Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-05-05
THE WASHINGTON CANAL.

1 have just seen "a Tax Payer" in answer
to "Your Fellow Citizen" He IL MISTAKEN in
aseribing the latter 70 the Mayor, who did not
write a word of it. Yet do not suppose there
was any 'anteptional Misrepresentation in
thus stiributing IL to the Mayor, on susptcion.
bad seen two printed bills in favor of pri yate
parties taking possession of the canal, one Of
which recollected was limited TO twenty. ri We
years. Neither was before me, bot the third
only, which had passed the Senate. 1 thought
thai was-fhe one which bad been changed as
iI9 ipe- duration OF the charter. and asked A
pieno n hand IL II was not so. He said ayes
ENG having no doubt Of the fact, the provision
oI one Dill was thus confounded with another
ahu my attriouting some degree of moderation
20 tne nrst form Of the bill, thus became an er-
foI eneerfuily make the dmende.
taau enoeavored 10 be exceedingly guarded
ss1 shy lnaccuraey in my synopsis OF tue
Dull desired no injustice, even TO those in
ms p..Tsn IN our city affairs. And after read
gle error, except the accidental one ahoye
winch does not affect the general line of arru
ment In the slightest degree
lhe changes made between the hiIl as first
reported TO the Senate, and .-h,t x.bicb -
nnaily passed, were of the character described
ana no speclnc denial of any facts stated an
pears To be made by "Tax PAYER Vis
leelngs seem so touched, his deniaIs are a.
feeble as his logic. He quotes nv statement in
regard 10 the Indifference manifested 70 rhe an
Ierest OF Maryland in being taken from her
without even consultation; says 1, isa ms
statement and perversion, ana then gflgifs N
Is SO taken latter being legally valued and
paid for'
That IL was taken from her without leave and
on the assessment OF .hree commissioner
i DIS does not look as n the Tax Paver'' was
III search OF truth He then quotes the SO ven
teenth section. as II Ia show the propsrtv was
not TO be taken AT all from MaryIand and ,hat
tne TRANSFER was only of the interest which the
United States held. His words are -. Here
Is distinct Limitation on the power OF this
eoS pany TO take any properly, except such as
me United States may own" Why then de-
'end the Dill on the ground that the property
and paid for -
But as my criticisms are too contemplate
LOT tne further notice of this zealous and dis n
rrested iogician, beg leave again 10 repeat
tbat Inc seventeenth secrion affords YOU no Sc
curlty. 1t is clearly and palpabIy against the
Whole scope and tenor Of the bill If valid !,
csieats the bill. 1.-THE bill shall have any legal
eHect, the seventeenth section is void Most
OF the residue Of {" Tax Payer is intendei as
sharp criticism upon Mayor waIlaoh The
latter rs doubtless aware that the penalty OF an
elevated position IL 10 be soundly abused and
as that generally helps public man, we will
moi De LED OF by such side issues.
Tax Payer luxuriates in abuse Of rhs
canal and iis management. and commeRds the
enterprise OF the outsiders in coming 10 the
rescue. ~ ~
But how is all this applicable! When the
city had thoroughly ,caked up-had discorered
the proper remedy-and her hoard OF Common
Council had actually passed a biIl-its massage
by the Aldermen beng delayed in deferenee To
congress, and until the Board Of Military
Board Of Common Council : then, and not
till then, as far as we can learn, did these
enterprlsing outsiders present themselves
whatever = anything under the sun which
entities them more than any other strangers
tney agree 70 accept few millions worth Of
ths uy ei,y property, which the city had Just
developed, and was in the act of putting into
use, ana because OF an exposure of the en- normous
Outrage imposed on Congress in asking snch q
oiil, and on the rights Of the city in the
aI,empted piunder, terrific yell is set up on
penaif OF the company, as il they were the
injured party. solemn mockery of fairness
Is pretended, by charging that If the city shall
not take and keep the control of the majority Of
the stock, IL will be her olc, fault When Ali
know that in gambling, stock -lobbing trans
acnon, as this would be, this city against wall
n sersioSors Se ss clay in the potters hands,
"A "Fax-Payers"Z zeal might lead 20 the sus-
piclon that he was one of this eg,erprisiuo com
pany, ana tnat his outcry against the Mayor
ana Southern slave-holding and aristocracy
was TO get up storm cloud of prejudice, un.
Ger which his bill might get through Congress
|Itnout regard 70 It's merits or demerits
To excite Northern feeling in Congress aaainsr
II. do not make the charge, as do moi know
that be is one of the company
We MAINTAIN his company is entitled to no
ment Thai it was done on behsif % ., I'M p.1ve c;,
that the plan Is now dpprored of all and ia in
rapid progress to completion, at It's sole ex-
pense, and ought not 70 be given TO outsiders.
wnetner "hard up" or millionaires. There is
no guaranty that the canal from AnnapoIis 70
washington will ever be made. 1 am Informed
Two ofhcial reports have heretofore been NJ ade
.na' n II W. Impracucaole Whether so or not
the question remains, will not the trade be,
tween GEORGETOWN and Annapolis, be 60 ually
accommodated, with our canal IN our our haaSS
as In the nands OF this company No one can
now doubt the city will make IL nayisable' ~
let alone.
Tax payer" overtasks my penetration,
wnen ne insists, the bill requires the canal 70
6e Kept ten feet deep. i see no sue. provision,
IL Is 70 be excayated to be ten feet al fr,t
out the obligation afterwards is only that the
sediment shall be so removed as 70 keep the
canal naylgable so that the tides shall How
through II. That can be done without n ving
more than three feet of water
Your FELLOW CIfIzFS