Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-09
MUNICIPAL REFORM.

Movement : The Late IuteFVIew
with the District Committee re
viewed Corporation Attorney
COOE's AudaoItE-Mr. Cooks Char
aoter Denned by those who Know
him-oook and BOuen'a Devotion
60 once.
A meeting Of the Independent Republican
Association ives held last evening at Union
League Hail, the president, william Dixon,
In the chair Benz. NJ. Mccoy, secretary.
Amer the transaction Of some routine
business, on motion Of Mr.. ]. II. Crossman,
Mr.. NJ. l.. Higgins was Invited TO address
the association, and spoke Of the tyranny Of
opinion as exercised by the corporation
offlceholders, and predicted they would sui.
fer defeat at the ensuing election In June.
Mr.. A. Watson offered the following
which were unanimously adopted,
Whereas one Of the main induce ments held
out BY the friends OF Saylea y. Bowen for his
election as Mayor was, that his Influence with
op ~ TGp 1sISs s9prSRr,ss,,on
secured his election, and as such pangulne ex-
peotationn have not been realized, not a dol
i Il o. appropriations . hss,yins esen secured
II 10 now apparent to all that Congress 10 re-
fualng to place the appropriation Tor the aid
Of the poor In his hands, has no eonhdenoe in
his Integrity and pol al honestly and where.
a. large appropriations for this District are
impsfAtlvely Necessary from Congress for i'm
pTovements, among others an appropriation
o. one or tive hundred thousand dollars as the
0overnments share TO pave PennsylvAniA
avenue with Improved pavement, In which
the Mayor 10 named as ono Of the com mis-
Rssoiped, That ia view OF the manIfeSt want
Of confidence In the Mayor BY Congress, as
we'll A. BY the larger and better part Of the
Republican party, and that the city or the
party may roeeiTe no further injury on his
aN0OunN Nh0FNfOFO ~ mOaN - -
that he INN ediAtely resign his once, so that
the Councils may elect man In his place who
has the eonndeuso OF Congress and the Repub
Received, That II the Mayor shah wiuully
refuse to comply with this most Necessary re.
quest, we then ask Of Congress that 10 the bill
%SlsR ths MsyoP !. ns%s3 !. one o. i tSs conn 10
mlssionera, as well as In all other bills for i'm.
proyemsnts IN the city, nat some vel. known,
intelliGent and honorable member Of the Re
publican party, who 10 acquainted with, and IL
10 favor Of needed Improvements, and who has
the eonadenoe OF Congress, shall be named In
Ri,oipsd, That We hereby tender our sincere
thanks 10 both Houses Of Congress ior their
wise action In placing the appropriation for
the poor 10 charge Of the Secretary OF War In
10 crushing out The oldest Republicans in this
city, because they, like Congress, have no
condolences 10 his honesty.
Mr.. J. II. Crane next offered the follow
ing;
RsioIpsd, That we approve OF the bill now
before Congress proviilnS for the eonsolida.
gOTsfnmsHt, and tfustit viii soon become q
law. ~ :
RsIolpsd, That to say that aid bill, which
provides for an enlargement Of the right Of
suffrage 10 an Infringement upon the rights OF
the people, 10 TO insult the moral understand-
lng Of the people and the wisdom and the 10.
telligence Of the District Committee 10 Don.
gfehs, who have given said bill their favorable
and 10 worthy only OF the dem
agoEues aud polltieal hirellngs from whom
the aeeusaton emanates.
On motion OF Mr.. Crossman, tho rosnl,-
tlons were received and tnt"- ~ Tor cousid-
Grafton.
mites OF the District the other day, when a
hearing was had on the merits Of the bill
now pending, and so far as he could Judge
II would pass. He understood that the
meeting was called at the request Of Mayor
Bowen, but for come reason he was very
tardy In putting In an appearance. He gave
= brief account ofthe interview, aud thought
the remarks Of Rev. ]. sella Martin as In
sultlng TO the intelligence OF the members
Of the committee, as were also the remarks
Of Corporation Attorney Cook.
