Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-12-13

tioa OF the U. ). Disnct Couri, &C. perceive l,y
yo.r paper the memorial has been laid before the L.
g'siaiurc by Governor Randolph May ask the ia
Voroi ITS publication IN the Enquirer
You VIII perceive, by turning TO the memorial, that,
anno"sh thc lotteries refers 10 have been the
oi honorable excitement and controversy, that the
citizens of Washington have not and do not in any
manner. presume 10 into that coutroversv--it
oei'ig Lar beyond their orbit. They presume no fur
thcr inin To look on, with pailtl anxiety 10 the G.
sui, ie"ng at times unfortunate collisions, which
ihcir hopes and their prayers directed avert.
The ciiizens of this place, feeling that interest in
the Improvement of therhone, which is common we
n nope, 10 all those who love their country, have gone
on 10 improve al, 10y making extensive streets and a.
venues and bridges, &c.--not solely for their own
uses or benefits, bun partly for the accommodation of
We au'nortcs oil the general government. and Of
such %! their tcllow-cnzens nav honor them with
their presonce-until all their means have, been es-
hausied --i"ieed we have gone farther than strict
prudence warranted. Up To this time have nci-
Tier asked or received any dircc, .d from the United
! States whatever, for city purposes whilst, mt the
same time, our c,y has been Il oil leycnuc in
stead oil expense To the government. We actnow-
eHgc however, with gratitude, that IL! the prosperity
| we nave experienced, has grown indirectly out of the
presence OF the government; and that we have ex-
pcrienced that bcraliiy from Congress which should
ne expected as characteristic OF American legs-
latirc
The people Of this country have bcen liberal
enough, through their representatives in Congress-
grant us tue privilege of raising limited but suici-
cut sum ot money 10 erect public schools, peui;cmi-
AIRY, and acity hall or house, Nc. and all we
now ask Is, tappeaiing To their feelings IeIow-ci-
teens; and as, degree interested i'm the pros
pefiiy oi the metropolis ot our happy connhy,) that
,hcy VIII be generous enough, add TO ill grant,
pN permitting rs, through their rcpi csentti,es in the
STATE legislatures, to dispose otc tickets OF those lot
iercs, ANA tn derive nom thence the benefits which
they so kindly intended thereby securing to us in
one capacit' what they have been pleased to confer
on us IN another A.
10 The Senate and House Of Delegates,
of the State Of pnginia.
The memorial Of the Mayor, Aldermen,
and Common Council of the City of Wash
ngton, in the Districtof Columbia, respectfully
represents THAT By the act of congress, of
the 18th May, 1890, reyiying and amending
preceding act, giving the same authority, the
corporation of the said city is invested with
power TO authorize with the appreciation of
the President of the U. States, the drawing of
Lotteries for eiiecting important Improvements
IN the city, which the ordinary revenue there
of will not accomplish, fer the term of ten
years, provided that the amount so authoriz-
ed to be raised in each year shall not exceed
the sum of SlO,00G.
That in pursuance ofthis act, and that of
similar tenor which was previously in exist
ence, resolutions have been passed from time
to time with the appreciation of the present
and late presidents fthe U. States, authoriz-
Ing Lotteries for purposes which the ordinary
revenues ofthe city could not accomplish, such
as the building ola city hall, of Lancastri,n
schools, OF Il penitcntiary, &c.
4 That just as these lotteries have been nut
into successful operation, it appears that by
prohibiiing laws IN some of The states, and
the apprehension Ofthrm in Others, the pnr-
pose of the said lotteries is ia great measure
defeated, and the intentions Of congress in IA
vor of this city thus far frustrated.
Under these circumstances, the undersigned
are einboldcned 10 approach your honorable
body, and in behalf of their fellow citizens, to
apply for your active intcrposition in their
favour.
| When il is considered that little more than
/ twenty years ago, the ground on which this
city is laid out, was for the most part covered
only with woods and impassable marsh with
out inhabitants save the occupants of one or
two farms, the labor which has devoved on
its first settlers may BIZ conceived, but can
hardly be realized by those who have not
had the opportunity of personal observa-
ton They were the pioneers to pop
ulaton which has now become respecta-
Bile IN numbers, but, employing all their earn
ings IN earnest and unanimous endeayors to
, Improve the city, and devotinS to that object
, ali their savings, have rather impoverished
f than enriched themselves by their choice OF
this city for home.
The cities OF the old world, and even those
of the new, have had small beginnings, aad
| have risen gradually by the profits Of trade and
! commerce to their present numbers without
. such aid but solely by the steady aud pcrse-
vering efforts of It's inhabitants, efforts null
; tiplyinS as their number has increased and
: all directed to the same object, this city has
grown more rapidly than any other in this
} country. The only parallel to it that we are
acquainted with, even in history, is the city of
ST. Petersburg, in Russia ; but when the Car
, Pcter, determined To transfer his seat of go
vernmcnt from Moscow, TO an unnhabited Spot
at the mouth of the Neva, he employed in
that object three hundred thousand men, as
1 sisted by the wealth of his empire, aud all the
4 AIDS OF despotlc coercion roads, bridges and
! buildings sprung up AT the word of command
4 Between that city and the city Of Washngton
the contrast is in this respect yet more striking
r than is the resemblance in others. The 90
vernment of the Union did not even make
road for its embryo city or open a passage
r through it. All was left to individual enter
prize. The authority to raise money bv way
A of lottery limited as before described is The on
~ direct did, that The general government ha
ever given to the city Of Washington ;and u
? that resource we arc now in danger of bcin:
T deprived by the legislation of the seyera
D states.
), We beg leave to represent, further, that thI
5 extensive pan OF thl5 city, though wisely dc
= vlsed for the purposes of futurity, subjects
l., the present generation to enormous expense
c in making streets and avenues, rs much 70
5 the accommodation of the people of the q
it States in general, members Of congress, ant
n Others, as for those Of this city. There ar
mnny other expenses necessarily incurred
l.: burthensomc to OurpeOplc, in which the Who'll
= Union is Interested, not to speak Of that in
terest which III are supposed to feel in tn
{ responsibility Of thc Metropolis. Often hav