The New York herald., 1870-03-14
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
EVILS In tho Municipal Government
Lobbyists and the Newspaper
Correspondents.
WASHINGTON, March Ia,

THE PRIVILEGES or THE FLOOR
In theory are limtedto very small class or
but practically very numerous class cnlo
sacred right TO walk and talk upon she noom
House ana Senate Chambers when those bod
In solemn session. And much 40 the lobbyists
that right ana very curious is the fact 70 relate
it is consldered that the rules Of exclusion
framed manly with view to keep those veI
tiemen from boring Senators and Represent
during Legislative hours. More curious still
tnat while the Lobbyists. against all rules OF Il
AZ well as parliamentary usage. enjoy such
privileges. The newspaper men--l mean those
regulations ana employed by respectable jou1
are carefully excluded from the floors, and sutI
70 many little annoyances In the pursuit Of
nation for the public which arc som
very difficult to bear. 1t is &c
very trying TO honest journalists to
the daily spectacle OF these lobbyists boldly
ing on their dlsreputable practices under the
noses OF the Speaker of the House, President |
Senate and two Sergeantsar-Arns,a aud It thoI
time and themselves jealousy watched and 9 :
lest perchance they may slip In for moment
the floor In search Of important news FROM sd
telligent Senator or Representative. And u
Is what occurs every dav during q session q
gress. The lobbyist. with his pockets cra'
with greenbacks aud plunderlng schemes,
nished every opportunity to commune with Sd
and Representatives, while the newspapeI
desir0us only OF serving the public, Is anDoyt
embarrassed at every step. II is very cvidci
this rule Of exclusion should either be carriII
strictly or else abandoned entirely. II rela}
all. certainly It ought to be In favor OF the Ine
DO most FOR the public ana have no jobs TO pr
or course / allude to the honest and legi(
ew spaper men and not to the
BOGUS AND JoDgING CpRREsPoNDENTs.|
There are too many OF theso men changing
Washington" as Ben Butler said, but by no
earning "a precarious liying.D Unfoftunatell
are class of men who manage to earn good
who get mixed up with all sorts OF jobs and Cd
always to obtain lion's share OF the proftj
have the brass aud inpudence OF the PrmceI
himself, and who by their precious hypocrld
cunning manage to delude many weli-nS)
people into the belief that they are the mel
WELD the whole power OF the press OF the COW
without whom nothing can see daylight IN
no measure good or bad can be either apprOl
condemned by the editors. These fellows
deed the Lazzaioni OF the press. They bril-
credit too often upon the whole profession.
Of them hold clerkshlps Of committees arl
their privileges to further their lobbying schct
the mos, brazen and disgraceful manner. II
charge that HI the newspaper men holding Cd
tee cIerkships are thus guilty, but sol
them decidedly are. 1t IS certainly impropd
for honest newspaper correspondents to hold
positions, or al least to be allowed TO hold IN
Congress. A cierkshp gives q correspondent
privileges OF the fio0r aud ready communion
the members asshouid not be allowed IN Ill ra|
unless all other correspondents are allowed 4
privileges. some members have recently bci
pressed with these views and 1t Is hoped tl1
movement inaugnrated to exclude colTeSp01
from actlng as committee clerks Will be att
with some success
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE DIsTR
There Is quite contest gong on here re ati1
change in the form OF government for the Dls(
Columbia. The Bowen dynasty which CAM
power with the enfranchisemenJ OF the Negroes
has managed to MAINTAIN itself ever since, ~
come so inefficient and obnoxious tnat any
would TO for the hctter. Whatever negr)
frage may be elsewhere 1t cannot be 81
be a success here. A set OF designing
clans, bent on personal aggrandizement aAd
der. got control Of the negroes ana secured
votes by lavish professions OF friendship. Of
they care nothing about the blacks, but the
are too ignorant TO discern between their real I
and those who are friendly with them only
them. A worse governed city than WashlngtO
badly does not exist in tue United States. Tn
Of taxation Is dollar and fOrty-flve cents
hundred. This, however, Is only the genera
and does not include water tax or the tax tor
and Improving streets and many other speci
In return the citizens gee really nothing FOL
money. The streets, half OF them unpave
never cleaned, badly lighted, and certain
when the almanacs say the moon should shine
are no lamps lighted at all, whether the progi
OF the almanac Is carried out or not. In short.
are no comforts, no conveniences such aS or
mon in other cities with population OF 1000
haps the old adage or 100 many COOKS Sp
broth" was never better illustrated than in tn,
tinct governments including that OF Con
There Is the city government the Board OF
Commissioners, the Levy Court, the municipa
ernment OF Georgetown, the Board OF Health.
dependent OF eacn other and very Olten pull
In different directions
The property owners, tired OF this state OF .
have started movement TO get territorial q
ment from Congress. IL. IS proposed to conso
all the little powers tnaJ pc" INTO one, nave
rItorial council, and delegate on the door o
gress. So lar as Congress Is concerned Ih0
nays about a5 much attention TO the AFFAIRS
District as it does to those OF the New DOnninit
has, TO be sure, q committee In each House {
district OF Coumoia," but that committee &
meets, and Its reports are usually laid aside 10
fs considered more important business. In Ia
District gets no show IN Congress at all, ana
lett prey Tor tue greedy ponLtcians VINO IL
the negroes. The territorial proposition mot
meets with vioient opposition from the Bowen
Its success woud no doubt result In tufmt
Bowen men adrilt ana tins is the secret OF the
sition. The ignorant blacks have been appea
IN all sorts of ways TO enlist them agains
change III the present form OF government
Bowen men charge that the new movement IL
subterfuge for taking away the ballot fr0t
negro, OF course this touches SambO In
spot Ir there Is any thing he likes 1t ls to voi
be voted for, and any attempt to deprive him
privilege would naturally arouse all his EN-
But there Is no change proposed in the suifrs
Is only In the form OF gOvernm ment---a fact a
known TO the Bowen party as 1t is 10 the
rlaltsts.
The matter has been brought to the attent
Congress and meets with a good deal OF
especially ia the senate. There Is no arg
needed 10 convince Congressman that The p
government Is inefficient and that any change
be for the Better Any person VINO lives here
few months will be satisfied OF that fact. The
In trade OF the city government of1clals is the
BILE political result or the proposed change.
work upon the ieelings OF the majority Ia 20
by asserting thaI the adoption OF The Teri
scheme would bring the democracy into
This is really the only object they nave or can
against IT, But the fact that several prafnint
pnblicans--nlen like General Howard-are Ia !:
the territorial system Is sufficient answer Il
The opposition comes entirely from the "ClC
ring,n composed Of Northern carpet Dagger
negroes and is hot likely 10 have much succ
influencing Congress. The chances for chan
good and the property holders are moving
N, nrs IN =, ordinary energy 10 achloVe IL.