Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-01-19

Of their wants and solieilous for their pros
perlly. -,
Il was evidently contemplated that all
| local questions wiuld be left TO their de-
! cision, at least TO the extent that would not
/ be incompatible with the object for which
| Congress was granted exclusive legislation
! over the seat of government When the
constitution was yot under consideration II
was assumed 10y Mr.. Madison that its i'm
portnnce would be allowed n municipal
legislature for local purposes, derived from
their own snffrages.
when for the first time Congress, in 1900,
assembled nt Washington, President Adams,
in his speech at It's opening, reminded the
two Houses that II was for them to consider
wheiher the local powers over the District
of Columbia, vested in the Congress by the
constitution of the United States, should be
exercised, aud he asked them 10 cons der II
ms the capital Of q great nation, advancing
with unexampled rapidly in the arts, In
commerce, in wealth and in population, and
possessing within itself those resources,
which, IT, not thrown away or lamentnbly
misdirectcd, wOnld secure TO IL long
course OF prosperity and self.govcrnmcnt.
Three yenrs had not elapsed when Congress
was called upon to determine tn propriety
of rctroceiing to Maryland and Virgnin,
the jurisdiction of this territory, which
they had respectively reinqnishcd 10 the
Government Of the United States. II was
urged on the one hand that exclusive jnris-
diclion was not necessary or useful 10 the
Government; that it deprived the inhabi-
tants of the District of their political rights;
that much of the time OF Congress was con.
sumcd in legislation pertaining 10 it, that
its government was expensive; that Con.
grcss was not competent to legislatc for the
District. because the members were strang-
crs 10 lie Local community, and that it was
an example Uf "A Government without rep
resentotion. and exDeriment dangerous to
the liberties of the States. On the other
hand it was held, among other reasons ana
successfully, that the Constitution, the act
of ccssion of Virginia and Maryland, and
the act of Congress accepting the grant, all
contemplated the exercise Of exclusive leg
islation by Congress, and that its useful
ness if not its necessity was inferred from
the fact that the people themselves, who it
was said, had been deprived Of their politi-
cal rights, lad not complained and did not
desire n reirocession: that the evil might
be remodied by giving them representa-
tive in Congress whe the District should
become sufficiently populous, and in the
meantime by local Legislature; that if the
Inhabitants had not political rights they
had great political influence; that the
trouble and expense of Legislation for the
District would not be great, but would di-
minish, and might, in great measure, be
avoided by a local legislation, and that
Congress could not retrocede inhabitants
without their consent.
Continuing TO live substantially under
the laws that existed at the time of the
cession, and such changes only having been
made as were suggested by themselves, the
people of the District have not sought by
local legislation that which has generally
been willingly conceded by the Congress of
the nation. As general rule sound policy
requires that the Legislature should yield to
the wishes of n people when not inconsist-
ent with the Constitution and laws. The
measures suited to our community might
not be well adapted to- the condition Of
another, and the persons best qualified to
determine such questions, are those whose
interests are TO he directly affected by any
proper law. In Massachusetts, for instance.
male persons are allowed to vote without
regard to color. provided they possess
certain degree of intelligence. In popu-
lption in that State of l,23l ,066, there
were, by the census of 1862, only 9,602 per
sons Of color, and Of the males over twenty
years of nge there $50, ,0SG white and 2,602
colored. BY the same official estimation
there were in the District of Columbia Co.
764 whites TO l4y3l6 persons of the colored
race. Since then however the population
Of the District has largely increased and il
is estimated that nt the present time there
are nearly hundred thous nd whites 10
thirty thousand negroes. The cause of tn
augmented numbers of the latter class needs
no explanation. Contiguous to Maryland
ami Virginia the District, during the war,
hecnmo refuge for those who escaped from
scrvitulc, and il is yet the abiding place of
a considerable proportion of those who
sought protection within its limits ns shell
ter fiom bondage. Until then held in
bondage and denied all opportunities for
mental culture their first knowledge of the
government was acquired when, hy confer
ring upon them freedom, it became the ben
efactor Of their race the test OF their capa-
biliiy for improvement being when, ior The
first time, the channels of free industry and
the avenues of intelligence were opened 10
them. Possessing these advantages but
limited time, the greater number, perhaps,
having entered the District of Columbia
during the later years of the war, or since
its termination, we may we'll padse TO in
auire whether after 50 brief probation,
they are as n class capable of nn intelligent
exercise of the right of suffrage and quali-
fed to discharge the duties Of official posi-
tions. The people who are daily witnesses
Of their mode Of living and who have be-
come familiar with their habits Of thought,
have expressed the conviction that they are
not yet competent TO serve ms electors and
thus become eligible to office in the local
Government under which they live. Clothed
with the elective franchise, their numbers
already largely in excess Of the demand for
labor, would be soon increased by an infiux
from the adjoining States, drawn from the
fields, where employment is abundant, they
would in vain seek for il here and SO add
TO the embarrassments already experienced
fr9sa ;h ;a5 large class of idle persons ::Sagre.
-:,,e -",ed q; "a inc Dislriot.
Hardly yet capable Of forming correct
judgments upon the important questions
that often make the issues of a political
contest, they could readily be made sub
seryient 10 the purposes OF designing per-
sons. While in Massachusetts, under the
census OF loOOi lne pTOpoTliOh VI "hiie "
eolored males over 20 years Of age was as
one hundred and thirty to one, here the
black race constitutes nearly one-third OF
the entire population, whilst the same class
surrounds the Districts on all sides, ready
to change their residence at n moments
notice, and with all the facility OF nomadic
tribes In order TO enjoy hereafter short
residence or privilege they find nowhere
else, it is within their power, in one year,
TO come into the District in such numbers
as to have the supreme control Of the white
race, and 10 govern them by their own Of
fcers and by the exercise of al the muni-
eipal authority, among the rest, Of the pow
CT oftAxation over property in which they
have no interest. ln Massachusetts,, where
they have enjoyed be benefits Of n thorough
educational system, q qualification Of intel
ligenee is required, while here, suffrage is
extended tO.hl without discrimination, as
well 20 the most incapable, who can prove
a residence in the District Of one year, ns
a.. -. ,..-.c.s f.f ro1.r who com rr - i've