Huntsville gazette., 1883-02-17
TO VOTE BY WARDS.
Election Every Two Years.
How The Bill Passed The Honse.

The bill amendatory of the Hunts
vile City Charter, which passed the
House on the 14th, and in all proba-
bility has passed the Senate and, will
become law provides for election of
the Mayor and Aldermen biennially,
redistricts the city into new Wards,
throwing majority Of the colored
voters in the Fourth Ward, and for
the election by Wards of two Alder
men each. AS a matter Of general
interest to citizens here we republish
from the proceedings Of the Legisla-
ture the following debate which oc-
CURED in the House on the passage of
the bill /:
Committees substitute for bill to
alter and amend the charter of the
city of Huntsville was taken up
Committee on corporation reported a
substitute, which was adopted.
Mr.. Tatum, said one of the men,
bers, Mr.. Cochran, Of Madison, was
absent and he moved to postpone un-
til Saturday next, IL a. m.
Mr.. Hawkins, of Jefferson, said the
absence of one of the members, with
two others present, was not merito-
rious reason for postponement. If
postponed to-day, it will amount to
an indefinite postpenement.
Mr.. Branch urged the postpone
ment.
Mr.. Simpson, chairman Of the COM
mittee, said the matter had been am
ply argued pro and con before the
committee. All information obtaina-
BILE was at hand, and in his opinion,
it is the desire of the people of Madi-
son to have the bill pass.
Mr.. Clark, said that two members Of
Madison are absent, one on account of be-
ing sick and another from illness in his
family.
Mr.. Wood, said it was not right to post
pone. Information was abundant that it
was the desire of the great mass Of the peo
pie Of Huntsville to have the bill passed.
Mr.. Brown, of Tuscaloosa, said one of
the members from Madison was present.
and he had baen informed that member
was the most intelligent of the three, and
| therefore posiponement ought not to pre-
vail.
Motion to postpone was lost
Mr. Branch opposed the passage Of the
Lill.
He held that this was party scheme Of
the democrats to make changes of legsla-
ton which could perhaps, not be accom-
plished by votes, and that he would prefer
to be of the color of the member from Mad
| ison who is here and to hold a seat by such
title as he had, than to be here by such
means as some men were who claim to be
representatives.
Mr. Wood said this bill was carrying
out the principle of local self-government
and allowed each Ward IN Huntsville to
select its own Aldermen, instead of elect
ing all of them on one ticket He read
list of men who protest against the passage
of this bill Mccullough, Q. S. Court
Clerk, Sloss, ex-U. S. Marshal, L. W. Day
p L. Harrison and Others extreme men
against the democracy. On the other side,
he read names of prominent citizens noted
for their intelligence, fair mindedness, an d
desire for good government, such as Judge
Richardson, Judge Dox, General Walker,
Holding, Moore, Mayor White and others.
Mr.. Hawkins, of Jefferson, said large
class of citizens of Huntsville were with
out representation on this floor, and for
that reason he had intended to urge the
passage of the bill in their behalf, but as
the matter was SO well understood, he call
ed the previous question and moved the
passage OF the bill. Bill passed; yeas 81;
nays 9.
Mr.. Hawkins, of Jefferson, moved to re-
consider the vote passing the bill and to
Law that m otion on the table. Motion to
table carried.