Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-13

hat lis ssfcSSlncrt was that OF MaJ0f Dudley.
These gentlemen had been taxed az merchants
because che State !aw required that merchant
ta:l0rs should be- taxed as merchants, but that
was % reason Why the stock used b. them as
manufacturers should be taxed.
Mr.. Latham moved TO lay the subject on the
table, which waa Iost-yeas 3. noes 9.
MIR. Latham said that he had moved to table
because he did tot wsh to continue useless
debate le had not intended to talk more upon
this subject, but when he heard MIR. Shlnn
cited az authority, he could not rcfraio, for
within a very short time Mr.. Shinn had told
him that he had reed his (Mr. L.'s) remarks
in the GaZatte, sud that his statements were
true in every particular. This act was intended
to invite new enterprise, not to release tho old
taxpayers. 1t appeared to be MIR. Beach,
opinion that Gii Sg and Murray should BIO ey.
pmpt iroin taxes because man named Hugh
Latham hal signed railroad bill. That was
Mr. Is ncli's pusltion-hc could not get away
from thai. NIr. L. read The State law declaring
that r.ciianf iai!nrs should be "cmbraced'
ia the Il Il ni,ation OF merchants. The law
said 'shal. Jc embraced, not excluded if it
il al ugly hug &c can't help that. 1t Is the
Law S "eu.brac ~ to tho letters which Mr.
Beach brought up 10 lis support, he had always
entertained {. hilh opinion OF Mr. Smith, but
no row entertained L higher opinion OF him
than he did betart-hc had written few lines
and said nothing Ito support MIR. Boach's
vlew.) AIR. Hopkins was somewhat more cX-
teDslVe, but the third reminded him OF old
limcs-lhc flow OF words with which this hall
and the market square had been SO often over
flowed. Nlr. Beach, 10 his elaborate and Ia
bored srccch, had tried to prove that law was
DOT law, bus had failed to show it.
MIR. Bcacli-Ihc gentleman has been courto-
GUS enough to say that have laborcd hard to
prove that law is not Ia9. [ wish 10 say to the
gentleman that there has been very little la
Dor. Mr.. b. contendcd that Mr.. Latham had
not shown how The Council may have one law
in ono case aud another law 10 another case.
The gentleman does not tell why he voted to
tax one telegraph company $50 and the other
500, or why lie signed the bill exemptlng the
Alexandria Passenger Hallway from taxation
10 the direct face CT the opinion Of the Corpora
ton Attorney.
On the question upon c concurrence in the
action Of the Aldermen in refusing to grant the
prayer Ct Grigg and Murray Tor exemption
from taxation, tho yeas and nays were called and
rcsultcd-ycas S, Eays 4.
The Prcsidcnt-Thc action Of the Board OF
Aldermen Is not CODCuITcu ~.
Mr.. Latham expressed surprise at this de-
cisoD.
Tie chair qu5ted the charter, Tho concur
rcncc of majority oi the whole number OF
members Of each branch Of the City Council
shall be necessary for tho passage of any law,
order or resolution.
Mr.. Latham appealed hut the appeal Was not
pressed.
On motion Of Mr.. Byach committee Of con-
ference was appointed.
Mr.. Latham rising to privileged question
said that it seemed to be thought that the Com
mittcc on Finance had cast somo reflection on
the Commissioner Of the Revenue 10 tn matter
Of the lots sold for unpaid taxes. lie wished to
say that the committee did not intend to reflect
upon The Commissioner OF the Revenue, as
these assessments were made many years ago,
before the present Commissioner Was elected
Maj Dulfcy cliied the attention OF the Board
to the Iact that the committee had said some OF
these lots conG not Dc lruiI;i. Alr. W. ID. Stuart
could find every one OF them. For himself he
had served the public faithfully. In one case, from
an estate which never paid g. cent, he had gotten
a lax Of s., POO on personal property Heidi
not desire TO make any reflection OH the collcc
tors, but he would say that Che Treasurer, Mr.
Nj. Is. Harlow. has collected the cniro State
revenue OF real estate in this town except
$G47.33, aud had found every piece CT proper
ty assessed By him. lie had collected, too, all
the personal texc7 except $l19.G;.
A resolution lcem thc Committee Gu the
Poor asking al appropriation Of $ 900 in ad-
ditiou to TIC $4,000 already appropriated to
the poor, came 10 fcom the Aldermen with the
proposed appropriation reduced 70 $5OO.-
When the resolution vas read.
Nlr. Schofield said that the Committee on the
Poor had held no meeting for some months
All the expenditures had been made without
consultation or even the KNOWLEDGE Of the mem.
bcrs Of tho Committee on the Poor from this
Board. They had had no share in the cXpcn.
dituro OIL tho $4,000 already sprnt. lie had
tried to get the committee TO 20 to the aims
house and examine it in vain.
MIR. RishiclI-You can get 4 permit from the
Mayor if you want to 80.
Mr.. Adams, the other mcmb>r OF tho COM
mittcc sustained The statement OF Mr.. Scho-
field.
Several members or Cou1cil expressed their
amaZament at The statement made by MIR.
Schoticld ani his associate.
Mr.. S. said that lhc Ogcrs2cr Of the Poor
claimed that they had the sole right to provide
for the outdoor poor, and that the city must
foot the bill. The subject was then laid aside.
Mr.. L1tham requested the chairmen OF COM
miltcCs to report To him Is chairman Of tho III.
nance Committee the amount needed by thor
respective departments TO carry on the city Tor
the next fiscal year.
The Board then nd journcd.
Local BreviIics.