Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-01-18
THE GOvERNMENT OF THE DIS
TRICT.
WHO ARE OPPOSING A CHANGE.
The Meeting I'm the First Ward L.asl
Might.


Might.
ComMissioner Hinber is Satisfed viii faiRgs as
tAey arc - Of Course. M. Qsigiey Defesds
he iQ3 Gets aCkance at the Spoiis. Collector Bos-
yell donf Want a Change. Not hat he Cares
atoGf the so 900 per AanGm-Ok, no. REGULATIONS
ADOPTED and csm~iftee APpoisted.
A meeting of citizens Of the. First Ward was
held last night, to take action against the pro-
posed Territorial Government for the District
OF Columbia. Edward Crusor was called 10 the
cnair, and John Washington chosen Secretary.
, Inc Chair stated the objects of the meeting to
ne 70 take into consideration the combined
attempt OF ). p. Brown and others to establish
an tnH District Territorial form of Govern
menu, the effect Of which would be TO take
away 1e right OF suffrage and deprive the poor
co!ored man Of the right he now possesses to
vote. This combination was the same one which
had tried the scheme of having Commissioners
failing in that, this was a new r1se to deprive
this District Of q popular form of government,
Henry Himber Ward Commissioner said that
he had taken no particular notice OF the bill +,
but these gentlemen who had started this NOV, /,
ment were disappointed office seekers, who
were after some new way to rob the people. He
explained the working OF the bill, and said as a
property holder he was opposed to it. The
originators Of the measure were men Of capital,
and he warned the people to be on their guard.
Ihey were endeavering to take away the privi-
would have no objection to a State form of
government, making all the Offices elective, but
this We cannot get. The argument of Brown &
20: was that We would get better legislation to
ment is what we want-just what we have now.
MT. BoweR had done more than any other man
had done for this city, and We are satisfied to
body but Brown and Shepherd who were seek
ing to be our governors, we might have some
hope their purposes were for good, but thew
vote. five are not satisfied with what the Gen
eral Government is doing for us, our remedy is
to lay our wants before Congress, as We have
always done, and get redress.
Of opinions upon this matter. This was a very
important subject. The blessings of the fran
chise could not be estimated, and they should
watch carefully every attempt to wresI it from
see what is in store for them by the passage of
this bill. This movement should be spurned by
them-it was dangerous. They had much to
tSeS Tth in getting the night to vote but
movement is fully analysed, something would
appear that doesn't show on the face of this bill
With our present system Of government we can
defend our rights at. the ballot box; we can say
thus far shalt thou 60 and no farther" As
long as Charles Sumner stands in the halls of
Congress they had nothing to fear. 1t APP
tired Of the present laws, giving the col
ored man his rights 1t may be that the col
Ored men had not shown themselves worthy of
the right OF suffrage, but tn, time weuld come
when they would show themselves worthy of the
right to vote. Although there was pointed out
to us in brilliant colors the right to vote for the
twenty-five members Of the Council proposed In
the bill, yet the most important officers were to
be appointed. A dictator was to be appointed
with an Assembly Of eleven. What chance was
there for any measure Of legislation to pass such
rover as was given to this select eleven? There
was not good enough in this proposed bill to
warrant any change in the present form of gov
ernmcnt. They knew what they now had and
they did not know what would be in store for
them by the passage Of this bill. They could
not afford to yield a single point in this matter
Mr.. Himber asked that the bill be read for in
formation, and the Secretary pr oceeded to read
Walker White said that at the last meeting in
this hall he had denounced the Republican
party in general terms for what few bad men
had done. He was excited at the time and he
wished to take this occasion to retract what he
had said then. [Laughter.l If the charter is
taken away from the city every poor colored
MN will have to get out. There Is not colored
man who could get place to work on Corpora
Mr.. A. Quigley addressed the meeting in op-
position to the proposed Territorial bill, saying
there was a class of men trying to get away the
right of franchise from the people, and build up
an aristocracy. The measures proposed would
do very well now that we have a Republican
the dominant party. How about it then? He
wanted his right to vote. No man should get his
(Q.'s) vote unless he (Q.) had chance at the
state and This was
to become States, and we were trying to get 4
Territorial form Of government. This scheme
OF Brown and Shepherds will not 60 down.
Collector Boswell was called for and said that
from resolution which had been handed him
he had learned the objects of this meeting. He
conceded to every one his opinion. II the
them do it; but he should try to defeat it, These
were all gentlemen of wealth who originated il
and their purpose was to crush out the poor
iaboring man. This is no new thing with them
1t was the old scheme revived of having Com
missioners to govern us, only under a new form
to make it more palatable. If they thought the
Commissioners scheme the right way, why did
they not stick to that? This bill most magnani-
mOusly gives the right to elect the Council, but
the higher officers it reserves to the appoint
ing power. Some may say that his reason for
opposing IL was because he held Office. He
would resign tomorrow and 60 before the peo-
pie against this bill, and defeat IT. Some wears
ago, when the Democratic party was in power
movement was inaugurated to throw up
who could be found to favor it. Laughter
Some might say that Aessrs. Brown and Shep-
herd were good Republicans, but they were not
radical enough fof him. He predicted that this
giving us a Delegate to that body. These gem
tlemen wanted change because they were not
satisfied with those now in power. If the party
in power was Democratic, nothing would be
heard of this project Let them do better if
they can. These property-hold complain
about the taxation and the way the money is
applied. They don't tell you that the higher
the taxes are the higher they charge their ten
ants rent. If they are not satisfied with the
management Of affairs, why let them do better
and elect other officers, If they have votes
enough, and apply the money to suit them
selves. The prime mover of this bill wanted to
be the Governor, and his friends would ali he
appointed to the Assembly. He urged upOn ali
to attend the mass meeting which would no
doubt be called to endorse it, and vote the thing
down.
Mr.. A. r. Shepherd was called for, and said
that lie came here at the request Of some of fine
citizens of the First Ward. He would state ms
views on this measure, as he had Sometime m
do with originating it, though he had not framed
It. 1t had been stated that the movers of II
desired to deprive men of the right of an ffrage
He denied it, and said that he for one was in
favor Of making all of the Offices elective. and
advocated 1t. In this District there were five
separate governments, which were ALWAYS con-
hlcting with each other in matters of Iee;sla fio
Inc object OF this bill was to concentrate Ali fbe
power in one government in makino lsws far
our guidance. The assertions that had heen
made about the distribution Of the ofices were
simply absurd. He 1.-THE speaker) was born in
the city Of Washington, had never held an Office
with one small exception, and did not propose to
hold any. When boy ten years of age he had
to start cut for himself, and every dollar that he
possessed he had worked hard for. and he
desired no Office, it did not paw. AZ to what
had been said by his friend Boswell ahont h;s
(Shepherds) politics, he would saw that he al.
ways had been a Republican, and an anti
Democrat. As to his being charged with crnsS
ing the Door man. he WOuld saw fh.t o