Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-06-19
rHD REPEAL OF THE cgARr.R,

a
ton 10 that measure:
To ne Honorable Senate AVID Hons, Of H,Drss,u,a
ttres 81 he JNifed States in Congress asssm-
Did:
The memorial OF the undersigned. members
OF the Committee appointed by the Corpora
. uon OF Georgetown, ID. O., 10 humbly repre-
sent the interests and sentiments Of the people
OF said town before Congress, represents that
they approach yonr Honorable Body n this
tine with profound respect for its wisdom
and justice, and with grateful RENE N brancs
OF The many kind acts which have heretofore
signsliz.d its legislation in behalf of the dis.
nanchised people OF the District OF Colum-
With unabafsd confidence IN that same wis
eom ana Jusnce, we now pray your Honora-
ore booy IN regard 10 subject OF greater
magnitude and importance TO us than any
o'heT mat has ever arrested our attention OF
exc1'ed our fears during The long period OF our
existence IN the District OF Columbia
. we alluoe 10 The proposition now before the
senate 10 abrogaie our Corpora,e exts.ence
ana 10 commit us 10 an experiment tai system of
government, about which we have ne yer been
nsulted, ana which seems 10 MS 81 far As
We nave been able 10 comprehend its mani.
folio and complicated provisions TO be WHOLLY
nnIkt any other thai has ever been devised
Tor me goyernmen, OF any other portion of
Our political disiran chi sement was ins.ps-
rahle from thai provision OF the Con stltution
which delegated 10 Congress the power 70 Iegts-
late exclusively for the people OF the Distriet
:
our Eelplessness ano drpenGence complete we
expected TO ind unfailing SECURITY IN the
friendly consideration and pr Dtecting care of
congress Itself We trusted that mere sympa-
thy for people thus situated would proya a
bniwark for their protecton-ihat wise ana
olstlDguls he'd states M u, honOrea at home and
renowned abroad, fresh from the bosoms of
their own proud and enlightened constitu-
enctfs, would demand that people completely
in the grasp of their authority. Should not h.
deprived OF all voice IN the adm nistration of
n lnfa a a arz Asa
clpal regulations TO which they were decidedly
opposed. We trusted that in the progress OF
The administration of our great National Gov
eminent We would ultimately become arnslio-
Iatro IN our condition, and be some what assTn-
llatea 10 that OF the rest of the American
people.
Your memorialists are unable TO anti cipafe
the radiation OF any of these hopes from the
passage OF The bill now before the senate We
desire 70 say, most candidly and respectfully,
that we see IN It little else than a violent dis
ruption OF the whole system of self. govern
ment under which we have lived for more
IMAM sixty years, and sudden and unwarned
annihliatIon of every vestige OF the most linn
ited mnnicipai powers and common immuni-
ues which are now the portion of even the
ciuss OF the late rebellious States. The intro
duciion OF such q system of eNtraneous gov
eminent would seem 10 indicate that 1t mad
been asc6rtainsd, after protracted probation
either that we are not equal 20 the ordinary
duties and responsibilities of citizenship or
that we had committed offences deserving of
power OF Congress TO infiict.
The District of Columbia contains about one
hundred and fifty thousand people. They re-
side under the very caves of the Capitol,
amidst those who are the collected wisdom of
the nation, and with whom We daily recipro-
cate acts OF courtesy and regard. We have
here the President ard his cabinet, ministers
nom the most enlightened nations of tie
world, hundreds of gentlemen associated in
the administration of the government, col.
legss, seminaries of learning, high schools and
NrOnrr ahx4I
seeIs and denominations. all, in their respec-
tive spheres, dispensing general knowledge
and indicating The attainment of the highest
order of civilization and refinement Yet
from ms, In full view OF these unprecedented
advantages, IL is proposed to take away all
ihose municipal rights which concern rs only
and affect matters OF a purely local character
We feel sure that such sudden termination
OF our corporate existence, and the in troduc-
ton OF system so untried and anomalous
would create distrust among our property
holders and business men, as they would have
no voice whatever in the management of their
municipal affairs. I. &. :
The great cardinal principle OF Republican
Government, that taxation and REPRESENTATION
must be- indiyisible, Is utterly discarded in this
proposed system. and as the burden of taxation
would be the measure OF assessment and not
the limited rate OF the tax itself, no one can
foretell to what extent his property will be-
come deprecated by wild assessment made by
those VINO are in 10 way responsible 70
the parties assessed. Your Honorable Body
question when we inform you that the present
assessed value OF real and personal property
in this District is more than fifty million dol
lars. All that, and all yearly increasing
values, will be subject to the discretionary as
sessment and taxation Of some three unknown
persons. To that amount Of taxation will be
added hundreds OF thousands Of dollars OF in
direct taxes, which viii 20 into the hands of
the same Commissioners, and be expended and
disbursed by them In such ways and for such
purposes as may seem in their Judgment to be
M q 81 NJ
out Of the pockets Of the people, and be
profusely spent in certain favored localities,
and for fanciful projects. in utter disregard of
the rights and interests Of other sections Of the
District. Under the existing system, and
which we regard as sound in theory as it 10
rghtful in practice the two cities and the rural
part Of the District impose and collect their
own taxes, and expend them for the immediate
benefit Of those by when they are paid. They
are distinct communities, Of separate and Pc
culiar local interests, with no identity of
money expended for the benefit Of other peo.
pie Under the proposed system, IL would be
too much for the wit of man TO devise even a
plausible rule for the equalization of taxes and
benefits throughout the whole District. The
bill fixes the rate OF taxation at one dollar on
every hupdred dollars worth Of taxable prop.
erty, when In some parts Of the District not
one half of that amount Of tax has ever. been
produce revenue that il would be impossible
to expend in those localities for any legitimate
or desirable purpose whatever. We are TO
have this additional and most onerous burden
at the very advent OF national taxation 70
whose amount and duration no one can pre-.
dict limit. no : =
We would respectfully represent too, that
the financial affairs OF our town would likely
be most disastrously affected by the passage
OF the bill to which we are much opposed
The town now owes debt Of three hundred
and fifty Thousand dollars, which was ccn.
tracted by subscriptions TO railroads, for re-
moving obstructlons from the channel OF our.
river, for the Introduction of water and gas.
light the erection Of market house, and to
furnish bounties 10 our soldiers in the late war
To meet spunctually the interest upon this
heavy debt and 70 provide for Its gradual and
ultimate extnguishnent. we have adopted q
system OF finance whose operation is adopted
10 our peculiar resources, and which promises
TO be less burdensome than any other to our
people, To effect that most desirable end, we
have in operation Sinking Fund, unlike any
other OF which We have any knowledge, and
which is efectng the work Of exiting uishment
with asuccess even beyond our anticipahons:
In all these efforts we are 70 be arrested ana
concluded by theinapplicabilify OF the system
to which it is proposed to commit De.
however, your memorisIists do not, IN this
form, propose to discuss the numerous partic-
uiars Of bill, TO the principles and details o.
which they are nnalterabiy opposed; but trust
Thar the facf that the proposed change in our
mulicipal eysfem IL neither asked Tor nor