Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-18

The NEw MAkkEr QuEsrIox.-BeIow we
~ ." u, q remonsirance against the scheme 10
posed new Centre Market house. the provision
OF the amended charter of the city, that makes IL
1ongatory upon the Corporation Of Washington
10 submit to a vote Of the people apy question
involving the creation of more than 5000 ad-
ditioDal funded debt The law autborizino the
bo1ss II v 1,u ne ne proposed new Center Market
That the clause OF the amended charter above
referred TO shall be duly respected The Como
Ia'lon aatnoflues have seen ft 10 take meas
nres up 10 this time to that end and the Mayor Is
now oeseeching Congress to declare n a separate
supplementary act, that in this case the onestion
Of the creatisn of heavy funded debt may not
ne submitted TO the taxpayers Of the Federal Me-
troPoIis. Without gniny to express an onin-
ION at this time as to the propriety Of incurrinp
lhe debt In question, we certainly hope that Con,
gresS will refuse to sanction the abnegation of
the charter in connection with IL The Detition
ksgned, bY-the-by, by citizens who represent al
least million of dollars worth of taxable prom
eigJ explains more forcibly than we can, the
gross improperly Of compliance on the part os
congress in this proposition of Mayor Berrets
In which be is not sustained We take IL by tn.
concurrence OF the owners Of one-tenth of the
Ei1abie property Of the city of Washington
similar petitions with equally interested signers
VIII doubtless be presented TO Congress
To rae Honorable the Ssrafe andths HoWSs
OF Representatives. ~ CcngreSS assembled
The undersigned, being largely interested as
property holders in Washington CITY and deeply
concerned in its welfare, have observed, with
much regret, the effort Of the corporate author
lilies to induce Congress to disregard the safe and
wise provision of the charter which prohibits the
increase Of the debt Of the city without the author
NY and sanction Of the people. This salutary
restraint on the powers of the Corporation was
dictated by the prodigal course of the two boards
OF the Corporation. Previous to the adoption of
this provision, very heavy debts had been con-
uacted, In the widest and most improbable
schemes
Congress had, shortly after the removal of the
seat oil Government to this city, chartered canal
company, aud The owners of the stock finding IL
TO be Of little value obtained of the Corporation
the passage OF a law to purchase their canal at
cost OF more than s500o0 Having thus acquired
TIE canal, the authorities then undertook to en-
large and complete IL from the Potomac at seven
teenth street To the Eastern Branch which added
70 the city debt some $500, $50. This canal not
only caused this immense debt without any com
paratve return, but has required an annual ont
lay of near $4,000.
Other extravagant schemes might be alluded
To- and tins provision was enacted to secure the
property holders from the creation of such debts
Even this provision has been evaded as the cor
PoTate authorities have disregarded il in the case
Oh the Alexandria railroad, and have contracted
debt to the amount of some stu nO0 To nal
fidt road IL Is true that the road has been
pledged as security for the debt but that will in
All probability all short of its payment
Thus the permanent debt has been increased
against the express words Of the charter This
evasion was accomplished under the false and
faliacious pretPxt that the debt would he ten
fund " o e0ii
In order that this absurd reason NAV be ex
plalned, II may be necessary to state that the
revenue OF the city is parceIed out for the lioui
dalton Of all debts that general in their nature
Tor public Improvements, and such are limited
particular parts OF the city designated as wards
Whatever can be construed into an improvernept
which will benefit the whole CITY, is 10 be paid
out OF the general fund, and not from the ward
fnndi still such Improvements must be made
tctthtH fhe eify, by this general fund
Now, the Alexandria railroad was beyond the
city, out Of the Jurisdiction Of the Corporation,
aud the money of the people could Just as well
have been applied to build a road to the Pacific
as this read. - ---S
This case has been put to illustrate the propen
slty OF the authorities TO increase the civ debt:
for not dollar Of the principal of this debt has
ever been discharged with the money Of the oen-
eral fund Had IL been paid IL would have
stopped all street and other improvements
Again: the Corporation has, during the last
wear, issued stock TO the amount Of $3.50 goo for
water purposes, which could have been easily
prevented oy the obtaining of an act Of Congress
To enable 1t to levy tax to lay the pipes They
now seek OF Congress such law after the stock
has been issued and the debt has been contracted
According To recent report Of the Mayor there
was, when be was installed. a floating debt of
S26J,0 and there remains vet $50 600 dine Tn,
expense Of police establishment has lately been
increased to the annual cost of over S25 600 This
has led to the incurring of debt of some sI4 600
TO erect watchhOuse. New mar a ct houses are
to be added. and Congress is now Invoked to
suffer debt Of $500 ON to be added to the already
large debt Of 81 ,O3l ,5O3 IL Including the water
debit for CITY market house on the avenue
III you establish the precedent Of disregarding
THIS restriction, what security have the peopie
against the increase Of this debt We haye
shown you how this debt has been increased nv
degrees, even in defiance Of the law, and YOU can
easily apprehend that the authorities contract
these floating debts, nothing is left but to fand
them, and thereby the debt is perpetuated Is
not the prime pie, then which requires the people
TO authorize debt over $40, $50 wise one {? WHY
distrnst them 4 is their interest Won IegislatSS
for. The taxes are now enormous The ordinary
expenses have increased 40 per cent and the
people are saddled with special taxes that Impose
most Onerous burden on them They have heen
subjected to fancy assessments to raise a revenue
TO meet tue current expenses, and nOtw ithstand-
Ing there Is floating debt of $50 COO vet unpaid
If Congress disregard this principle and suffer a
market to be built without the authority of the
People bow can you regard il in any other case
There Is the City Hall 20 be finished and more
important in the estimation Of many How couId
other " w.
The undersigned, therefore, respectfully ask
thai principle so essential to their interests NAV
not be disregarded
SigRed-Geo Savage; Lewis johnson; most
cheertqlly concur in the above and earnestly hope
that all who have the true interests of the city at
heart will strive to prevent an increase of taxa
uon-JOhn Wilson; William Wilson; Edmu nd
haniyi Jos Redfern; fhOs. Smith; r. Schneider,
DaVld Hines z. u. Handy; Robert X. Aylmer;
Jas Kelly; ID. r.. Hagner. w NJ Jarbop; John
D. Barclay; III. X. Randall; Geo It McGIus; y
Gneen, J92ason Hsllen' rhos. Blagden; Jno.
Samuel puvall; VIM. II Perkins; Samuel Stott:
Bem1 Williams; p Thyson; James Towles; G
Ailer; am against the loan for the erection of a
market house-fhos Carbery; w w Burdette:
W. NJ. Moore; Edwd. Simms NJ Shanks
MERcUkT AGAIN SrEsLs-The Baltimore Suu,s
local correspondent made up his letter in this
morning issue Of that journal descriptive of the
reception Of the Japanese Embassy by the Presi-
dent, by stealing from the Stars columns without
giving the credit usual among newspaper writers
Of integrity. In SO doing ne copies our mistakes
of course. Thus he publishes from the Star as
his own, the following erroneous paragrap h
which we correct elsewhere today:
The Embassy, bowling twice again, slowly re-
tired from the room, to bring In the Imperial
ambassador, who, according to japanese et-
quette could not be present at the delivery of the
letter. They soon however, returned with the
Imperial ambassador, bowling again, and signi-
flying their readiness to receive the Presidents
reply: Mr.. Buchanan thereupon read the follow
Ing address.
This Is by no means the first occasion on which
be has burned his fingers while engaged In nlch-