Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-12-09
OUE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

OH LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
r number o: gentlemen interested in the
vsi1are O. -5c -i-y and District met at the or
fee Of M~sstE. f.I,5curn Il Latta, on Saturday
evening, f1- al IL exchange OF views as to the
rest form - government 10 be adopted on the
expiration lex. year OF the present city char
rz-.
TIE bes: & feeling prevailed throughout,
aLd all sssued 70 be earnestly and honestly
c-siiioUs = p-Oncting the public good As
night be expected. diversity OF opinion was
e-tsTtaiuec, which found tree expression and
VS. resps ,;iuliy rsceived,-the object of the
meeting being % discuss informally the
several plans proposed, and to ascertain. ~
Y-acucable which presents the least obisc
t.CLable Gestures. with he view OF taxing thu
EecsssaTy steps at the proper time TO secure
It's adoption. No formal test of the sense of the
meeting on the subject was had but a free
discussion was had upon he respective merits
q ne Two plans OF government of the District,
h Cou missiCners or by Territorial Lssis
Iatare
Although the form Of choosing the necessary
CIeers was observed, no actual business was
Gone beyond the appointment Of a conmittee
c 'hree 10 collect aud digest, IL posi- BILE, all
he d'nereni projects, and prepare business
-uF an adjourned meeting, to be held ON tia
q.
hored, some definite and acceptable plan NAV
he natured and presented, and that the pubIio
VIII also have given the matter such dispas
%lonaie thought as its importance demands
csueh expression thereof as will Justify
the adoption OF suitable measures TO rive
-crce ana effect 10 Its will
The parties present at the meeting were for
tie most part large taxpayers having no in.
te-est in the matter beyond that of securing
the best form OF government for the city md
fne District. 1t was stated at the meeting that
Senaior Harlan. chairman of the Senate Dis
'iet Comnitise, has In preparation a bill
Looking 10 the consolidation Of the Distric.
cites and The county, but its features are not
L1own. Ii WAS thought that the appointment
e 4 com mittse, who should prepare ana SUBJ
Eu- 10 subsequent nesting drafts for q form
- government, might be prod uctiye of rood
TIE COLOKED SCHOOLS vs. THE City OF
" A=EINGToS.-It will recollec.ed that the
supreme Court N the above case gave iudx.
1ent for one-ftth OF the whole school fund a.
re District IN favor of the colored schools.
T1s Auditor OF the Court, (Mr Cox,) 70 whom
wss referred tia matter OF estimates of vh.,
sun would De one NTH. reported some sI5OOo.
a2d the court then gave judgment for g, 800,
TIE portion Ofsaid SI5,OJO which has not here
t1fOre been paid.
MI RIDDLE, On Saturday morning. we'd to
~ thIs judgment aside. with q view to filing
exceptions 70 The report OF the Auditor. Mr.
H. said tina while the Auditor had based his
report on the Assessment made for school mr.
roses during the year 1850, the amount in fact.
pad 10 the " bite schools, was greatly in e1
cess Of four ffths- He held It 70 be tho intsp.
ion Of the law. assigning portion of the fund
y the colOred schools, that such schools
s1ould receive q proportionaue sum, not of
vaat was assessed for given year, but of
Y lat was actually paid for that year to thu
white schools
Chief Justice Cartier overruled the no.ion
he was compelled TO act in this case. be said,
a. iurist- and not as q legislator. The law
T Ked the Assessment as the basis upon which
the proportion of the school fund for coIorad
schools was 70 be estimated II gave them no
equity TO have share in any additional sum
which the Corporation OF Washington might
overpay By mistake to the white schools. H
could not decree that the city Of Washington,
having overpaid one public cree itor. Should
therefore proportionately overpay another
A. The same time he warned all parties that No
advantage must be taken OF this decision Ia
create q distinction between the proportions
o: the public funds given by the city to the
schools Of each class. The law OF Congress
giving each az amount proporuonate TO its
population. must be fairly carried out
IL 10 20 be hoped that this final decision OF
the supreme Court OF the District Tin which
al parties have confidence) will be accepted
n authoritative by the contsnding parties in
the City Councils, and that the school bill,
ICbrogiio viii be put an end to-