The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-17
9TME, STATE .CApaTOn. ].
Further Consideration OF the Rich
snonts Police Blll. ,;1r'.r

mona FOI1CF 13khEsis-g L3l1''a'
THE COMMITTEE ADDRESSED BY COLONEL
GUY; CAPTAIN j. 8. WISE, AND MR.. G. b.
CHRISTIAN IN, FAVOR OF THE POLICE
BILL-THE. CONTEST FOR THE STATE
PRINTING-REsULT, OF THE CoNsERyA-
TIVE CAUCUS PUBLIC WAREHOUSE, &c.
The consideration, OF the Richmond police
bill was resumed by the Senate Committee
on Counties, cities, and Towns at 1880
o'clock yesterday morning. st.4r. y.,.rr ....,t
Colonel John 81. Guy, a member OF the
City Council, explained the action OF the
body to which he belongs. and in detail
stated the objections, to the present system
OF appointing and governing. the police
force. He contended that the patronage
which is welded by the Board is larger than
that possessed by the Governor or the Leg1s-
lature. and that it ought not to be IN the
hands of those who are subject to the pollti-
cal influences exerted by the police. AS for
the personnel OF the force, he would say that
1t was excellent; but he attributed that not
to the appointing power, butto the tact that at
so many good men, thrown ont OF the ordi-
nary business pursuits, had in the last
few years sought places on the force.
He deprecated the suggestion OF Judge
Meredith that the power OF appointing the
Board should be vested in the Council.
That would be to subject the Council more
than ever to demoralizing influences. On
the other hand, people would not approach
the Judges when they had nominations to
make to the Council, and the judiciary had
ALWAYS possessed that confidence Of the peo-
ple that they would willingly trust them to
select good men,. The judicial character he
considered of itself wall of protection
from outside influences.
General Bradley T. johnson: Colonel
Guy, do understand you to say that this
bill provides that the term OF one third OF
the police force shall expire each year?
Colonel Guy: I so understand it. It was
in that shape when it passed the Common
Council =. c ~ 49, ST.
General johnson: When the committee
waited upon me and asked me to present
the bill, / objected to that feature, and they
struck it out. am not in favor of the bill.
T presented it only because SO requested by
constituents.
The bill as introduced in the Senate by
General johnson and referred to the COM
mittee was here examined. 1t was found
to be in the condition stated by. General
johnson. = :. .f 49, rs..:, -...s1..,- -.,t
Colonel Guy. Well, sir, I must say that
regard that as one of the very best provi-
sions of the bill, and it ought to be restored.
Mayor Darlington said that when the
friends OF the bill came to perfect it they
should provide way to get rid OF worth
less commissioners. .''...~.''.--
Senator Moffett showed from the bill that
that was already provided for, and that the
power was vested in the Council.
Mr.. George L. Christian, as chairman OF
the Joint Committee OF the Council on Or
dinances, said that the feature requiring
the police to come before the Board for re-
election every three years was one of the
best in the bill. He agreed with Colonel
Guy that it ought not to be omitted. 1t was
intended to rid the force OF drones and OBJ
iectionable men against whom people could
not or would bring specific charges to cause
their removal, and yet who would not be
able to secure reelection.
General johnson objected to the bill be-
cause it was in effect the State governing
the city in its local affairs. He didn't think
the Judges ought to have anything to do
with the matter. II the State had to take
control he would prefer to have the COM
missioners nominated by the Governor
rather than by the judges. He was OF opin-
ion that the Police Justice ought not to be
on the Board, but that: it ought to consist
of the Mayor, president Of the Board OF
| Aldermen, and president OF the Common
Council. .~e.s ta ~ a'".
General Anderson opposed the plan here
suggested by General johnson (Which, as
he understood, was favored by the two
Richmond senators), and believed that it
would work very badly.
Mr.. Moffett asked MIR. Christian il he had
any means of knowing public opinion In
regard to this measure.
Mr.. Christian answered that his duties
prevented him from mingling with the peo-
pie a great deal, but that he believed that it
was approved by nine out OF ten OF the
people.
Mr.. John S. Wise earnestly advocated the
BILL That feature requiring members OF
the force to come before the Board once in
three years for reelection he considered a
vital part of it, and he desired to see it re-
stored. It,would not operate to the disad-
vantage Of the good members OF the force.
TREY would be reelected, while the inefti-
cent ones would be dropped.
Mr.. Wise compared the present system
with that proposed, and drew favorable con-
cusions in support of the latter.
The committee adjourned to meet at the
same place (Maior Boykin's office at $3.50
| this morning. '
PoIice-Justice White will be first heard,
and after him a number OF councilmen and
citizens will ask to present their views. The
committee has determined to vote on the
bill to-day. -.-. ..... .i..---
In the course Of the discussion yesterday
Mayor Darlington stated that the Mayor had
now only the casting vote in the Board in
cases Of tie 1t is proposed by this bill to
give him exactly the same position on the
new Board as he holds now.
Justice White is not only willing but
anxious to be relieved OF duty on the Board
THE PRINTING CONTEST.
The Joint Committee on Printing, con-
sisting OF Messrs. Bland, Tanner, Gilman,
Lowell, and Coale, met in the Senate cham
Der yesterday evening, and examined Mr..
James E.. Goode as to the manner OF con-
Quoting business in the department OF Su.
perintendent Of Public Printing, and us to
his and other printers bids, &c.
w. D. Chesterman, John G. Mosby, Tate
Starke, and w. E. Simons testified that on
i the day the awards were made they saw the
bids, and that to the best OF their knowledge
and belief the paper now exhibited as the
j bid OF Mr.. Goode is the same as was then
shown them. Onrthe margin OF this paper
There was a calculation as to- press-work,
i which made it distinguishable from the
others, without reference to the proposals
i it contained = :E,:s.. - -. !.
DIr. Davis, clerk OF the Senate, testified
that it was best for the journals and bills to
be printed by the same person, as provided
for by the superintendent Of Public Print
ing. .7.s5e r I III ..i--. ss.-s J. ,at tss. y ~
The committee, at Z O'Clock, when the
| testimony closed, announced that they
1 4 fbofr- n 1ar