Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-06-14
CITY COUNCIL MEETS.
More Precincts for Clay Ward-NOne
for ACKNOWLEDGMENT Partisanry.

At the meeting of the Common
Council Monday night, the 2nd inst,
after adopting the report of the Com
mittee on Streets, quite a spirited
fight was made on the proposition
of the COMMITTEES to revoke the frau
chisc of the X. and A. Co. or any 9TH
er. ssC she pleasure OF the hods
Tue ordinance as it now stands
makes 4, necessary Ex 09dslS To re-
woke franchise, it must be passed
upon adversely by two successive
councils. 1t was adopted as recon-
mended, but later, defeated in the
Board of Aldermen.
Upon motion of Mr. Burke, q COM
mittee had been appointed to pro-
vide five precincts for Clay Ward,
Alderman Bahen was a member of
the committee. He said he had not
been notified of any meeting and ac-
cOrdingly had no proposition for
one more precinct in jackson Ward.
He declared that he would not sign
the report for a precinct in Clay
Ward, unless they would sign his
report. He told Councilman Mitch
ell the condition of affairs, who secur-
ing a copy OF the City Ordinances
proceeded to draft division of the
Ward into five precincts, defining
boundaries. 1t was about two hours
work, and was being done while the
routine business of the Council was
being transacted.
When it was ready, Alderman
Bahen took it to the Committee, and
although some of them had promis-
ed to sign it, they refused. He being
the only Republican member on the
Committee, his name only was ap-
pended. 1t was regarded useless to
proceed further with the Committee
Later, when Councilman Burke
arose to offer the report of the Com
mittee in favor of five precincts in
Clay Ward, Mr.. Mitchell offered ss an
amendment an ordinance for FIVE
precincts in Jackson Ward. 1t was
read, although it embraced three
pages of foolscap.
When the president was about TO
put the question, Mr.. Mitchell arose
and said; "Mr. President, it is
-svidcnt that no more important
measure has been offered in this
Chamber affecting as it does the fair
name of the" city of seven hill. F"
We come, siG, to ask you give us
Justice. Gentlemen, if all of you
could have visited Jackson Ward
and have seen that long line, in
which could be found men who had
gone there at 9 O'Clock the night
before and have witnessed this line
standing there when the sun went
down on election day you would l
think be disposed to vote for this
measure. 1t has been announced in
the House of Representatives, that
you have no desire to retard the
Colored men in the exercise of the
elective franchise. You have an op-
portunity tonight to demonstrate
that fact.
You have announced that as in
comparison to the men of the North,
you are our best friends. you have
an opportunity now to prove it. |
need not sir, go to the Constitution
of the United States, for the Bill of
Rights of Old Virginia guarantees
TO us rights and privileges Every
citizen by its provisions has the
right to east one ballot and have it
counted as he cast it.
do not ask for division tonight
on party lines, but would prefer one
upon that of religion. This is a
Baptist Council, or rather the major
my of the members are Baptists,
and l am a Baptist. If upon no
other plea, that of religion should
affect you.
Gentlemen, / do not understand
how you can hesitate in this matter
1t was the black man that stood
by you during the late war 1t was
the black nanny, in the words OF
the eloquent but now dead Henry
w GRADY, who sleeps beneath the
ciUds OF tile valley, ..ils.t "led you
smilingIinto sleep" These black man
be it remembered, that although it
forged larger and stronger chains
that bound also wore the gray.
They too threw up your
breast works, and might ask you
to do them Justice. Give them more
precincts in Jackson Ward.
Gentlemen all of us stands sworn
to recognize the civil and political
equality of all men before the law
We cannot enter upon the duties OF
office without taking that obliga-
tion, and beseech you to act square
ly in this matter and give to us
those privileges guaranteed by the
laws of our mOther-state "
The report of the Committee on
Elections was adopted. Councilman
Courtney stated that as it was an
important matter, he'd move to
refer to the Committee on Elections