Evening star., 1870-03-07
THE TERRITORIAL PLAN OF GOVERNMENT,
Interesting Interview with the Senate
District Committee.
Arguments Pro and Con.

quite large representation of the friends and
opponents of the Territorial plan of government
for the District met the committee this morning
and presented their views pro and con.
Among those present were Mayor Bowen
Collector Boswell, Corporation Attorney Cook
Superintendent Bliss, Disbursing Clerk j.
Sayles Brown, Alderman Davis, Councimen
Williams and Mcknight, w. e. Knott, Ward
Commissioner Atkinson, A. Jones, Trustee OF
Colored Schools; Samuel Strong, w. H. Huestis
ex-Alderman Fenwick. Hon. A. G. Riddle, Rev
Sella Martin, Hallet Kilbourn, Gen. Chapman
Gen. o. o. Howard, s. p. Brown, A X. Shep-
herd, Col. j. A. Magruder, of Ge orgetown;J J.
COOmbs,J. Fl. Crane, Gen. Mussey, A. Grant, &c
Of the District Committee Messrs. Hamlin
tChairman,) Sumner, Howell, and Lewis were
present.
The interview was to have been held at 10
O'Clock, but in the absence of Mayor Bowen
the chairman that il the opponents OF the bill
were not ready, the other side might proceed.
Mr.. tewis.@ls 1t proposed to limit the time
for each side?
Mr.. Hamlin docking at his watch.)-we have
now an hour and ten minutes to give to the mat
ter.
Mr.. A. G. Riddle said that, by the desire o.
committee to take into consideration the pro-
priety Of comforting upon the District a some
what different form of government from that it
now has, substituting government by the peo-
PIE OF the District in place OF a government b.,
Congress. He would inquire of the committed
however, if it was desirable that he should ad-
dress himself to the merits of the bill, or to the
Mr.. Hamlin. 1 will state to you the position of
the matter. 1 introduced in the Senate = bin
for the government of this District by a com
rial form of government for the District, neither
Of which bills met my views. Since then an
other bill, the one now before us, has been pre-
sented, which very nearly meets my approval.
This bill has been considered in committee and
some amendments proposed. Mayor Bowen has
desired hearing for the opponents of this bi 1,
and this meeting is called to afford an opportu-
tupity for both sides to be heard.
Mr.. Lewis suggested that as both sides were to
brief.
Mr.. Riddle said that the alterations in the hill,
as corrected by the committee of revision. was
merely In the arrangement; the frame work was
the same.
ments i'm the bill before presenting it to tine
Senate For one he had struck out the word
"territOrial'' in the title, and also amended the
provision about elections.
Mr. Riddle said that In the progress the Com
mite e had made 1t was hardly necessary for him
to address them upon the general merits of the
bill. 1t was now a matter OF detail.
Mr.. Sumner suggested that the objections to
the bill had better be first stated. Ii the Mayor
or any one on that side would state their Obiec-
tons then the other side could reply.
sent for.
voice" He is with Col. FOrney, and will
Mr.. Hamlin said he would like to inquire wb at
was the scope Of the contingent expenses OF the
District named in section q, and what amount
of money would be needed to fill the blank in
line 25?
1t was answered by Gen. Mussey and others
that il would cover stationery bills, Ofiice rent,
clerk hire, &c.
Mr.. Hamlin said he supposed 5000 would
cover the amount needed.
The Mayor not having arrived it was proposed
that the Rev. Sella Martin should proceed to
state his views in opposition to the biii.
Mr.. Martin said he objected to the bill because
1t assumed an aristOcratic shape. A Territorial
government was stepping stone to q State
government, and the latter we could not have
here. The appointment of a Governor was an
arstocratic feature; and it had been proposed
to have the upper chamber appointed but that
clause had been modified 1t had also been DrO-
posed to make suffrage qualifications, but those
having the plan in charge had also found it pru-
dent to drop that. Still he was afraid Of the bill
1t seems that the negro in voting in this District
has given offence. He has rushed here from
Maryland and Virginia, and brought poverty
and suffering, and presents himself in a way to
create prejudice. But all that will speedily be
workings of the Fifteenth Amendment. He
hadn't found radical Republican identified
with the bill. None of those who advocated It
were among those who stood by the negro. Il
would be defeated.
If Government would pay taxes on their
property, or an equivalent, the sum would be
SUFFICIENT to run all the present governments Of
the District. If this Is not done, nothing will he
gained by the change. So long as the Govern
ment does not pay its proportion, and the COL
ored people crowd in here and pay no taxes, and
Of our free schools and pay taxes, the District
will still be in the same unfortunate condition
We must have lubricating Oil to make the ma
Consrees c.rpnt tronsSor vo,ro. L.. . r,..
government. For his part he would rather 90 to
the District Committees than to any set OF old
citizens here. There were some good men in this
new government would be only . pantomime
government. 1t would have to come up to the
Committees of Congress the same as now.
Mr.: Hamlin..Do YOU not regard Gen. Howard
as friend Of the col0red man?
Mr.. Martin.-Yes, and should like to help
Gen. Howard TO the degree of extending the
blessings of our municipal government out over
his Territory. tLaughter.I
"A voice" Blessings" with a vengeance.
Mayor Bowen and Corporation Attorney VIM.
A. Cook had now made their appearance in the
room.
Mr.. Cook said that he had been requested by
the Mayor to represent his views upon this
question. He Co had been chairman of the
three years, and might, therefore, with pro-
priety speak for the Republican party in this
matter. With few exceptions, there was not
present
who has been. identified with the Republican
party.
Mr.. Bamlin.-How much time will you wauto
We have waited an hour for you.
Mr.. Cook.-I cannot tell
Mr.. Hamln.--lt will be necessary for you to
divide the time with the other side.
Mr.. Cook (resuming) said that Gen. Howard
was Republican, but he had not been closely
identified with the Republicans OF the District
In their struggles.
Gen. Howard.-I do not propose to bring poli-
tics into this matter. II Is q matter OF govern
ment
Mr.. Cook said that the same was true of Mr..
Riddle to great extent-thst he had not been
an active party worker.
Mr.. Riddle said that since he had been put on
trial for his Republication he would say that
he was one of the half dozen who orga nized the
original Republican club I'm this city, OF that
half dozen Mr.. Cook was not one. iLauehter.I
And with the exception Of Mr.. Brown, lappa-
rently referring to j. Sayles BrOwn,) no one in
the room connected with the present municipal
government was concerned in the organizaffOn
Of that original Republican club, fmore lauoh-
ter, and Mr.. Cook took the opportunity 10 clear
Mr.. Cook went on to say that Mr.. Riddle had
not been identified with them distinctiyely In
their later struggles, and that he had never
manifested the same interest in the success of
the party that he had in this Territorial meas
ure. Nine-tenths Of the Republican party in
the District were opposed 70 the measure in its
present form. Ii the question were submitted
TO vote OF the people he would agreed to 1t.
When Alexandra was retroceded the question
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