The Columbian fountain., 1846-05-01
IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS.

! have seen no notice in your paper ye
ola late meeting on asubject deeply interest
ing to the citizens of Washington As none
Of your regular correspondents have allu-
ded to it, propose, if acceptable, to fur
nish you with brief account of it's pro-
ceedings. | was not present at the meet
ing myself, and SO cannot vouch from per.
sonal observation for entire accuracy. Blu,
have full confidence in the source from
which my information is drawn. The
meeting seems not to have originated from
a public call, but rather to have been a
voluntary assembling of a few benevolent
individuals, willing to aid in promoting the
welfare of our city. Indeed, | am not
sure whether it was the intention of the
persons composing the meeting to have
the proceedings published, but | suppose
they cannot seriously object to it. 1t was
rather by accident than otherwise that so
full a knowled ge of the proceedings came
into my possession. And, under such cir
cumstances, ! at first felt some doubts as
to the propriety of making them public,
but full consideration Of the import
ance of the objects of the meeting con-
vinced me that, SO far from there being
any improperly, it was rather duty in
cumbent on me as good citizen to spread
them before the community. The source
from which ] derive my information is a
little parcel of papers, which, as | said
before, obtained by accident. The papers
consist of notes, reports, remarks, and
other matters relating to the meeting, and
appear to have been drawn up either by the
Secretary or some attentive member. They
seem, however, not to relate to the frs
meeting, but to some later one, appoint
ed to receive reports of committees ant
take some final action. To publish all th'
papers would occupy too much room.
will therefore only send you some of the
most material, and will endeayor to con.
dense them into as small compass as their
importance will admit.
After the meeting had been opened, and
the proceedings of the last meeting read
the chairman stated that the first business
in order was the reading of reports.
The first report submitted was from the
Committee of Visitation. This was an able
report, and embraced much valuable nfor-
nation The committee had visited three
hundred and eleven private houses, and one
hundred and seventeen stores, in various
parts of the city, but especially in the por-
ton on Penn. Avenue, between First and
Fifteenth streets west They had also ia
ken in writing the opinions of twenty two
eminent individuals. All concurred in re-
presenting the evil complained Of, as of a
most serious character, and one which
ought to be speedily remedied. In private
mansions the evil is extremely great, and
in stores much more SO. Furniture has
been injured, goods damaged, health de-
stroyed, and life itself periled. Time has
been lost, temper soured, neatness rendered
impossible, and not spot can be found free
from the foul marks of this worse than lep-
rosy. Here the report became quite elo-
quent. II concluded by urging upon every
member the importance Of using every ef-
fort to abae the evil.
A gentleman in the corner, who had
hitherto been silent, now arose and spoke
to this effect:
"Mr. President, My blood boilS with
in me. Ten long years have submitted
in silence. Longer forbearance would be
crime. One of my children has become
blind and another, and the one | most
loved, has fled from the city to escape the
pestiIence. have lost goods to the value
of two thousand dollars, and time, and
wear and tear Of material, to at least a
thousand more. Sir, must it be borne ?
By nv blind son-by nv lost dauoh