The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-11
Communications.
AMENDMENT OF THE CHARTER OF
WASHINGTON

inhabitant OF 81 years Of age and upwards requiring
him TO be registered and allowing him TO vote, ana
making il unnecessary in the Mayor and members OF
the two Boards Of the City Council to be freehoders
As the present Charter is proposed to be continued
for 20 years longer with the amendment have men
toned, deem il my duty as citizen, respectfully to
surpes, 10 the committee and the Senate, the roprie
~ OF making a few more alterations in the present
Charter BY that instrument, new Mayor is TO be
chosen by the two boards, only ia the event OF the
incumbents death, resignation, inability or removal
from the city No provsion is made for his removal
when guilty Of crimes misdemeanor" II he should
commit felony which may be bailabe, he can siili
remain in Office till no is prevented from acting by
death or imprisonment. The inability mentioned IN
the Charter means only disqualification from Physi-
cal or intellectual infrmty and not f0m moral causes,
and If Mayor should be guilty of the crime OF then,
robbery or murder itself and be baed there Is
nothing in the Charter to preclude him from officiating
as the Mayor Of the city until his punishment Of death
or imprsonment) shall prevent him from discharging
the duties of his office. This possible case should be
provided for now that Congress has taken the subject
into consideration.
BY the 18th section Of the existing Charter the
Commissioner Of the Public Buildings is required to
reimburse to the corporation just proportion of any
expense incurred in laying open, paving, otherwise
improving any Of the streets in front of
adjoining to- or passing through between any ofthe
public squares reservations" which Is to be paid
out of "any moneys arising from the sale Of lots IN
he city, belonging to The U. s. and from no other
fund" Since the passage of this act large portion
of these public lots has been given to charitable inst-
buttons, some oil them lying beyond the limits Of the
city, and believe il often happens that the Comms-
sioner has 10 funds in his hands from that source to
apply to the object intended to be provided for, and
the Improvement therefore fails to be made. It also
occurs, not unfrequently, that the removal of NUS
ances on The public lots provided for in the 18th sec
ton of the amendment Of 1924, is neglected from the
same cause. These sections, therefore, should be
so amended as render it obligatory on the Commits
soner to make the required improvements and remove
the nuisances mentioned in the above section, and to
deray the expense of any money in the Treasury
Of the United States not otherwise appropriated and
not leave them thus prccarious and uncertain But
there is another evil which sometimes exists In hll-
ing up streets private lots, the lots belonging Y
the United States left in their original condition
and not being considered nuisances, according 70
the legal meaning Of the term though very offensive
and injurious to the adjoining property, nothing can
be done with them and they permitted to remain
in that state This should also be provided for IN the
new Charter As the. streets, avenues, and open
spaces are considered and by the Supreme Court have
been decided, to be the exclusive property Of the
s. il would be but just insert provision requiring
these streets, &c. 10 be opened, graduated and i'm
Ia ,yht fhev
occupy having been gratutous transfer the least that
Congress could do would be 10 keep them in repair
especially all the public and leading ones OF the
city,
The 9th section Of the amendment of 1924, would,
think, be improved by making the number OF asses
sors for Washington six instead of three, thus giving
one assessor to each ward ofthe city this would be the
means of rendering the assessment more just and nn-
cxceptlonabe inasmuch the citizen OF the ward by
being better acquainted with the value Of properly IN
his district could give farer estimate OF that Vaiue
than ono residing at either extremes of the city
have no objection to the poll tax proposed in the
committees amendment; but think it would he very
nudicous to take away the property qualification OF
the Mayor and members Of the two boards. Our re-
are the representatives Of property, and
not of political rights and the executive officer and
those no are TO impose the property holders,
should be themselves of property, TO give them
such an interest in the city would prevent them
from recommending and imposing TOO heavy burdens
on The citizens who are endeavoring build up the
metropolis, by vesng the earnings OF their industry
in substantial improv cments. What does the Mayor,
Alderman, or Councilman about the debts the
corporation may contract the amount of taxes the
owner Of property may have to pay provided ne is to
be exempt from the burden, exempted from the con-
sequences of then own actsl For thirty years al
the whole expense of supporting the corporation
and making the Improvements which have been made
in this city, has devoivcd the property holder. His
taxes have, sometimes been almost ruinous, and al
ways very heavy; and experience has shown that I'M
less the members of the boards the owners of
property and payers there is great danger Of run
ming the corporation into debt and of ncrca ing the
weight of taxation The property qualification there
fore, should be considerably Increased, rather than
taken away.
In some degree to cquaIize the burdens imposed up
on the citizens would suggest ha, the corporation be
vested with the power TO lay tax on bank insurance
and other stocks held in this city. There is just
son why the of real property should be obliged
to pay heavy tax, while the owner of productive
stock is wholly exempted from the burden.
But what will appear still more unreasonable, the
proprietor of unimproved lots which yield nothing, is
taxed the Of 75cen,s for every hundred dollars
worth of land while the owner Of stock, which per
hors yields per cent phys nothing towards the sup
port of the corporation and the improvement Of the
city.
| have deemed it my duty to throw out these few
suggestions for the consideration Of the committee -
There other amendments which might be adopted,
that would be advantageous and important but have
,... a, ......l a