The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-10-28
GeoI getown Correspondence.

Georgetown Correspondence.
.,as.ssa-a GEORGETOWN, Oct. 81, 1887
Mr. EDITOR 7snpoya mastantur, Times are
changed,) is uPon the lips of every one. The
dreadful shock of financial ruin which has shaken
the country to its CENTRE and tho pail Of gloom
and distress which has settled down upon the peo-
pie of other cities, spreading desolation and dis
may among all classes producing an excitement
never before Witnessed has also been severely felt
in our city; the rich merchant has been suddenly
and ruthlessly siorn Of his wealth and power, and
the poor laboring man of the means by which he
was enabled to give bread TO his family. AL rea-
lie that this crisis has, indeed, and in truth made
the poor poorer, and the rich 80 poor that none
are willing now to do them homage; Sand the
end is not yet" When, we humby ask, will the
people learn wisdom
Our condition never was more critical than at
the present time, yet, there are individuals In our
midst holding offices of honor AMI profit, derived
from the people, who act as though they cared not
how much the people suffer, so they continue TO
receive their monthly stipend for absolutely doing
nothing; they act as though the tenor OF ofhce
and its emoluments we're to last forever; or they
apprehend that this win be the last opportunity
afforded them livery likely to run their hands into
the peoples treasury-and they seem to be de-
termined to make the most of it; their efforts to
shuttle from the danger of responsibility, reminds
US of the Ostrich which, when pursued, and finding
no way of escape from its pursuers thursts its head
under its wing, thereby foolshly supposiDg that
if II refuses to the danger, therefore there is
none to apprehend. These parties finding the
people in full pursuit of them, are attempting to
play the Ostrich but they have found that their
wings are already broken, they will be captured,
and then consigned to the grave of oblivion.
There are individuals holding Office under our
Corporation that seem To act as though they were
determined to do as little as they possibly can for
the amount of money paid to them by the Corpo-
ratien. We will take the Mayor for example
What service does he render to the people as an
equivalent for the amount of money he receives!
Why, just nothing. A member of his own party
thus illustrates the value of his services viz, the
little end of nothing whitfield to o point this
opinion so freely expressed by this gentleman,
land by the by, he is prominent one of his own
party, } is the opinion of eight-tcnths Of all the
citizens.
The Mayor is elected to see that the laws are
faithfully executed-does he do it? Let the mar
ket house answer it, let the streets answer. They
have never been so sadly neglected before. The
scale-house is kept closed, the market house is
given up to negroes, the inefficient clerk Of the
market suffers and permits the payements to be
blocked up, so that it is almost impossible to get
along. Quarrelling and swearing seems to be the
order OF the day in that locality. Has he ap-
pointed proper persons to be the night guardiansf
|
SO, has he acted upon those complaints? Have not
some of the watchmen told him to his face that
the captain does not do his duty? And has not
the captain complained to him that the men under
him come on duty in state of intoxication Has
he attended to these matters as he is expected
and sworn to do? Are his appointments to Office
such as the people had right to expects Let tho
Mayor answer.
Can the Mayor give reason why it was he re-
oad IN ha nj NJ tha cif
convened at Forrest Hall, for the purpose of dis
cussing the great question of connecting George
town with the Loudon and Hampshire road al
though strongly solicited to be there by those Of
his own party. Perhaps he would give a reason
similar to the one he gave to the Corporation in
hisveto message upon the simple proposition of the
two Boards to have expression Of the people to
whether they would, upon certain conditions, DO
willing to be taxed to raise an amount of money
sufficient to connect our city with this road his
reasons for yetoing that measure were 80 su-
premely ridiculous and foolish, that, notwthstand-
ing hi veto, the resolutions passed both Boards
unanimously; his reasons amounted TO this; !
don't understand you; the people shall not have
anything to say about the road
Our police officers seem 10 do all they can but
they are powerless in the hands of weak and
imbecile mayor; one of them we know to be his
right-hand man; he knows his masters failings,
and, like the dog to his master, true to his in
stincts, he will bark and bite at any one who 10
disposed to trouble his master. The other IL a
plain, s,raightfo forward man, bitter in his preju-
dices, but honest in his opinions, he has seen
enough to convince him that his party is corrupt
TO the core, hence he is not in good odor in the
Mayors nostrils. Look at the street scavenger,
what does he do and what did those under him
do all last summer? Let the Mayor answer truth.
fully, they did nothing but sit in the shade all day
long, and were the laughing,stock for everybody.
Does the Mayor attend 10 this duty az it is ex-
pected of himp Does he know how often this
man leaves his duty to attend TO his cows and
permits our filthy streets to take care of them
selvesp is he fearful that if he attempts to cor.
rect these things, this officer may turn upon him
and tell him what another did but a short time
ago, viz: " You yourself are not ft TO be Mayor,
you ought to resign"
Although We differ with the Recorder as much
il Is possible for one man to differ with another
upon general politics, yet candor and truth COM
pels US TO say that he is very much mortified at
the mismanagenent Of our affairs; he has done
and is still doing all he can TO remedy the evils
complained Of yet strange to say, the Mayor seems
TO take delight in thwarting his efforts to pro-
mote the public good by interposing the veto
upon those measures introduced and carried
through by the Recorder; it lie limited that "there
is power behind the throne greater than the
throne itself," pulling the wires, and using the
Mayor, through the veto, expecting thereby to
embarrass legislation, that they may be brought
prominently forward Tor the succession; let us
caution those parties 10 bewsre--hey are kno,rn.
As We informed you some time ago, the American
party have no intention 70 interfere in these mat
tiers as party in the coming election; the present
party came into power through the basest means;
perjury, bribery and fraud we're resorted TO in &C
compishing the result; the people now discover
that they have been betrayed; they were in
duced to believe that a change was absolutely ne
cessary; but experience has taught them that
that change was one Of the most unfortunate
things that could have happened to our city; a
total Encouragement OF everything connected
with our municipal affairs has been the result of
that change Have VIC the same amount of
talent, industry, and perseverance, to go before
Congress as we had beforeS Will we not mate
rally suffer in this PARTICULAR Let those answer
who were the leading spirits in bringing about the
present state Of things; let them tell the people
their opinions Of the Mayors veto of the Loudon
and Hampshire resolutions, of his appointments
which, by the bye, were Us disgracsful TO himself
s they were insultingly outrageous TO the citi.
zens with few exceptions.) We pity, while We
condemn from the bottom Of our heart those In
dividuals who spent 10 much money which recent
developments have shown could have been more