Mr.. Crane spoke Of the meagre show the
OF the bill made, and, with the
lxceptlon OF MT. Martin, all were corpora
lion ofilce-holders. He thought the assocla-
loo should pass a vote Of thanks to Mayor
Bowen and Mr.. Cook for their unlnten-
Llonal effort In promoting the interests OF
those who favor the Territorial movement.
DR.. Stevenson objected to the word "con-
in the resolution, and moved as
a substitute therefor the title OF the bill :
providing q territorial government for the
District Of Columbia.
The suggestion was carried out and the
resolution amended.
Mr.. N. IL. Miller favored the resolutions,
As he did tho bill now pending before Con-
gross for a territorial form Of government
for the District, because Ii proposed to Gu
large the rights ofthe people. Il was hardly
possible for consistent Republican to op.
pose the bill. The trouble here for years
had been that the people OF the District were
governed too much and In fact not at all.
He spoke Of the conflicting powers which
had hlndered the material progress OF our
city. lie had read the account of the inter-
view on Monday Of the citizens Of the Dis
IrIct with the Congressional committee, and
was surprised at the audaclty OF the Mayors
good man Friday, who spoke Of pretended
Republicans 10 sneerlng manner. Why
Mr.. Cook Is actually carpet-bagger among
ls-an arrogant usurper. It was hardly two
he city OF Washington, when he helped TO
,lsct himself.
Mr.. Miller said Mr.. Cook was an lnveterato
over Of Office. Once he was q parson, and |
or some reason the ladies OF tho congrega- |
lon forced him TO resign. He had been a |
Government clerk and State agent Of Penn |
ylvania, and was now rejoicing In the pos
esslon Of four offices. What could he do |
Without an ofleei He couldn't earn his
read, aud that Is why Cook clings to ONCE |
o closely. The bill would lsglslate him out
Il once forever. -.....
Mayor Bowen was another chronic Office
holder and ofiee-seeker. He, too, had en-
Dyed his share Of the corporation finances.
Once the speaker thought him an honest
nan, but II everybody else should say he
vas honest, the speaker would not believe II. |
)ne thing he might cay In his favor. When
Mr.. Cook was proposed for CORPORATION at
oTney, Mr.. Miller said the Mayor told him
10 did not have confidence 10 him, but he
lad managed things his own way, and he
must have the office. But yet Mayor Bowen
lad not the courage TO keep Cook from get
ing the office. .H
Mr.. CrosSman said he had hoped the cam.
'aigu this year might be carried on without
but how IL was TO DO avoided
lie could not sec. II was impossible to sepa.
ate the names OF corporation officials from
he corruption which prevails, and which 1t
viii be the object Of the approaching cam
'ain to remedy. Mayor Bowen had gone
Jack on the principles OF the party that had |
lected him, and the only way was to call |
hings by their right names.
He then alluded 10 the recent meeting at |
he Capitol. He would ask the colored men |
4 Washington to decide who had done the |
most for them, General Howard or Mr.. |
}ooki who has given them the most work;
rho has done more for the colOTed people |
throughout this country who had done more
or the diffusion Of useful knowledge estab-
lshlng schools, aud aiding the enffanchised
0 gain true liberty, the freedom which Ia.
diligence Is sure TO confer. Besides, General I
Toward was brave man, he had lost an
rm In defence Of his country, which Mr..
'ook could never have done as State agent
Pennsylvania.
He believed the bill favored true Republic
an principles, and II II passed would In
rease the number Of Offices and certainly
'gislAte out many now in Office, which was
cry desirable. He thought the subject
hould be discussed at the next meeting,
hen Mr.. Riddle might address the assocla- /
on. Such men ne Hon. A. @. Riddle or
en-, o. o. Howard could not be read out Of
ne Republican party by Mr.. Cook or any
ody else.