Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-11-12

aspirations ineite them to denounce their IN
fortunate brethren, and To charge the party w Il,
ingratitude. In these disreputable tactics We
behold only an illustration, not of a legitim NJ.
ambition for patriotic ends-not of an ambition
seeking place for the sake of principle. or of
usefulness i'm a great and righteous ca,rse but
the sOrdid, gIoyelling aspirations OF place for
greedy purposes OF selfish gain An incident in
ancient history, descriptive of the high-souled
patriotism of some Of its public men, often, of
late, recurs to my mind. In one of the cities or
little republics OF ancient Greece, an occa-
sion when some two hundred of its citizens
were to be selected as officers for the Common
wealth, a distinguished citizen, remarkable for
his abilities, his integrity, and blameless life,
was a candidate for one of the two hundred
places. The election took place, and he was de-
fcated. He nevertheless openly rejoiced at the
result. Knowing his anxiety to lie elected, be-
cause OF his usefulness TO his fell0w-citiZens,
and surprised at his exultation at the defeat of
his own hopes, his own FRIENDS wonderingly
asked him the reason. II rejoice. - he repliei
that my naticc city contains t,ro ksadred better
men than myseif-t,ro kindred DESCRIBING
Of The trust If their J,l'osr-ciiseHs than Iam.''
that our ..soreheads' cannot imbibe at least ons
IL they could-if they were Republicans from
principle. or were ambitious of place for the
sake of principle, and not from groveling and
mlschlevous motives OF personal gain, the har-
mOny of our Councils would never be disturbed,
the glorious onward march OF party in its
grand; ciyllizing progress would never be i'm
pededi
As il is, however, no real Republican should
be surprised or discouraged at the seIiseless cla-
NOR OF our malcOntents, as well those who have
failed to obtain Office as those who have by their
own misconduct been driven from place. These
men only labor in their vccatiOlI-olllv follow
the uncomfortable dictates OF their vicious ma
lures. Naturally unrrincipled and malicious,
their disappOintments and defeats stir up all
their malignity, incite them TO raise a great hue
and cry against their party. force them into the
ranks OF the enemy, and to labor with all their
uner 81 fair
name OF Belzebub, their prince, let them 20!
In the camp of the enemy they will again meet
their just deserts; in that camp, as in our own,
they will receive no trust, they will be rewarded
with no emOluments; for who ever heard of the
Democracy sharing their ''spois' with rene
gades? The Democracy will applaud the trea-
son, but indignantly spurn the traitors!
But really their numbers are too cOntempti-
BILE for their detection To cause any serious con-
sideration. You can count them all upon your
fingers. can give you the name of each and
the particular cause OF his discomfort Do you
my friends, wish to know? Some grunlble be-
cause they have been removed from fat offices,
and others because they failed to get lucrative
positions or contracts for themselves or friends.
These are the whole cause of their discontent:
they consequently are full of wrath and bitter
ness and are not unsparing in their denuncatiOns
Of him who they allege is the cause OF all their
woes. COnfidentially, gentlemen, what is their
loss, is the city's gain: had they succeeded i'm
their selfish schemes or expectations, farewell
found their way into their brooches pockets
Now, do not claim to be infallible. may
have committed errOrs-crrOrs of Judgement
but my conscience is wholly clear of any inten-
tiOnal wrong in my official conduct. / know
that all my labOrs, all my aims and ends have
been solely for the public goOd-for the very
best interests, in my judgment, of the city and
its citizens; and hope may be pardoned the
vanity of believing that, all things considered,
the city has improved and prospered "a much
since june, 1868, as it ever did before during the
same period of time.
When i was sworn into office the city was
burdened with a floating debt of $500, 600; its
credit was wholly dead; its bank account was
heavily Overdrawn; the public buildings and
other Corporation property were i'm a wretched
cOnditon-every thing, in fact, was at loose
ends there was neither head nor tail to the con-
Germ, and bankruptcy stared us in the face. TO
remedy these evils. to provide for the ultimate
extinction of this floating debt, to re-estab,;,;
the credit of the city and to bring its cxnendi-
lures within its current revenues, aud at the
same time to carry on the necessary improve
ments, was no light undertaking, nor the work
of a day year. 1t was indeed, as all will
readily admit, the heaviest task that could be
assigned an executive officer. Nevertheless, a
system has been adopted which, If adhered to,
and it shall be so long as l can control it, will
accomplish these grand results, and place the
city treasury in a condition at all times to meet
the demands Of its creditors. The collection.
now begun OF the taxes for the current year.
will enable us to pay the labOrers OH the streets
the teachers of the public schools, and the other
employees OF the Corporation regularly every
month, and do not expect to see the time again,
when this cannot be done. The failure to regu-
larly pay these monthly creditors has caused me
more pain than everything else combined and
recurrence i'll the future.
My friends, have We not also reason to be proud
OF the condition OF our city as compared with
what il was two years ago !? Look around. in
every ward! W hat do you see? Streets opened.
graded, and graveled; pavements extended and
extending; sewers and bridges constructed and
80
to almost every dwelling; school and engine
houses erecting-in fact, everything indicative
Of An activity on the part of the corporation in
solid, permanent improvements never before
equalled This, too. in spite of the heavy fin M
cial embarrassments bequeathed us by the pre-
ceding administration - financial embarrass-
ments which would have discouraged, even par
alyzed, many men; but these Improvements have
been steadily pursued in the face of all difficult
ties, and We propose, with the revenues of the
year, to complete and pay for them all, and have
handsome surplus in the treasury at the end of
my present official term
My friends, is not that doing very well? Even
our opponents admit, and ii is a subject of COM
mon remark that We have done more i'm one
year, and at a comparative less expense in
the permanent Improvement Of the city, than
was ever done in three years of Democratic rule
Much of this beneficial work has been DONE too,
by the day, where the labOrers have each re-
ceived 81 for eight hours labor, instead of by
contractors, who pay but 81 S1.5O for ten
hours work. We have thus submitted this Ques-
quently claim that, considering the quality of
the work done, the cost to the city is less by
days labor, even at the present prices
than by contract, where everything combines to
make it the object Of those interested to use the
poorest and cheapest material, and to slight the
work in every possible manner. Let it not be
forgotten, therefore, that to the Republican
party our people are indebted for the inaugu-
ration Of this system Of doing Corporation work
by days labor, as well as for other reforms of
equal benefit to our labOring masses.
Some persons think, rather some unthink-
ing persons assert, that the money raised i'm this
city by taxation is nearly all squandered; that
all, or nearly all, improvements made IN the
streets are paid for by special taxation on prop
erty binding on such improvements and that
most Of the other necessary expenses are borne
paid for by special taxes. Let us see how
these statements square with the facts:
Special taxes are levied only to pay the cost
of paving carriageways, constructing sewers,
laying sidewalks, and paving alleys; and then
private property is only assessed for the cost of
that portion binding on the work. The city paws
for the intersections of all the Streets for ali the
lateral sewers, manhOles, traps, and drops; for
all flag fOOtways across streets; and for all the
cutters and bridges, amounting to at least one
halt the whole cost Of constructing the improve
ments named. Besides this, the city, this year,
will pay about $500 900 for the support of schools
and the erection Of school houses, 5000 for
lighting the streets, 500 900 for the support of
the Police Department, $50, 600 for the Fire De-
partment, $4,000 for the Aims House, about
SIO,COO for opening. grading, and prayellinp