Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-02-02

In former addresses have taken occasion
70. speak OF the changed condition of tn COL
ored people OF this city since n. termIn ion
OF slavery and their elevation TO citizenship
with the right Of suffrage. No friend of that
race, 70 advocate Of equal rights, no wever high
his antIcipatlons, ever dreamed of the actual
| improvement that has taken place. Consider
| ing the circumstances that have surrounded
them from their birth, the depiorable condition
| IN which they came aither; their poverty and
| ignorance, an the prejudice they have en- com.
| ter ed, is il not matter of astonishment that
| they have been so orderly, temperate ana we'll
/ disposed. so industrious and frugal, and so
progressive IN education, skill in the mechanic
| arts, and other branches OF industry II they
| continue on as they have begun, a few years
| only Will De Sufficient to overcome the pre-
JudIce existing in the minds of some of our
| citizens, and that equality that should exist
| between all enlightened people will be ac-
| corded TO them. The conference held here a
| short time since has changed the opinion OF
many VINO believed colored people incapable
OF becoming orators and statesmen, for that
oouy was composed OF men who will compare
favoraoly with the most distinguished Sena-
tofs auo ioers now in Congress. This is
aomitled oy all who We're present. Why then
mold last and act npon the idea that the race is
INFERIOR Rather let US strive 70 elevate them 10
the bighest possible condition by afiording them
the means and opportunity of educating their
CnlIuren' ana oy warming into life that which.
by rSfson of their enslaypInent and brutat
tT'aimenf, has lain dormant within them for so
many sentIahcns. l cannot conceive that ny
.leNating ana enrolling them We degrade our
selves, as asserted by MANY
FOR the sacrifices they made during he war
LOT me patriotic aid and serv c's they nde-e6
Ohr country III that ntfuI struggle, for Their
Cev oiI~n 10 cur prisoners and our sick and suf.
ferlGg soldiers under all CT. Gums tancas for lne
SAKE OF humanity and for their republican
liitA and works. we owe them Infui.elI NOR.
than We can ever pay and /, for one, am elad
OF TINS opportunity 10 declare il, aud TO pIpdys
myself In The future in the past, 10 v orr, ON
tll IiIt iast victory Is Won, and eQnal ryhs ar
secured for ali through the instrumentallty of
education and he ballot box.
IL may not be amiss for me TO allude briefly
70 halt-Is relating 10 ciiy affairs as l found
tnem when entered on my duties, and CON.
Isst them with the present.
You all know, i presume, that floating dep:
OF n half million existed against the CITY when
was lnauguTafed; but 1t may not BE- known Ia
al mat TINS debt was held by laboTers suffer
ing Tor food. clothing and shelter who had
worked for the Corporation by the day: Dy
poor mechanics, artisans, tTadesmen, teachers
hucksters, butchers. ana others, who had sup-
piled the Corporation with articles NECESSARY
10 Keep its wheels i'll motion. The bill of these
creditors ranged from one dollar CD 70 non.
sands, nearly all OF whica were endorsed IN !,
hand iamiiiar 10 most OF oar citizens, as Iollo vs.
rms account as corr"cs end 'Cju be paid as sam
as he Cooperation Is "a funds.
(Signed,) Mayor
Hundreds OF these creditors, with their tales
OF Woe, invaded the City Hall day after day
eiamOrlng Tor their dues, but all IN vain to-
The treasury was empty, the bank account
largely over draw the credit OF the city utterly
'AungulsheC; and mere we We're with the sickiy
season coming on, the streets alleys, and gui.
ttis Ieeklng with hitI, without penny 10 Tn.e;
statns et ,sn,ae, or 10 pay he tHpense OF
Nofii<m Teigned supreme; system was III
vogue ihai gave contracts for improvement
and materials to the ighest instead OF the
lowest res ponsible bidders, ana the custom o.
chalg ing ana receiving two or three times more
ior Work done and materials furnished Tue
Corporation than for indiyidaa had become
so general that n has been IL most difficult task
i have had TO perform 20 change il. Besides.
the Board OF Aldermen was Tor s-vera, months
without n quorum, anu, in consequence. no
legislation was had by the Councils ill after
the slckly months had passed. Indeed. such
was the coDdI'IOn of things thai ~ was found
exceedingly dIfh> ult 20 employ a mechanic
perio-m i day : work for the CORPORATION =.
any price. Will not speak OF the a,yrqI. TIA.
