The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-12-08
Our Washington Correspondeuce

.atr Our Washington Correspondence.
Reform in City Government--R Ram "Stone.
~dH'-Iadian Summer, &C., &c.
',s WASHINGTON. Nov. 25,h, 1866.
referred, In my last. to tho fact that the
Mayor and City Councils had been indicted
by the U. 8. Grand Jury for tho commits.
sion Of an unmitigated nuisance In the pas,
and present condition of tho filthy ditch
known as the Washington City Canals
term quite enormously applied, aud alto.
gether too respectable for the mere sewer
which, for less than one.eighth of i,s ser.
pentine course through the city, affords
navigation TO fstboats. From the move.
ment thus insugurased, . vastly beneficial
result is confidently expected, In the muni.
oipal affairs of this, the very worst gov.
erned city In the whole country. Already
the strongest feeling In favor Of the abol.
ishmont of the chartered prerogatives of the
Mayor and City Councils. Is manifested
among she people generally. aud the mos,
influential news organs favor the plan
which is. to n,emorielize Congress to revoke
the charter of the city 10 30 far as il ipcor.
ment and the Mayor, and place the whole
bas spparensly occupied oil the time and
exhausted the business capacities Of the old
city officials.) with full powor and con.
troll, in the hands of Commissioners, to be
appointed by the President, thus legislating
out of "publio functional" position set OF
mon either sbamefully incapable or both
corrupt and inefficient. OF this ipefficiency
and squandering of money lovied as taxes,
and the constant and standing insult, not
only to the citizens of Washington, but
TO all who, for business or enjoyment, como
to the metropolis, found in tho present san.
itary condition of the District, which invites
disease and pesti!ential epidemics aud con.
tagions, Congress is not ignorsnt and will,
when steps arc taken by the inhabitants to
remedy the evil, promptly legislate to that
end. The great and growing interests of
this city. now. for. the first time, beginning
80 feel tho throb of commercial and finan-
cial life and expanding trade, which bas, by
the close Of the war, received quick ening
impetus, heretofore confined to other cities,
and every consideration relating to the pros.
perity Of the this capital Of "a great and pow
erful Republic, domand the application of
this strong remedy, which Is believed 10
be the only effectual one where official
trickery has boon reduced 10 most iucra-
tive scionce, noting great profits on small
Investments of talent and no cash capital.
The Rebel Ram "Stonewall." of which so
much has been written, and which hos been
SO much dreaded, especially by the good
people of Gotham, whose city, as we'll as
the commerce of the werld. was to bavo been
annihla.ed by this monster. has at last ar
rived, and. although her debut was not OF
the formidably warlike character heretofore
expected, great deal Of interest is natural.
ly excited by her coming. Tho "Stono-
wall was run into Havana by her valiant
commander, Page, renegade from the u
8. NJ, who eudeavored TO exact promise
from the Captain General of Cuba that, OF
condition precedent to her surrender to
the Spanish authorities, she should never be
surrendered to the United States Govern.
ment. But this the willy old official evaded
and )madea tempting offer of BIG, 900, with
which to pay of the balf-naked and money.
hungry crow, who were to have horded the
spoils of prizes and ships of our merchsn,
marine, (sbe never captured aprize) which
offer was accepted, and the vessel accord
iDgiy ,srrrendee.d. The money was re-
funded BY the United States 'Governmen,
after . most interesting and satisfaetory
diplomatic correspondence between the twt
governments. without even 'sBy your leave
sir" to. Louis Napoleon, the, little ,moderr
Cesar, In whose port and waters she wa,
surreptitiously built. armed and .manned
for sea, probably as one Of the items Of th,
Austrio-F Franco Mexican programme. Taker
all in all, the "Stonewall" 10 one of th,