Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-04-26
LOCAL NEWS.
CORPORArION AErAIas

LOCAL NEWS.
CORPORATION AFFAIRS. 81
COUNCIL PRoCRRDINGs, April 25.-Beard OF
Aldermen.-The Chair Mr.. Semmes) laid be fore
the Board comm unication from the Mayor
enclosing letter from Lemuel Gaddis, pro
posing to purchase OF the Corporation lots No
10 and 20, in square No. 995, which were oriei-
nally intended for the erection OF a school
house. Referred to committee on finance.
Also, communication nominating VIM. E.
H hutchinson, Robert A. Bozzel, Peter NJ Du-
bant and John HI. Sesstord for Fire Comnis.
sioners, and John J. Peabody for Chief Engi-
neer, under the act approved April 25th 1864.
Also, communication transmitting the re-
port of the Water Registrar. 81 e..
Also, q communication relative to the quota
of this District, as follows: at&s fs. -
MAYORS OFFICE, April 25th, 1864.
To the Board Of aldermen and Board of Common
Council Gentlemen Transmitted with this
are copies of the correspondence of this office,
had with the War Department in relation to
the draft and the quota of troops to be furnished
by the District Of Columbia under the several
calls Of the President of the United States, for
the suppression Of the rebellion.
As early and as far back as July 1864 the
Councils OF thus city, periodically appreciating
the necessity to do so, and willing to assume,
in common with the whole Of the loyal part
Of the country, our city share of the burden
and expense of putting down the rebellion,
passed an act appropriating $50,O00 sin aid Of
bounty una 70 VOluDteerS VINO might
thereafter enlist in the service Of the United
States in the city of Washing e ton," and as pro-
vided for in the bill, q committee was ap.
pointed, and subsequently, another act making
With q view to ascertain what, If any credit
had been given to the District for the troops
furnished by 1t, the Provost Marshal Generals
office was addressed, and, as will be seen by
the 18th August, 1868, no credit had been
given becuuse "the records do not show
that any particular quota had been assigned
to the District of Columbia" )" and the four
regimepts furnished by the District pre-
yiously to that time were not considered as an
excess over and ebove all former calls upon
which credits are given. -
Again, in January last, another and more
specific demand was made on the Adjutant
Generals Office, and credit claimed for the
District of Columbia for the 3, 400 men recruit
ed for three months on the lst of July, 1861;
for the sos men recruited for the 1st District CT
Columbia regiment, the $40 men for the ID
District Of Columbia regiment, the 12s men for
the California regiment, the 12S men for the
Maryland regiment, the 200 men for the Sd
Pennsylvania cavalry. the 60 men for Capt.
Thistleton's independent company, and the
2,9G0 men for the two colored regiments of the
District of Columbia, or OF any other that may
have volunteered or been enlisted from this
District %
On the 4th OF February, reply was had to
this last communication from the Provost
Marshal Generals Office, stating "that the city
OF Washington would be duly credited with
all men furnished up to the time OF computing
the draft" As shown by the muster rolls on
file in the Adjutant Generals Office, the number
thus credited was 3,i13 white and ,664 colored
troops, no credit being given for the 3,4OO three
moEths' men. -
Il being apparent that the enrolment Of this
District was excessive, efforts were directed to-
wards the reduction and many communica.
tions passed to and from the War Department
an error had been committed, in assigning by
mistake to the District of Columbia the uota of
one of the States in number nearly, If not quite,
double Of that it was entitled to furnish. Al.
most Immediately the mistake was rectifed,
and instead of this Districts quota under the
calls Of 1861 and 1862 being 6,777 as demanded,
it was really only 2,7i2, leaving US in excess
over and above the calls of 1861 and 1862, of
1885 men, and entitled to be credited in the
calls Of 1863 and 1861.
BY reference to the letter of the Provost
Marshal General Of the 14th of April, it will
be seen that the quota of this District under
the calls of 1863 and 1864 Is 5,95S; from which
deduct the excess furnished under calls Of
1861 and 1869, 2,335, the number of men fur
nished by the draft, 1,lS3, and the mum Der fur.
nished from the 1st Of February to the 3lst of
March, 1,9l0, leaves remainder of $50 men,
subjected to be credited by veteran volunteers
not yet received, to be charged against this
balance Of $50 men. ..-.'
l have ascertaned that the District is entitled
to and will be credited with lis veterans, 81
seamen and marines, and $50 men, the number
recruited from the 1st to the 18th of April, In
all 35S, reducing the demand upon us to she
very small fraction of 112 men, which, it Is
expected, will, by other allo wances claimed
be entirely absorbed, placing the District of
Columbia in the proud position Of having an
swered all the demands made upon it for the
suppression OF the rebellion, with as much
alacrity and with less expense than any other
portion of the Union. .'....-
To accomplish this it has cost the corporation
of Washington 100000, the corporation Of
Georgetown S21, 900, and the citizens OF these
cities, tor voluntary contributions, Sl2, 900.
Great credit is due to the committee for pro-
curing volunteers in this city under the late
call of the President of the United States; the
committee on the part OF the City Councils Of
Washington; the corporate authorities of
Georgetown, and the Provost Marshal of the
Enrolling Bureau Of the District Of COLI rmbia,
Captain Henry A. Scheetz, for their assistance
and unremitting efforts and endeavors in this
behalf, as well as to the gentlemen composing
the committee, who have raised by voluntary
taking care of and providing for the families
of volunteers OF the District. , ..,.....
Very respectfully, 49,, ....a.
RICHARD WALLAcH, Mayor.
Mr.. Brown moved to refer the resolution to
the committee on finance. ...-......
MIR. Utarmehle did not see the necessity of so
doing. He thought it would be just as well to
lay the whole affair on the table, as there was
no appropriation to be made and no future ac-
ton was contemplated.
Mr.. Semmes said he desired to make an ex-
It was finally referred to the committee on
finance, and Mr. Semmes called Mr.. Clephane
to the chair and took the floor and proceeded
toaddress the board, r.--.-,r.s 80
Mr.. Utermehle moved a reconsideration Of
the vote whereby the communication was
referred to the finance committee, in order
that the gentleman might have something to
speak to. '". '-.=E rrt'- tf4Ea.
Mr.. Semmes animadverted upon the cemmu-
nication, and complained that the Mayor desired
the impression to go abroad that he had been
instrumental in having the quota reduced and
properly fixed. This (argued Mr.. Semnes) was
not so The Mayor had not been energetic in
the matter, but on the contrary had allowed
correspondence with the military authorities to
sleep In his desk.
Mr.. Semmes then gave an elaborate account
OF the interview of the committee appointed for
that purpose with the President and Provost
Marshal General, and Mr.. s. claimed that he
O. (Semmes) proponnded the question which
ELECTED from Col. Fry the reply that the quota
should be fixed upon the basis of the census Of
1860. -- z..-- - q % 81 '...
Mr.. Utermehle said he had made the motion
to reconsider merely to give the gentleman Mr..
Semmes) an opportunity to speak. He was not
aware that the gentleman was going te array
himself against the Mayor; but since tho latter
had been arraigned he Mr.. U.) wanted to hear
his explanations, and he believed the Mayor
riu IIo