The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-12
ABB REP ON
IIESA Nd TOWNS
q TO. the Convention '.':iy no.
Friday Last.
Emneror Williams ROYAL Yacht. viii Presented TO
Cross Atlantic. Fri
WAS DRAWN BY JUDGE. BROOKE.
Is Considered as. Clear. Cut aud conserya-
tive, and Will Probably Not
lneur Much 0ppo>
sition.

& ~
Judge D. Tucker Brooke, chairman OF
the Committee on Cities and Towns, sub
mitted to the convention on Friday the
report of that body, which is found print
ed below, and which was ordered to lie
or the table and be printed for the use
Of members.
The paper is very able one, though 1t
makes but few sweeping innovations upon.
the present Constitution on the subject
with which it deals. It fixes the term of
Commonwealth S attorneys! in cities at
four instead of two years; makes city
Commissioners of the Revenue lneiigloie
to reelection after two terms, and re-
quired members OF Boards OF Aldermen 10
be freeholders.
The report is as follows:
Section l. All Incorporated communities
having within defined bouno'ares a popu-
lation of five thousand or: more shall be
known as cities; and all Incorporated COM
munities having within defined boundaries
a, population of less than live thousand
shall be known as towns. In determining
the population OF such cities. and towns
the General Assembly shall be governed
by the last preceolng Federal. census or
such other enumeration as may be mace
by authority ofithe General Assembly.
Section 2. General laws for the organs
cation and government of cities and
towns shall be passed by. the General AS
sembly in the manner prescribed by tnls
constitution, and no special act shall pc
passed in relation thereto except In cases
where, in the judgment of the General
| Assembly, the object of the act cannot
| be attained by general laws, and then
| ONLY by a recorded vote of tWo-thlroS %
| the members elected to each house OF the
/ General Assembly.
JUDICIARY SYSTEM.
| Section 3. The judiciary system LOT
| cities has been reported by the Commit
| tee on the Judiciary.
| The General Assembly shall provide by
! law for the necessary justice OF the peace
and Justices of courts for the cities anu
| towns. and shall determine ano CONFER
| the jurisdiction thereof.
Section A. In each city which has
| court in whose Office deeds are adnltteo
! to record there shall be elected oy the
| qualified electors of such city clerk oA
! sad court, who shall hold his once TOT
| q, term of eight years, 5ian6 perform such
I other duties as may be required by law.
There shall be elected in ike man
ner and for a like term all such addl-
! tiona1 clerks of courts for cities as me
| General Assembly may prescribe.
| Section 5. In every city which Snail
| have under the provisions Of this constl-
| tuition a corporation or hustinss court, OF
| a separate circuit court, there shall oe
elected by the qualified electors OF sucii
| CITY one Common wealth's attorney, VINO
| shall also, in those cities having q sepa-
rate circuit court be the Commonwealth,
/ attorney for such circuit court, and VINO
shall hold his office for a term OF tour
/ years. z,-
| Tn every city there Shall be. appointed,
| In a. manner to be prescribed by law, one
| commissioner of the revenue whose ou-
ties and compensation shaI pc sucn a o.,
| NAV be prescribed by law, and VINO SsnaH
| hold his Office for a term of tour years.
/ Section 6. In every city there shall De
/ elected by the qualified electors Thereon
| one CITY treasurer, who shall serve for q
! term of four years, but who shall not De
/ elected or serve for more than Two con-
secutiye terms nor act as Deputy 1or MS
immediate successor; a mayor VINO shali
! hold his Office for a term OF TOUR years
who shall be the chief executive oiiscel
/ of such CITY, and who shall see that the
/ duties OF the various police and city OF
/ ficers whether elected or appointed, ID
/ and for such city in pursuance OF THIS
/ constitution or the general laws, are
/ faithfully performed He shall nave pow
or TO investigate their acts, have access
/ 10 al books and documents In thelr OIL
fees, and may examine them and thelt
s,,f,ordinates on oath The evidence CIV
/ en- by persons so examined s!ia!l ny oe
used gaInst them in any criminal pro-
4! cee1ing. He shall also have power to sus-
! ranG or remove such officers for miscon-
/ duct in office or neglect OF duty, 10 te
specified in the order OF suspension OF
removal: but no such removal snail Dc
| made without reasonable notice to the
officer complained Of and an opportunity
| afforded him to be heard in person, or DS
counsel. and to present testimony In nj.
/ defense. From such order OF suspenion
or removal, the officer so suspended. OF
removed, shall have an appeal OF right
70 the corporation or hustings court, OF
1 to the circuit court Of such city, IN Whict
court the case shall be heard de noVo oJ
the Judge thereof, whose decision shall %
final.
! He shall have all other powers and du'
ties which may be conferred and imposed
upon him by the general laws.
THE CITY COUNCIL.
Section T. There shall be in every city
a City Council. composed Of two branches
having different number of members,
whose powers shall be prescribed by law,
and whose members, shall be elected by
the qualified electors of such city for
] a term Of four years. In the manner pre-
scrbed by law, but so as to give, as far
. as practicable, to each ward OF similar
s SUBDIVISION of such city, equal repre-
i sentation in each branch of said Council,
I In proportion to the population of such
ward or similar. subdivisions. The less
numerous branch OF the said Council
4 shall be composed of freeholders who
3 shall own freehold estate in real estate
situated in said city of an assessed value
4 of at least one thousand dollars. No
& member OF such Council shall be eligible
during the term Of his office as said
! member, or for one year thereafter, to
4 any office to be filled by such Council by
election or appointment. The Council OF
;,,$ IL, ~ Nav, f,4