Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-01-26
[opmmunicated.l


Washington have lately passed sundry resolu-
tons, asking Congress to grant them sundry
privileges and benefits, from amongst which /
select that of asking that our citizens shall be
permitted to elect their own police and municipal
officers, and that Congress shall grant land for
the advancement of education in the District of
Columbia.
In relation to the election of officers: our citizens
through the ballot-box, have by large majority
decided in favor of the measure. They respect
fully request Congress to amend their charter
and grant them this privilege; and think may
assert with confidence that they will be sadly
disappointed if the charter be not SO amended as
to enable them to exercise this right at the APP
preaching eiection--frst Monday in June next
Unfortunately, our city has been heretofore
too much controlled by set of local politicians
,cho fear 10 Advance, or even to keep pace with
the times. They too often oppose every project,
on the principle Of "let well enough alone :" and
when forced by public opinion, they but yield re-
luctantly- ever embarrassing progressive
ness by some obsolete idea. Virginia and Ma
ryland grant suffrage to their citizens, untram-
melted Wih the prepayment system; and yet in
our city we have party who are opposed to
uUtTdl SuuTdRt. lucy dlRuO eAdt uO Ou6 UuU
property holders should be voters, and that no
others have an interest in municipal affairs, SC.
This argument might hold good if the laws of the
Corporation did not operate on any one other than
property holder; but inasmuch as the laws ope-
rate on others as well property holders, those
on whom it operates should, far as prudence Jus
titles, be permitted to vote for those who make the
laws. sFg
The friends ofthe extension ofsutfrage hold il is
y II ~ I..A
American citizens who are domiciled; and the
better to induce them to feel in common with us,
we should make their pathway as smooth as pos
sible Well, after long contest in 1878, the
city charter was amended, suffrage was extended,
and our city, as is manifest to all, has improved
with rapid strides. Still there exists a shackle
on the right Of suffrage, which was then sub
mitted to in the spirit OF compromise. | allude
to the prepaid system, or that of requiring tax
of one dollar per head, and all taxes on personal
property to be paid previous to voting This de-
mand Of one dollar is peremptory on all previous
to voting Firemen, whose services in time Of
need are thankfully received cannot vote without
paying this tax nor can the laborer, whose pit
lance is but one dollar per day tits also imposed
on real property holders, as an additional tax
over what they formerly paid. And this is to
preserve pure the ballot-box, as though the dol
lar could not be loaned to person who, not hay
ing uouar, cOulu not vote untll placed In MS
hands for that purpose. This prepaid system was
acquiesced in by opponents to the principle be-
cause of the supposed difficulty of collecting small
debts; yet when it is considered that all other
debts and taxes are collected by different pro
cess, we can see no good cause for adhering to
thn prepaid system, especially when it is looked
on by many as shackle to the extension of suf-
frage. The defence which our old-fashioned citi-
zens set up for this prepaid system is, that the
money collected in this way is disposed of for
laudable purpose, to wit the education of chill
dren, and, to make it more palatable, it is called
school tan, in lieu of that commonly called a poll
tar. Now to unhorse those kind-hearted gentle
men, let Congress but grant lands for education
in the District of Columbia, and this excuse of
theirs falls to the ground. Congress has granted
land to colleges for purposes of education, and
now we pray them to take into consideration our
District, of which they are the guardians. Before
June next they can allow us the privilege to elect
our officers, and to vote unshackled by the pre-
system, and provide, too, for the educa-
ton of our growing population. The amending
the charter, by doing away with the prepayment
system, does not prevent the Councils from levy
ing the school tax, and collecting it other debts
are collected. 4.