Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-05
COUNCIL HEARD THE
ELECTION LETTERS
AT Request Of NJ. Rees Mayor Jones
Made Public the Correspon.
denCe in The Matter.
NO COMMENT WAS MADE UPON tn N
FRS: Letter Was From City ATTORNEY
Taliaferro to the Mayor informing
Him Of His Opinion That an E'ec-
ton Should Rave Been Held Last
June-The Mayors Answer Given.

At toe meeting nf III" hampton
City Counc.! last night Councilman
| Frank {. RrcS requested Mayor
|, Thornton +. Jones to preS"n; to III"
/ conncii IT, correspondence that pass,
"a la; Nay br:wr"r tn" mayor ANA
T! Chy ATTORNEY William {. L.. ITALIA
! fcrr1 rr!atiyr ~ the present election
squabn!r. Tn" letters were produced
by ih,. mayor withou any hesitancy
and read to the council. The letters
were Mrittcl nearly nine months ago
bu, hal not Icon presented to the
city cornell II will be noticed tina;
CITY Attorney Tlliaferrc held last
Nav that the election should have
taken plar" last June. and had IN"
! contention OF the city attorney been
complied with the present disrnt"
wuuld hay" been avrrtci.
Here axe. the two letters:
Hampton Va. N.ly -. l3"S.
III II. Thornton +. Jones. Mayor
! ard .X-offirio President Common
{ C~"..c::. Hampton. Va.
! "Ep;ir Sir
; III has jas come TO my attention
! that according To section seven 60
oi the act recently passed in regard
itn IT," transition Ct town" TO c!;lr'
! OF the second class and under which
| Hampton EtraH" a CRY. provision
| j. made whereby the ma or and mem
| IrrS OF ths. council ar. to he elected
At thr M">t general election for such
Officers preceding he expiration CT
the reSuiGr term Of office OF the cN-
| i:ting officers
| According TO section % OF tn"
cole. as amended BY act approved
| March ,. 1906 tactS 1906. PIP. =, and
Ct section 1875; OF the code. the gen
! pral election for mayors and mem
hers of the council. respectively. is
! provided for for the second Tuesday
in June 1.-THE 3thJ 1908; and the Off
! GERS chosen At such election will com
| m"ncr their terms OF office en- Sep
TENDER ISt .l9"S. for a term lasting
| four years.
Il am. therefore. OF the opinion that
| an election for MAYER AMI ccunc
/ for the city OF Hampton should be
held On June 9Th. 1908 and the terms
Of the officers 50 chosen will com
mencc September |, 1903, for period
of four years.
Il beg TO state that | have consulted
{ Their counsel who express some doubt
as to M views.
IF no election is held the present
! officers will. believe. continue in
office til 1912: a. the next general
election latter June 9th. 19"S| for
sue hoffiCes will be held in June.
1912
In such event in my opinion. all
OF their acts woul, be legal and bind
ing and not open TO collateral at
! ;ack.
While il may no, be part OF my
oft:c al duty TO lring this matter to
vorr attention. yet. as YOU are the
chief executive officer of the city.
thought il proper TO do so
Yours very truly.
(Sicredl "WM. c. L. TALIAFERRO.
City Attorney"
Mayor jones Reply.
office Of the Mayor. Thornton F.
Jones. Hampton. Va.
May 18th. 1908.
Mr.. WIN. c. L. Tsliaferro. City At
tornev. Hampton. Va.
Dear Sir
Il have before me- your letter Of
Nav 18th 1903. in which yOu cali
| nv attention 10 section : of the act
! recently passed in regard to the tran
| Sitijn Of towns to cities OF the sec
/ nd c,aSs and un,'er which Hamp-
ton became a city. ! have noted what
vCv have To say in regard 10 section
! : f The code as amended by an act
! aDprovci March %rd 1909. and OF
section I033b OF the code with regard
! 10 the general elect on II mayors and
members Of the council! respectively.
In fact I have noted carefully your
entire letter and given il considera-
J ton 10 the extent OF having scusscd
il a, length with several learned at
I tornoys: and after careful in,estiga
ton. am convinced that the mat
Tor is one that shoul.! I've. or should
! have Pen handled by the electoral
h~--d. ONO lawyer NJ unques toned
ability takes the view that 1t VIII
he proper TO hold an election ney
June whereby the terms ci IN" on
GERS elected world begin III" follow
| ing September. Others tak" d'f"r
rnt view.
Il am very glad that you bro" shi
80 r'7'.- 30 my attention. Will"
. do not think il was a part OF YOU
official duty TO do 40. ncr do fhins
IL any part OF my official duty TO tax"
: any steps in the ma.tcr-yct ! though
: IL would he we'll 10 seek lesal adT'c"
which dii-and uDon which ! has"
the o,inion that the conditions d.
no, require any official action on nv
/ rarf In fa~t one attorney advised
me- thar even should We desirc To
H.. ~ afCrt IN c'"c:'cn II Is to Isr'
| to a. -. iDasmu"h as IL would "" 'h''
nnsrihlc - got the naccs:aTy macbIn