such y state of things IS calculated is prodnco-
thai J. patent to evrrv one
HOW to eXtTICate tie CITY from these aud the
other CiMcul'Iss that SEEMED 20 over EhrlIl 4
Wa the ga stiOn. The first move was {,
change the subordinate officers and place 81, h
III power - conid command the c0ufijen p. VI
The people. This being done funds - a Goa.
sld-T thle amount We're procured IN the pieG e
OF private citizens 'OT iheir ultima = payment
Iaree iofce OF men SCI ~ WORK On the streets.
ana l think ali will BEAR witness TO the trust
OF Tie assertion That never has the c!ry bePi. IN
rs ciean ard healthy condition AS l. was an
August and September, and as il j. an to-dSr
Besides, We have graded and grayclad mo-
streets, IaIC more sidewalks ana nag tJo:ways,
ana made more real improvements in the city
Dan pave ever been Made in any period OF S'y
months sInce II had an existence. And that T.
NOT all. We have paid al least one hundred
thousand dcllaTs OF the floating deot; have pro.
N!oed the H.s..ns of hquIdltlng the ballIc-.
nave kept our ftIth Win the public As yell -
with The schools Of The city, both white ana
coloredi anC, better than al, We will no. o.y.
dollar OF debt 0! our own contracting on tn.
3tth OF June, le.O; and, " ithou, in oreasing IN.
rate OF taxation, me credit OF the city Will b. a
par
Ard for this I,os: gratifying result Lhc psop,
OF Washing on are .hde tltd 20 The Repuolis.t
party. IndiS idually ana cOliec ively
have alluded 20 tine proJec: of dredging anG
imprOv ing the canal for niyIgaolc purpJse.
about which much has beer said and Wrtttay.
and nave been Cen ureI for Trfl sing To OF ,ic.
mat orr ~ t. done, indsmuch as il would
give employ n1ent 10 such "a are IDLE, y. .hps
who have been clam tf.na tor this nnder, akin
know Tia: nearly all the money raised by tax
alton for the current fscai year has already
been expended for labor on streets and alley
for schools, police, and fire depart intnts, d G
Do they not know thai 10 take money to dred c
the CaGdl viii LeccSs itats The withdrawal : :
labor HON the slIe-t>' We bpye tnst 50 muca
money 10 txpehd for labor: and SO far "a III
wages Of he laoCIer is conc rued, matters not
whether re oe employed on tbs streets or on g.!
canal. The law thai requires The Improyt-
ment OF The canal viii carry " itb II then an aC'-
uai necessity tor leyying a tax TO cover ever,
dollar expended o. An equal smount Of IaD +
must be clvered from other necessary i'm.
provtmenis VIII our taxpayers approy-,
OF even submit 10 snch z tax If the wor~,
when complete, would ada TO the heal D.,
wealth beauty, or prosperity .; Washingtou.
they certainly would: but when the mo.
scientific enf'Dsers and practical men OF -
country declar" that, il LETT open, l. must ever
be plague spot, eye-sOre. and Il Nuisance, tl,y
Will never Consent TO have her money dra "a
from II en- for the purp So OF perps tusting sugu
an eNI'. In my opinion. the canal qusst,ua
VIII soon te settled e''her by lUsI z the end
10 he filled up altogether or By archiny il .u-
Congress will not Ioug permit it to exist as "a
open cessPOOl This done, anu another cas-
OF difficulty W III be removed.
Gent, men. 1t has been my aim and purp,,se
10 administer tle affairs OF the corporation uu
honest and economical principles, 10 root oIt
existing evils, ana TO detect, expose, and D. H.
Ish corruption. 10 matter Whrre II exist, ur
" BIO II affected by n. / consider no man -sy
Trend, nor a mind TO the kepubliciI pIr,y -!
Wal ingtoD, who VIII drfraud the city; a.! :
II Il not now distinctly understood, .isl a %
be hereafter that 1t Is my desire that he Who
would BE- guilty OF such al offepcs. Wrnsc
principles arr 50 Loose that he will. IL Opr8--
tunIty offer, take money from the city treasury
without a fair equivalen', Will keep clear OF
the Mayor Office, so long as have ne honor Of
holding the position. And trust that il is also
understood tina: no more IS paid now by the ciiy
than by private citizens for the same WorI. aud
materially and If any mechanic or other person
thinks Otherwise, he had better not under "a he
Job, for he will surely be uDdeceived when
he presepts his bill ana calls for his money |
hazard nothing in asserting that for year the
largest portion Of the revenue OF the corpora
ton was absorbed and sed up ny the extortons
perpetrated by favortes and schemers under
HNA Asuo.e