Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-05-25

ADDRESS OF col. PIArr.
The Chairman.-Before Mr.. Piatt proceeds
with his remarks. want to hear three cheers
for Matthew u. Emery. Three rousing cheers
Col. Don Piatt then resumed:
do not feel that am called upon to make
tary call on this occasion. Although am a
her quiet valleys many hundred miles away
from here, yet feel that have the same rights,
privileges and duties as IL 1 were born within
earliest youth have loved the capital of my
country, and had my patriotic impulses stirred
by the noble memories and associations that
was as much Of symbol of our nationality as
the flag under which fought; and the hearts of
the people were moved by great hopes and fears,
were fought that threatened its destruction.
And later in life I came yet closer to you
be in Washington when Col. Tom Key, the
brain Of McClellan's staff, and one Of the no
blest men God ever created, drafted the act of
emancipation for the District OF Columbia. A
vOice-aThat's true."j He alone conceived that
great measure-he alone had it executed was
with him when he drafted the bill, and stood by
him in the ioeoies Of Congress when he plead for
first proclamation of freedom, and L saw from
under the shadow of our capitol the slave walk
out freed man, never to be shackled again.
Alter that while in command at Baltimore, 1
found large numbers Of slaves sent from the Dis
trict In anticipation of the act Of emancipation,
and imprisoned In pens in the Monumental city.
1t was my first happy act to throw open those
prison doors, and not only free the slaves, but
turn those pens into prisons for their vicious
masters. lCries of "Good," and applause.l
To you, American citizens of African descent,
can say that i was your friend when you needed
friends, and seek to be your adviser now that
you are clothed with the rights, privileges, and
duties Of citizenship. speak to you as your
friend, and as one having right to speak In the
streets and before the council chamber of our
all the broad stretches Of the continent, where
our flag waves above loyal hearts, this, our cap
ital, is near and dear. Well, my friends, word
has gone forth that 1t has been polluted; that
wire pullers have creptinto the Council chamber
and Mayors Office to plumber and rob. You are
out the rats [Iaughterl and clean of the vermin.
lthas gone forth to the world that our national
capital Is bankrupt, and cOnstables armed with
executions enter the office Of his honor the Mayor
the claims Of laborers. Well, we don't want
such fnanciers in office. We don't want q
Mayor liable to execution, tlaughter;l those fell
lows who 60 in poor and come out rich; who
sneak in lean and march out fat, and all the
time have net sufficient financial ability to keep
the old furniture out of the hands Of the consta-
7 BILE.
am told that while the corporation account
is Overdrawn some hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, and orders in the hands of poor, suffer-
Mayor has At sHis time over two thousand e ySqs
labOrers drawn in from the country at an ex-
pense Of four thousand dollars a day. These are
a few things only that come to the surface. OF
what remains hid below the rot of its filthy in
EQUITY, until the entire body-politic is poisoned
and destroyed We do not know.
And when we organized for reform, we were
told that we are boilers. Well this looks like
boiling tonight. If We are boilers would like
to see the remnant left. There is one thing GER
tain we cannot bolt Bowen s. Co. They have
lie stomach sickens. We have tried them, and
it reminds me Of the old story Of the hungry fell
low who rushed into restaurant for oysters
and swallowed two he found on plate.
"Can ye keep'em DOWN." asked q drunken by
stander.
"Certainly," responded the man, "why not?y
"Do.no; tried 'em twice and they came up
both times"
1t is hardly necessary to say that there was a
third case Of sea sickness. loud laughter and
But, my friends, it Is utterly impossible to ad-
dress such a crowd as this. All Washington is
present, and the cry is "Still they come"
Where from cannot tell; 1 suppose from the
two thousand have concluded to come in-work
for Bowen and vote with US. But talking is not
necessary. Your presence is the best and
known, and On them the issue is made up be-
tween the intriguing few and the honest many.
The laborer is with us; the business man is with
us; the heavy taxpayer is with us; the decency,
honesty and patriotism are on our side, and
what Il more to the purpose, We have the votes.
1 thank you.
SPEECH OF MR.. ALEXANDER r. SHEPHERD.
Alexander X. Shepherd, Esq, was next intro
duced, who spoke as follows:
FELLOW Citizens: For the first time in my expe-
rience l appear to address political gathering,
and L need hardly assure you that a sense of
Z duty to the people of Washington, and those in
terested in the welfare of the national metrop-
Oils, alone induces me to appear before you on
the present occasion. Istand here as a republl-
can and as business man to denounce the pre-
sent incumbent and corrupt municipal govern
ment, and to advocate the election as Mayor of
man who honestly believe will effect reform
in the management OF our affairs and save us
from degradation and impending ruin. Jap
plause.
the republicans of this city, who have any in
terest in its advancement, are convinced that a
change in the administration of its affairs is i'm
peratiyely demanded to save the republican
party from disgrace and from consequent disre-
pute throughout the entire nation. / make this
declaration for the reason that here the expert
ment Of universal suffrage was first made, and
that unfortunately Sayles j. Bowen was placed
in his present position as q representative man.
to demonstrate that our cOlOred citizens were
capable of choosing proper men as rulers.
When he entered upon his office there was
general disposition on the part Of his opponents
to give him a fair trial, and even to aid him in
fulfilling the wonderful promises with which he
was indicted into the mayoralty. In now read
ing his message to the Councils Of the 18th Of
June, 1868, one cannot but be struck with the
wealth OF his promises, and with the poverty Of
their fulfllment. The public school system
was to be improved, the streets were at once to
be put in excellent order, the Centre Market
house was to be rebuilt, the canal nuisance to
be abated, the contract system to be abrogated,
a new Jail to be built, and an era of peace pros
perity and good feeling to be inaugurated, the
very thought of which made our hearts leap
with joy. (Cries Of sob, yes!' I" Bowen is
good on the PROMISE" He assured us, as with
an air Of authority, that " the moment Congress
is convinced that we mean to fulfill our pledges,
that we mean to pay our debts, and to conduct
our affairs frugally and carefully, we shall al
most be anticipated in our enterprises, and will
rarely ask in vain from the Representatives Of
the people," Let us now see how these prom
Uses and predictions have been verified, and If
to-day We are in a better condition than when
the light OF these pledges first dawned upon us.
What, in the name OF common sense, has
been done to improve our public schools and to
advance the great cause of education? The
salaries of the teachers have been withheld,
and they have thus been discouraged in the
performance Of their onerOus and responsible
duties. You are all aware of the quarrels which
have occurred between the Board of Trustees
and the Superintendent, and ask you, as men
of sense, II any 81 stem can be efficient where
the just claims OF the teachers are received with
neglect, and such want of harmony is evinced
between those who have been entrusted with
The management OF our educational system
What streets have been paved to enable the
Lord Mayor, with his snowy coach, prancing