 1t was
endorsed by the Common Council. AS II
was the vote stood altogether % to IA, OF
two to one in favor OF 1t.
ONE in SEVEN.
The whole scheme OF change was elabo-
rately argued by Mr.. Todd. Having spo.
ken OF the power now exercised by the
Mayor, Mayor Darlington interrupted Mr.
Todd, and said that seven persons had been
appointed during his term, and only on one
occasion had he voted. 3 ,sL.- =.
Mr.. Todd alluded to General Johnson's
" singular position" as to this bill, and
hoped that the bill would find another
patron.
General Terry, member Of the commit.
tee, explained that the member who intro
duced bill was considered the patron OF It,
though he might have introduced the Dbl
for q constituent, and not obligated hlmseil
to support it. -, = ~ ..a., ,>,a
Mr.. Todd closed with an argument in fa
yor of the abolition OF the life tenure.
THE TENURE OF OFFICE.
Mr.. p. w. Grubbs said that he and Mr.
POTTS waited upon General johnson anC
asked him to introduce the bill as it passed
the Common Council; that General johnson
objected, and that they struck out the pro
vision about the three years enlistment tt
satisfy him somewhat. Their object was tt
get the bill before the Senate, and they
would have made any concession not affect
ing the vital part in relation to the Board
MIR. Grubbs, however, desired to see thai
section restored.
Mr.. Samuel II. Pulliam, OF the common
Council, said he believed that the feature
nroposing to abolish the life-tenure enabled
them to carry the bill: through the Commor
Council by a larger majority than theJ
would have otherwise been able TO secure
Mr.. Puliam was himself the author OF thai
feature. He commended the bill us an en-
tirety. and believed that if passed .it would
ID haftar for the CITY and better for thegooC