Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-14
Letter from Falls Church.

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazstte. |
FALLS CHURCH, VA, May 14.-As near as
I can learn our town council have held during
the past six weeks en- an average OF IS. 1884
meetiggs per week, and the fact that your Ger
respondent has not kept you supplied with re-
ports of the same is not to be attributed to any
Intentional delinquency on his part, since be
has been kept completely in the dark as to the
prospective action Of that august body. His
previous reports, though possibly not lauiatory,
were at least truthful and probably on the
principle that the greater the truth the greater
the libel, some individuals have taken umbrage
at the same aud considered them libeous.-
The result was las far as the results Of the star
chamber ipquisition can be discovered through
frlends,) that the faXseed court convened with
Chancellor Gardner presiding, and your CORES
p0ndent put on trial !; uooonstltutlonally 1t Is
true, size, he was not served with process, was
not present, aud was not confronted with his
aceusers, but what GRO such petty points when
the charge is treason, and the Commonwealth
pursuos ia its own defence? 1t was charged.
First-That as he was not burgher of the
town he had no right to criticse the de1quen-
cies, either Of commission or omission of the
powers that be, and. as no one else had critiOis-
ed them, his statements should be replied to,
and he squelched. Second-That not being a
voter of the town he bad no right to advise the
voters thereof as to their future conduct or
choice of rulers The Chancellor decided that
as no special damage was laid in the charges,
and none proved, except it be the prospective
loss Of the salary attached to the position of
Councilman, and, as there was no salary attach.
ed to that position, ergo there was 20 loss, and
as the loss of mere hoDors was not matter OF
computation, particularly when the honors were
doubtful. if not barren, be would be compelled
to enter up damnum absque ipjuria. And as
to the first charge, as it was confessed, the
statements complained of were true, the least
said the soonest mended. And as to the Sec
end, the people in the town meeting would fol.
low the advice or not as they wished, and the
result Of the town meeting would settle the
whole matter, and be divine verdict on the
ground that Vox populi, Vox del.
The town meeting to organize q ticket tor
the spring election was held Friday, 10th inst,
and resulted in the following ballot for Council.
men, Seth Osborn, Is; G. B. Ives, %; j. b.
Birch, 20; s. D. Trip, 90; Wells Forbes. IS;
E. f. Crocker, IA; T. T. Fowler, u; Geo. w.
Mankin, 10; j. G. w. Drummer, S; J. s. Riley,
5; G. NJ. Thompson, S; A. Birch, 5; Isaac Gross.
nun. 4; DR.. J. j. Moran, 3; A. H. Raymond,
2; Dr. J. B. Gardner. .; DR.. l.. Lloyd, 2. The
first seven of whom were declared the nominees
and of whom not one was in the last Council,
showing that the people whether they followed
the advice of your correspondent or not, were
very much of bis opinion as to the desirability
of q change. For Clerk the ballot was: A. Il.
Raymond, IS; Wilbur Birch, 7; Harvey Tyson,
0; Jas. s. Riley. G; George NJ. Thompson, |.
For Sergeant the ballot was: John Pogue, /;
f. F. Foote, II; Valencia O. Meara, 20.