The national Republican., 1867-09-04
rroy,jyp,d Gom First Poge.l !

ment, not only Tor the time being, Dut forever,
,o far as concerns the work Of this city for II |
will b observed that every person having employ
ment within his gift who shall fail so to dis. |
pepse his favors as to satisfy both tho interested
blacks and their peculiar friends Of bis strict |
impartiality, would be placed In the same cate.
CORY as the most aagrant rebel, and ever after.
wards be debarred from employment. And II
will be seen also that there is no lack Of induce
ment for such prosecutions, because for every
man prescribed the benefit would enure to his
colored competitors. But, in addition to these
prescriptions the bill excludes yet another class
namely, unnaturalized persous-of whom large
numbers come most directly in competition with
the colored laborers. It has hitherto been the
policy Of this country to encourage immigra ton,
but, under this bill, poor emigrant coming to
this city could obtain no employment during the
Eve years Of his probation, and, even after that
time had expired, II would be necessary for him
to become naturalized before he would hsve the
poor privilege, which is accorded by the bill to
all ''ctizens, ~ whether residents here or not Of
learning his bread In the sweat Of his BROW
Fourthly. This bill, bp opening tall work for
the city, or in any way connected with it." to
competition by any citizen Of the Uni ted
States, would abrogate some wholesome laws
and customs, which have prevailed for many
years, and which have not been without benefit
TO practical workmeu as we'll as to the Corpora.
tion. Under tho operation Of this bill, II II
should become law, contracts would no longer
be confined TO practical men, skilled in the per.
formance Of the work contracted for, but be open
to any resident or non resident "citizen " with.
out regard to qualification or experience, and
thus open q new fold for adventure, in which
storekeepers, clerks, gentle men illers out at
the elbows and all other citizens, including
members Of the Boards Of Aldermen and Common
Council, might participate In the profits TO be
derived from tho procurement and sub.lstting Of
contracts for hydrants, pumps, watcr.mains, ser.
vice pipes, plumbing, street sewers, curbing,
foot pavements, street paving, grading and gray
elling, bridge. building masonry, brieklSying,
carpentery, and for all other work necessary to
the progress Of improvements. Is such change
Of law desirable And II 1t should be made Il
1t not possible, not to say probable, that in q
very short time all Of the most profitable con.
tracts would become monopolies under tho con
troll Of members Of the Councils, who besides be.
ing admitted as competitors for them, are alsC
invested with tho power Of determining in what
manner and to whom they shall be awarded
In view Of tho objections here suggested, The
undersigned recommends the rejection or indel
mite postponement Of tho bill.
VIZ. W. MoonE.
Mr.. Elvaus stated that the objections given in
the report did not belong to tho question at all,
and expressed great surprise that the Alderman
should have submitted to the Board q report
bearing on come other question than the pending
bill. Laughter.
MT. moore snlu tnat IL was wei Understood
when the bill was recommitted to the committee
that the members Of the committee were oil dis.
agreed on the subject. As for himself he was
opposed to the bill the Alderman from the Sew.
enth ward Mr.. Noyes) was in favor Of amending
it, and the Alderman from tho Third ward (Mr.
Elvans) was in favor Of the bill 'as introduced.
Tho speaker not at all Uurprised to learn that
the Alderman was startled at tho effect the pas
sage Of such n bill would have on the citizens o
Washington.
Mr. Noyes, from the same committee, read I
report showing the view be took of the matter
The report is as follows:
By resolution Of the Board, at its last meeting
the bill defining the qualifications Of employees
Of the Corporation" was recommitted to the Com.
mittee on Improvements with Instructions to re.
port thereon in writing. As each of the three
members Of the committee has his own views to
present, thore can necessarily be no majority or
minority report. Tho undersigned members of
the committee, report in favor Of striking out
all the hrst section Of tho bill after the word
"eolor, in tho fifth line, and all Of the bill after
the word "color in tho third line Of the second
section, inserting after tho word "color" tho
words Provided, hOpcuer That nothing in this
act shall be construed to require any contractor
or employee Of tho city to employ workmer
deemed by him to be incompetent, or at a rat,
Of wages higher than ho would otherwise pay.
The, bill as amended, will read as follows:
Be IL enacted, &C. That from md after tht
passage Of this act all contracts and all work oI
every description for or in any way connected
with the city Of Washington, shall bo open to
competition by any person, without any d.crimi.
nation on account Of race or color.
Sec. 2. That In the employment Of wOrkmen
by any contractor CT employee Of the city Of
Washington there shall not DO any dscrimina.
tion on account Of race or color: PJ0Viie.k ho,c.
svr, That nothing in this act shall be construed
to require any contractor or employee of the city
to employ workmen deemed by him to be incom.
petent, or at ratio Of wages higher than he
would otherwise pay.
There Is now no law making discrimination on
account Of color in the matter Of proposals for
contracts, but II there is any miscOnception on
this point there can be no objection to an enact
ment stating formally that no such discrimina.
tion is recognized by this corporation. The
clause requiring the fact to bc stated in all no
tices inviting bids Is deemed to be inadvisable
as keeping up an unnecessary iteration Of tho
phrase without distinction Of color which
iteration has been heretofore warmly objected to
in congressional bills by earnest friends of the
colored people.
As regards section ., it may be proper to dc.
clare that in the employment of workmen by
any contractor or employee in the city, there
shall not be any discrimination on account of
race or color, but proyiso should be added en-
abhng the contractor or employee Of the cor.
poration to protect himself from incompeteut
workmen or exorbitant demand for wages
The other provisions Of the bill stricken out
are held to be impracticable or inadyisablo.
While the City Councils of Washington should
always be prompt to express their detestation Of
traitors and Of treason, 1t would DO carrying thi.
expression to an urwarranted extreme to refuse
employment to those amongst US who may have
been directly or indirectly connected with the
rebellion. These persons must 1.-Two, and any
penalties for their transgressons should not take
the shape Of enactment to hinder them from
earning their bread
The provision of the bill enacting that no con.
tract or engagement for work shall be entered
into with any person who may heretofore have
dismissed or disdehrged any porsou from EN-,
ployment in the performance Of any corporation
contract or work, because Of his color. or he.
cause Of the manner In which he may have ex.
ercised or proposed to cxercise his right of
voting at any time - is considered to be utterly
impractieable. 1t would probably cause aluos,
every person discharged from any cause to max,
allegations that he had been discharged for To'
litieal reasons and the investigai ons following
upon these allegations would almost inevitably
have no practical result, since 1t would b,
nearly impossible to prove in any case that suct
discharge was made for the reasons alleged
Section Z renuiYas hot hof ann n,