The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-09
Public Meeting @ the city Hall.

|
| Public Meeting G. the City Hall.
| TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE DISTRICT.
Last year there was circulated and signed, by
several hundred. citizens, petition addressed To
| the Senate and House Of Representatives, asking
| for the restoration of the power OF choosing their
own rulers, those by whom the laws are 10 be en-
acted and TO be administered, and saying that it
never anticipated that the district OF country which
to become the seat of Government OF this great
republic was to be, by this operation, disfran-
chised, and to forfeit all right OF freemen. TIE
Constitution contains such clause which either
directly indirectly deprives the citizens Of the
District of the privileges which they formerly en-
joyed. The unfortunate result has followed, not
from any express intimation of design, but from
omission to provide for the exigency. eve have
\ been disfranchised by implication" Under the
territorial governments the people are furnished
with territorial legislature, invested with au-
| thorty TO provide fer their own wants, an execu-
tive to administer their own laws, and delegate
| in Congress to watch over their peculiar inter
ess. OF all these we have been deprived; and
i indeed, are without any of those safeguards and
regarded as the only bulwark against oppression.
The above are some of the points in the petition
which was presented to the serious consideration
of Congress, with hope that they would provide
such remedy as shall seem meet and appropriate.
| On Tuesday there appeared an advertisement in
one of the newspapers Of this city, as follows:
"The undersigned request the signers of the
above petition, and such other citizens of the Dis
trict as approve OF its object to meet at the Com
mon Council room, in the City Hall, ON Thursday
evening next, the It'll inst, at halfpast O'Clock,
to appoint committee to present and prosecute
the object of the petitioners before Congress.
/ ssJoseph II. Bradley, Jacob Gideon, ID. A. Hall,
M. St. clair Clarke, ]. M. Carlisle, Thomas Quan,
trill J. F. Callan, A. Rothwel, j. b H. Smith,
Stanislaus Murray, John H. Linton, J. c. Mcclure,
B. b. French, N. Callan, Thomas Carbery, w.
Farnham, X. c. Weightman, James Adams, Lewis
/ Johnson, r. w. Latham, B. w. Chever."
In pursuance of this call, two three hundred
persons assembled at the City Hall on Thursday
evening.
The meeting was organized by the selection of
Colonel SEAToN, the Mayor of Washington, as
Chairman, and Major b. B. FRENCH Secretary.
We have to depend on our memory, in part, for
what follows
Mr.. G. WATTERsToN, after the preliminary pro-
ceedngs, submitted resolution, declaring that,
in the opinion of the meeting it is inexpedent, at
this time, to take measures with view to the es-
adjustment of Territorial Government in this Dis
trict He said that such action might have per-
nicous tendency, the slavery excitement was
now raging in the halls of Congress, and we were
reposing upon volcano. BY the Constitution,
Congress has power to exercise exclusive legisla-
ton in all cases whatsoever the District, and
therefore Territorial Government cannot be estab-
lished. II was premature to agitate the subject,
we should await further action on the questions
which so vitality concern us. Even II We had a
Territorial Legislature, and pass laws, it would
rest with Congress to sanction them.
Mr.. JOSEPH II. BRADLEY submitted substitute
for the resolution, something like the following:
That in order to ascertain the will OF the people at
large in relation to the great objects TO be obtained
the Mayor Of Washington be requested to convene
meeting Of the citizens, 10 consider the following
remedies viz: 1. The plan of Territorial Govern.
ment similar to that ofthe Territories of the United
States. 2. The plan of Municipal Legislature
for local purposes, with Representative elected by
the people, in Congress. 8. delegate in Congress
without any Territorial Government or Municipal
Ia.rt lnfraF Tha Af N
the county Of Washington to be invited TO consider
this subject and give their cooperation, in the man
ner most eSpedient.
Mr.. b. supported his amendment by few re-
marks.
Mr.. Dow would not commit himself to any o.
the propositions presented, and was DESTROYS that
| the people should be heard for themselves. A por-
ton of the original ten miles square had been given
back to Virginia; three meetings had already been
held in Georgetown on the subject OF retroceding
that portion of this county 10 Maryland; and we
have seen that action has been had without con-
sulting the citizens Of Washington. We find that
the Districts sliding away from under our feet, and
II is time that we should be aroused. By the terms
of cession, certain rights were guaranteed TO us,
and Congress has no more right 10 free the slaves
here than they have to deprive a man of his house
or II was his opinion that the retrocesson OF
Alexandria county to Virginia was unconstitu-
| tional.
Mr.. J. M. CARLISLE gave his reasons for signing
| the call. He thought that the position now occu-
pied by citizens never contemplated by
Maryland and Virginia, the States which coded the
ten miles square for permanent seat of govern
ment. There were evils which ought to be RENE
died. The laws were defective-laws which ope-
rated injuriously Congress has the power to ex-
ercise exclusive Legislation the District Of CO.
lumbia; and he had no idea that Congress would
give us Territorial Government. But some pro-
| vision should be made for an amendment OF the
| statutes The reason why we have had laws en-
acted by the national Legislature is, that members
are not acquainted with our wants. certain law
is asked for the application is referred to the Com
mittee for the District. The members are selected
from every portion Of the country. When the bill
comes up before them, member says things
are done thus in Wisconsin, and he therefore
amends ii. member from Texas says that
the matter is arranged in different and better
| mode in his State, and he makes an alteration,
and on; and, after a while, there will be
| added a touch Of Mexican and Spanish law
| when California comes into the Union. Laugh
teri Thus we have patchwork, containing as
many colors the rainbow. He repeated that bad
laws were the result of members OF Congress not
understanding our wishes and interests. These
/ gentlemen are strangers to A few years ago
a gentleman came hither from Louisiana, and
| seized for debt. He applied to his representatives
| and they became his security TO answer at law
The representatives forthwith went into Congress-
and introduced n bill aboshing imprisonment for
debt. The bill was hurried through both branches
| and in this manner the debtor was released, and
the members themselves relieved from their secu-
rity. This one instance only Of the result of
Il
shows that Congress pass laws TO suit themselves
| and not To say that il IL I" inexpedient' now
| TO act, is 70 say that we should never act. We
have not yet become scrfs but have suffered evils
| which would make him who gave his name 10 this
i city revolt We should never submit our necks 70
the yoke of power, regardless of right. We should
at least put our heads above water and say " Here
l we are"
Mr. WATTERsToN. ! think that the gentleman
has mistaken my whole ground. say that we
ought not TO ask for a Territorial Government.
The power Of exclusive Legislation is delegated to
Congress
/ Mr.. CARLISLE. think that Congress has
power TO establish one, but they can give us kind
| Of municipal legislature. My object is 10 support
| the amendment Of Mr.. Bradley.
Mr.. LENox said that he would be glad 20 know
whether this call was not made in conformity with
the wishes of Mr.. Douglas, who had introduced
territorial bill in the Senate, with view 10 quiet
| agitation, and TO relieve Congress from IL. He
| thought that the proposition involved two ques-
tons Do we require reforml There is but one
opinion TO the necessity of this, we have rested
under the Inconvenience, for fifty years, of being
precluded from reform. The question of judicial
II reform should not be link ed with the subject of a