Evening star., 1870-03-09

4 a.. VI an hundred years acp,
Where is the code or The Statutes for IN. n;s
uie,E Look through the huge fifteen volume,
/ Va uae laws OF Congress. There is no ,iearth q,
hes,, unaer which industry and enterprise have
| peen eNefyMnere else created, fostered AMI en-.
\ ccuraged. What act was ever t,rooosej -, en-
DstTict under which enterprise could he :. H. H.
mo eAstenee-what commercial enterpr,sa
| WHAT falifcad enterprise-what e,iucation. n
| movement-what grants for schools has Con.
| here?
be otheTwisc? Each Representative in CON.
| greSs has district of his own 10 care tor Its
people vote for him-they are his supporters.
| rivals and enemies. We have 20 comnete ur,,,
| them for his attention. What does he care fnr
| Gs-what can he .knOw OF uS-what can he do
| tor us? The little District of Columbia has "a
comI,te AGAINST the whole United States. l. il
| any wonder that she cannot be cared forp Aud
| think ~ the already overworked. able. faithful
| ana KIND gentlemen composing the committees
OF the Two Houses on the District, who are thus
compelled TO take us as an additional burthan
| and how impossible ii Is for them with the most
perseverlng effort, to get attention to Us for the
| most Pressing measures. We want as much
| iegislatiOn as do many of the States. and We
have never had a week daring any one seSs,on
ana often not whole Congressional day. The
clamoring demands OF a continent over whelm
1songLess, and We must be neglected. Yet, no
ainerlcan community ever did or ever will
nourlsh under the government Of strangers.
Ihey wIther and perish under il. Our fathers
rebeled against it.
may remark that il Is hardly kind or our -
ctaStre governors to reproach us with our condi-
uon, as III ~ were our fault. They have denied
US the means OF thrift and enterprise, and re-
pfoach Us tiiat we do not have cleaner and bet
yer paved streets, and better built and furnished
houses, and that we cannot board and lodye
~nonolable ~ gentlemen better, and a good deal
cheaper They Keep our feet i'm the stocks and
taunt us with being outrun by our neighbors
VINO 90 not enjoy their e1olasire legislation
.a, ana some OF them even threaten to gather up
1.-THE stage properties" and 90 awav; disgusteJ
that We are much what they hava camneIlo. -
to be. iiNU "'
If it pleases honorable gentlemen TO he
sarcaStc over misfortunes common TO us with
the capital, and disgraceful TO the country W..
must submit. feton the whole we cannot helm
,nlnklns OF some things, and regard this as un-
kind-considering-
THE PLAN PROPOSED.
The proposed plan of government need not be
discussed here in detail. 1t is before YOU, and
subject to criticism and amendment 1t pro-
poses to substitute for a government by Con-
gress government by the people, elected by
them, and responsible 70 them alone 1t pro-
poses 10 put the whole District, including the
Two Corporations, under the control of the peo-
PIE, who alone know what they want. The All
surdity OF creating new government and leay-
ing ing .he Oorborations of Washington and George
own IN iuli blast, and not under its control
the world, the flesh, and the devil in open war
would be one of those monstrosities beyond the
Will of Congress to create.
II VIII be observed that the District will he
authoritatively represented in Congress bv a
delegate. Nobody opposes this. In more close
~ scrntnizing the proposed organic act, il will
pe seen That while il contemplates the creation
of police court, IL leaves the general subiect of
the Judiciary-the courts, i'm the hands OF Con-
gress, giving to the Di~tricc legislature, power
to confer such additional Jurisdiction as nav he
needed. 1t will also be observed that il l. NOT
proposed TO invest the governor with the veto
power, or any power to interfere with the daties
OF the representatives of the people.
The bill proposes a legislative assembly of
.nlrteen councillors and twenty-six representa-
districts to be fsfy syd Sy tas S ge1Rle in separate
hbeIations.
Among the Limitations are those upon the
taxing power. A blank for the rate per cent
Tor any one year il left to be filled by Congress
IN It's wisdom. The power to borrow money or
contract public debtwas, and is, one of great
diniculty and deAcacy. MANY desired comnlete
prohibition of the power, and many no limita
ton OF ii. The result was a compromise. liz wa,
Thought best on the whole to allow the power.
ana tnat by requiring a vote of two-thirds OF
each house to pass bill, authorizing a loan, or
the creation OF debt, would secure a prudent
exercise of the power.
A further limitation upon the taxing power
requires that all purely local objects shall be
sustained by local TAXATION so that each of the
present Corporations and the outside sections or
proposed townships must bear their own bur-
create such ministerial officers, recorders, reg
isters, treasurers, auditors, &C., as may De
deemed proper, and provide for their election
and nOtaries should be appointed. saw frankly
that am in favor of electing them all, but the
committee thought all officers of a judicial char
acfer should be appointed; while the so-caIled
MINISTERIAL might be left in the hands of the
legislature. OF course, which ever mode in
adopts, whether for their election or appoint
ment, can be changed at pleasure.
Among the important powers of the legisla-
lure IL that 10 create corporations, as well as TO
control the two city corporations already re-
ferred to. We would gladly have extended this
power over the railroad companies within our
limits but as they were private corporations We
aoubted whether Congress could or would at
tempt TO confer that power.
The bill provides for official oaths for all Off
GERS, anc Tor ample bonds for all who disburse
money. IL viii be seen that to provide system
81 Tree schools is enjOined as a solemn duty
upon the new government the advantages of
which shall be extended to every child alike.
AS some Official had TO be found or created TO
30 that An election could be holden, a sort of
PROVISIONAL governor and secretary are devised
TO be appointed by the President, whose duties
and Offices will terminate with the election of
their successors. With the exceptions thus re-
ferred to, the bill provides for the election of
all officers II will be seen that all the officers
contemplated by this bill must be residents of
this District, with the qualification of voters.
The bill recognizes the supervisory power of
Congress over the acts OF the District legislature.
Congress could not abdicate it, ii il would, but
under this bill the acts OF our legislature will
be laws, until annulled by Congress.
THE POWER OF CONGRESS.
i believe that to be ample to pass this or any
similar bill. Congress shall have power s'To
exercise exclusive legislation, i'm all cases what
sewer, over such District" is the text of the
Constitution. That is, il shall not permit any
but ITS own power, or government created by
II and under its control, to manage the District
affairs. In the performance Of this duty of gov
ernment il Is, like the executive, left to choice
of agencies. Ii is the exclusive duty of the Pres
ident to execute the laws, but he appoints men
who do it for him, and so may Congress dis
charge this duty. When it took upon itself the
trust Of governing this District, il was of course
upon the implied condition that the people
should be governed in accordance with Amer
lcah ldeas-that is, govern themselves, under
Cengress. The fathers never intended 10 disin-
merit any portion Of their descendants of this |
great and sorely struggled for right. Hear |
MacIson on this point. He had no doubts or |
learned scruples upon this dogma Of the non- |
delegation Of legislative power.
In the forty-third number Of the Federalist- /
page 339, in his enumeration OF the rights and /
privileges of the people of the District, he says:
{" municipal legislation sor local purposes de-
rived from their own suffrages, will of course be
allowed TO them," sc. "Of COURSE" are his
Poor, stupid man! He had never enjoyed the
advantages Of the profound commentators of
fhe City Hall, upon the Constitution. He only
made il. What could he know about 1t? Were /
lie with us new, he. too, would be cast out, as
Thns, people or the District of Columbia.
have called your attention TO the diffculties