Evening star., 1870-03-08
TIE TERRITORIAL PLAN OF GOVERNMENT
Iuteresting Interview with the Semat,
District Committee.



Arguments Pro and Con.
Views Of Mayor Bowen.
In accordance with the invitation of the Sen.
ate Committee on the District of Columbia
quite a large representation Of the friends and
opponents OF the Territorial plan of government
for the District met the committee yesterday
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, Councilman
Williams and Mcknight, w. L. 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. Chipmsn
Gen. o. .. Howard. s. p. Brown, A r. Shep-
Coombs, j. H. Crane, Gen. NJ ussey, A. Grant, sc
Of the District Committee Messrs. Hamlin,
tChairman,) Sumner, Howell, and Lewis were
present.
The interview was to have been held at n
O'Clock, but in the absence of Mayor Bowen
there was some delay. 1t was then suggested by
the chairman that il the opponents Of the bii
were not ready, the other side might proceed.
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 of
some OF the citizens present, he would ask the
priety OF comforting upon the District q 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 committee.
however, If 1t WAS desirable that he should ad-
dress himself to the merits Of the BILL or to the
objections TO il.
Mr.. Hamlin. 1 will state to you the position of
the matter. L introduced in the Senate bill
for the government Of this District by com
mission, and another bill providing Terrific
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 las been considered in committee and
some amendments proposed. Mayor Bowen has
desired hearing for the opponents of this bi i,
and this meeting Is called to afford an opportu-
tunity for both sides to be heard
Mr.. Lewis suggested that as both sides were to
be heard II was requisite that they should be
brief.
Mr.. Riddle said that the alterations in the hill
corrected by the committee of revision was
merely in the arrangement; the frame work was
Mr. Hamlin said he had made some amend
ments in the bill before presenting it to the
Senate. For one he had struck out the word
provision about elections.
Mr.. Riddle said that IN the progress the Com
mitt. had made it was hardly necessary for him
to address them npOn the general merits of the
bill. 1t was now a matter Of detail
MI. Sumner suggested that the objections IN
the bin had better be first stated. Ii the Msyor
or any one on that side woald state their objec
Mr.: Hamlin said the Mayor had been twice
sent for.
A voice.-"He is with Col. Forney, and will
Mr.. Hamlin said he would like to inauire what
was the scope of the contingent expenses OF the
District named in section 81. and what amount
of money would be needed to till the blank in
1t was answered by Gen. Mussey and others
that it would cover stationery bills, otice rent,
clerk hire, &c.
MIR. Hsmlin 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 bill
Mr.. Martin said he objected to the bill because
1t assumed an aristocratic shape. A Territorial
Government, and the latter we could not have
here. The appointment of Governor was an
r stocratic feature; and it had been proposed
clause had been modified. 1t had also been nro.
posed to make suffrage qualifications, but those
having the plan in charge had also found il prn-
dent to drop that. Still he was afraid of the bin.
II seems that the negro in voting in this District
has given offence. He has rushed here from
ryland and Virginia, and brought poverty
and suffering, and presents himselfin way to
remeded He viii al tSa' BACK SE rnSer tSe Se
workings of the Fifteenth Amendment. He
with the bill. None Of those who advocated dea Il
were among those who stood by the negro. In
this bin was passed, the Republican party here
would be defeated.
II 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 be
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
the mass OF government clerks get the benefit
OF our free schools and pay no taxes, the District
will still be in the same unfortunate condition.
We must have lubrieating Oil to make the ma
chinery run.
Congress cannot transfer power to a District
government. For his part he would rather 20 to
the District Committees than to any set OF old
citizens here. There we're some good men in this
new government would be only a pantomime
government. 1t would have to come up to the
committees of Congress the same as now.
Mr.. Hamlin.-Do yOu not regard Cen Howard
as friend of the colored man?
MIR. Martin.-Yes, and should like to helm
Gen. Howard to the degree of extending the
his Territory. Laughter WV
voice." Blessings" +" with vengeance
Mayor Bowen and Corporation Attorney VIM.
A. Nook had now made their appearance in the
room.
Mr.. Cook said that he had been requested by
the Mayor to represent his views upon thus
Republican Committee Of this city for two or
three years, and might, therefore, with pro-
priety speak for the Republican party in this
matter. With a few exceptions, there was not
an individual connected with the present bill
who has been identified with the Republican
party.
Mr.. Hamlin.-How much time will YOU want?
We have waited an hour for you.
Mr.. CoOk.-I cannot tell.
Mr. Hamlin--lt will be necessary for you to
divide the time with the other side.
Mr.. Cook (rescming) 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. 1t is matter Of govern
ment.
Mr.. Cook said that the same was true of Mr..
Riddle to q great extent-that he had not been
an active party worker.
Mr.. Riddle sid that since he had been nut on
trial for his lepublicanism he would say that
be was one of the half dozen who organized the
original Republican club In this city. OF that
bali dozen Mr.. Cock was not one. fLauehterJ
And with the exception of Mr.. Brown, (appa-
rently referring to J. Sayies Brown } no one in
the room connected with the present municipol
government was concerned in the orRanixstion
Of that original Republican club, tmore lauah-
ter, and Mr. Cook took the opportunity to clear
Mr.. Cook went on to say that Mr.. Riddle h.a
not been identified with them distinctiyely n
their later struggles, and that be hsd neyer
manifested the same interest in the success Of
the party that he had In this TERRITORIAL mess-
ura. Nine-tenths Of the Republican, narfv In
h. nS~x~;~< vnvn Avvsoa>I xS ke.y -