The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-03-27
CONGRESS AND THE DISTRICT.

An old resident of this city said TO us some
days since I like your articles the subject
OF Improvements In this District, and believe
what you say to be the truth but then they will
do no good" lie may be right In his conclusion,
still we do not propose to give It up so. wehaye
our duty to perform, and intend to pursue our
advocacy of these measures Of Improvement In
behalf Of the nation and of the people Of this
District. What we require Is not narrowed down
TO the local demands and necessities OF the
OF this ten miles square. We are laborng In the
cause OF the whole people. Whoever supposes
that We predicate our claims upon Congress and
demand certain things at their hands solely in
oehalf OF the inhabitants of Washington and
Georgetown, docs not understand US. We take
broader view OF the question than this
This Is the nations capital the metropolis of
great and rich people; and every man. from
PASSPORT to Florida, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, has an interest in this capital; and ma
tonal pride, II nothing else, will induce him TO
commend whatever Is done here to improve
beautify and adorn the seat OF Government.
But let us look at facts and to the principles
laid down, and the ideas which prevailed In the
earlier and better days of the Republic. We
have In former articles stated that the Consti.
tuition gives TO the National Legislature er-
eiHsirc JHrisdiciion in all matters over this ten
miles square.
Hon. Samuel l.. Southland, once Vice PrcsIdent
Of the United States, when a member of the
lwehty-third Congress, In 1885, made a report
during the second session of that Cong
upon the suhject-mAtter now under discussion
some extracts of which we propose to lay before
our readers. Among other things, Mr.. Southland
says:
"Thc plan Of Washington city was formed bv
the public authorities, the Dimensions OF the
streets hctermlncdb by them, without Interference
by the inhabitants, or regard to their particular
a. n n Hn Ntnn l.. -
for the magnificent capital of a great nation, but
oppressive from Its very dimensions and arran TO-
mcnts TO the Inhabitants, II its execution to any
extent IS TO be thrown upon them. No people
who anticipated the execution and subsequent
support OF y out of their own funds would have
foy ,Ss. Psri SSu nsi hsSS
the Goycrnment nor the proprietors contem.
pta th ,haf inc whole or even large proportion
itGnts OF the city. This assertion is amply sus-
tained BY two considerations.
, IN inc hrst place, the contract between the
Government and the owners of the land raye In
the former large extent of public lots Client
ior al the edilees and improvements which its
convenience could require; and, in addition
thereto, one half OF ali the building lots within
the city limits; thus making the nation itself an
equally interested for the benefit Of this priyntc
property, N Al the improvements which might
s 9n aaC; IN , me next place the Government
claimed and exercised entire and absolute con
troll over all the streets Of the city, SO that the
" ''Ac hutnOrltleA nave no
power either 10 enlarge or diminish them nor 10
open or close them; but the authority in these
respects has been exercised at all times BY Com
gress. II has even closed one OF the streets and
sold the ground which formed a part of II. 1t
has also changed the situation OF the streets and
canal, retaining to itself the lots thereby thrown
open, and the supreme Court has sustained its
authority In SO doing. 1t could not have entered
into the contemplation Of any one at the date OF
the contract, nor can 1t now be regarded as
either reasonable or just that the city should
bear the expense of the streets. the property and
control OF which was so absolutely In the Gov
adjacent, which belonged to 1t, must be Increased
III value by their Improvement.
"lhe committee are OF opinion hnt the Gov.
eminent was bound by every principle OF equal
rights and justice to pay proportion of the ex-
pense incurred upon this subject, equal TO the
amount OF property which II held, md VIII lch was
Increased IN value and benefited by ID; and this
would nave hcen greatly more than one.halL"
The above is an explicit statement OF the case
and VIC need add no words to give It force We
shall give other extracts from this able paper of
MI Southland, and We ask the attention OF our
readers TO the subject, and more especially do we
ask the attention of me mbers OF Co ngress to Mr.
SouthaFd's report and to other kindred docu-
ments upon this subject, which they will find In
the archives of the Government. So far AS we
are concerned, we shall not let this rest
nor shan we allow II to be brushed aside as IL
has been from year to year for a long series of
years We Intend to hold Congress and the peo.
pie OF the nation TO the conditions of the bond.