Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-06-19
THE RrPEAL OF THE CHARTER.

Of the Charters of the District cities presents
in forcioie light some OF the points OF oblec-
ton to tina, measure:
10 he Ho.erdt!e Senate dad PaHs, IF R,presesta-
toes q Ae GATED States iM Congress assem-
The memorialof the undersigned, members
OIL tne Committee appointed by the Corpora
non efSeorgetown, ID. C., 10 humbly repre-
sent the interests and sentiments OF the people
OF said town before Congress, represents that
they approach your Honorable Body a. this
Tune with profound respect for its wisdom
and justice, and with grateful remembrance
OF the many kind acts which have heretofore
signaaizedits legislation in behalf of the dis.
franchised people of the District Of ColIm-
bia.
With unabated confidence IN that same wis
dom and justice, we now pray your Honora.
bic Body IN regard to a subject of greater
magnitude and importance 10 us thaH any
excited our fears during the long period % our
exlstence in the District of Columbia.
1 Weallude 10 the proposition no W before the
senate TO abrogate our Corporate existence
and 10 commit us 10 an eXperimen tai system of
| government, about which we have lever been
consulted, ana which seems 10 u.s. so far As.
| We have been able ID comprehend its mani.
/ fold and complicated provisions, to be wholly
unlike any other thaI has ever been devised
LOT me government OF any other portIsn Of
the American people.
| Our political disfranc nchisement was nsepa-
rasIe from that provision OF the Constitution
watch delegated TO Congress the power to Iagis-
cf Columbia But as its territory was small
oar helplessness ana dependence complete we
expected 10 find uBfailing security IN the
friendly consideration and pr otecuing care of
Congress itself. We trusted that mere synpa-
| tiny for people thus situated would prove a
pulwark for their protecuon-that wise and
distinguished statesmen, honorei nj home aud
renowned abroad, fresh from the bosoIns of
their own prond and enlightened constitu-
eacles, would demand that people completely
| IN Ine grasp OF their authority, should not be
1 an rh.a aas,aF,
their own local affairs or be subject to muni-
| sAPal regulations 10 which they were decidedly
opposed. We trusted that In the progress OF
tne administration OF our great National Gov
er2ment we would ultimately become amelio-
| rated III our condition, and be somewhat assim
Lated 10 that OF the rest of the American
| people
| Your memorialists are unable 10 anticipat.
the realization OF any of these hopes from the
| passage OF the bill now before the Senate We
desire 10 say, most candidly and respectfully.
that we see IN IL little else than a violent dis
| ruption OF the whole system Of self.eoyern-
ment under which We have lived for more
man SIXTY years, and sudden and unvarned
ana Imitation of every yestige OF the most lin
ited municipal powers and common imIluni-
ueS Whlcn are now the portion Of even the
critics OF the late rebellons States. The intro.
ductlon of such a system OF extraneous gov.
erDmeDt would seem 10 indicate that il mad
oeen ascertained, after protracted probation
eitner that we are not equal 10 the ordinary
outles ana responsibilities of citiZenshi or
that we had committed offences deserving of
the severest chastisement in the unrestrai3ed
power of Congress 10 infiict
The District OF Columbia contains about one
hundred and fifty thou sand people They re-
sioe under The very caves OF the Capitol.
amidst those who are the collected wisdom Of
The nation, and with whom we daily reeipro-
cate acts OF courtesy and regard We have
here the President and his cabinet, ministers
from the most enlightened nations of tie
world, hundreds OF gentlemen associated IN
/ Inc administration OF the government COL
leges, seininaries of learning, high schools and
common schools, houses of worship of am
sects and denominations. all, In their respec-
i've spneres, dispensing general knowledge
and indicating the attainment of the hlgheSt
order Of civilization and refinement Yer
rom US, In iuli view of these unprecedented
adVantases, IT IS proposed 10 take away All
tnose municipal rights which concern ms oulv
and aHect matters OF purely local character
weIeei sure mat such sudden termination
OF our corporate existence, and the introduce
ton of system uniried and anomaIons
would create distrust among our pronart,
holders and business men, as they wouId baye
municipal affairs N- 'N
Tne great cardinal principle of Republican
uoVernment, that taxation and representation
must be lndiyisible, is utterly discarded in tbis
proposed system. and as the burden of taxation
would be the measure OF assessment and NOT
the hmIted rate OF the tax itself no one can
no doieeli 10 Wnat extent his property will be-
come appreciated by wild assessment made nv
those who are in 10 way responsible 10
tne parties assessed. Your HonorabIe Rodx
VIII see somewhat the magnitude Of this
question when we inform You that the present
assessed value Of real and personal propertv
IN thls District Is more than fifty million dol
IaTs. All that, and all yearly increasing
Saiues, VIII be subject to the discretionary as
sessment and taxation of some III rec unknor,-n
persons. To that amount of taxation will he
added hundreds of thousands of dollars of in
uirect taxes, which will 60 into the hands of
tne same Commissioners, and be expended and
disbursed by them in such ways and for sncb
purposes as may seem in their Judgment TO be |
Pr1pef. nnat vast sum OF money is to be taken
out OF the pockets OF the people, and be
profusely spent in certain favored localities
and ior fanciful projects. in utter disregard of
me ngnts and Interests of other sections of the |
Disulct. Under the existing system and /
Wnlcn we regard as sound in theory as IN is
rleh1ul IN practice, the two cities and the ruraI
part OF the Dlstrlct impose and collect their /
own taxes, and eXpend them for the Immediate
dement, OF those by whom they are paid They
are distinct communities of separate and ne. /
cular local interests, with no identity of |
money expended tor the benefit of other neo.
pie. under the proposed system, il Wouid he
TOO much for the wit of man TO devise even a
plausible rule for the equalization of taxes and |
penents throughout the whole District The
OIL nxes the rate OF taxation at one dollar sson
every hundred dollars worth of taxable nron-
cry, When In some parts of the District not /
one-naif OF that amount OF tax has ever hepn /
imposed upon the people, and which wonld
produce revenue that it would be impossihle
70 expend In those localities for any legitimate 1
nave this additional and most onerous burden
at the very advent of q national taxation 10
whose amount and duration no one can pre 1
dict limit ~
We would respectfully represent too. that
the financial affairs of our town would likely
De most disastrousIy affected by the passage |
OF the bill 10 which we are so mucn opposed |
The town now owes a debt of three hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, which Was con. /
tracted by subscriptions to railroads. for re.
moving distractions from the channel of our
river, Tor the introduction of water and gas |
Ilght, the erection OF a market house. and 10 |
furnish bounties to our soldiers in the late war |
TO meet punctually the interest upon thi.
heavy debt and to provide for Its gradual and
ulunate exunguishment we have adopted a /
system OF finance whose operation is adopted |
70 our peculiar resources, and which PROMISES |
70 De less burdensome than any other tn onr 4
people. To effect that most desirable endy ua /
nave IN operation Sinking Fund, unlike any
olner OF which we have any knowledge. and /
Wnich is erecting the work Of extinguishment
Titn success even beyond our snticipafions. 4
IN All these efforts We are TO be arrested and 4
eonetnded by the inapplicabihty Of the system
10 Wnlch IL Is proposed 70 commit us
However, your memorialists do not, IN this
iorm, propose 10 discuss the numerous partic- /
nlars of bill. 10 the principles and details Of
which they are upallerably opposed; nnt unst