Evening star., 1870-03-07
~re- Mi-use.- for the District.

II anything were wanting to show the utter
futility OF the hope that Congress will be
able to give the District more attention In
the future than IL has in the past, IL Is
supplied In the present condition of Dis
triet business there. The House District Com
nittee has thus far in the session been un-
able TO get up for consideration any of the i'm
portant District bills before them, and 1t Is
doubtful If that committee viii be called again
during the remainder of the session.
In the Senate nominally portion Of every
Friday, after the morning hour, Is "set apart
for business coming from tine Committee ON the
District Of Columbia" but in point Of fact the
District does not gain much from this rule,
which Is honored more in the breach than in the
Observance. For weeks Mr.. Hamlin, after some
words Of protest, has had to succumb to the
pressure OF business OF national character. or
business In which fellow Senators have n per-
sonal interest, and the District business has had
the go-by. On last Friday the same thing oc-
curred-the Funding bill was in the way, and
after that was laid over to proceed with the
regular order for Friday, Mr.. Edmunds claimed
the floor for the Pensions Committee ON the
ground that the District Committee had already
had two days ~. The Chair decided that under
the rule the District Committee must announce
that they had concluded their business before
the next committee could be regularly called
MT. Hamlin agreed, however, to make peace.
tnat MI Edmunds would allow him to con-
slider two bills that would not take tan minutes
each he would then agree ''not to take mn to-
day any other bin from the District Committee.
and would pass the day over to the Committee
on Pensions" The Chair announced that the
hrst District business before the Senate was
the Washington International Exhibition bill.
MT. hamlin moved to pass that over and take
up senate bill No. $40. He desired to take I'M
only two District bills. which he thought "would
lead to no debate whatever" He moved to take
up bill No. $40, Ga bill to incorporate the New
Era Printing and Publishing COMPANY of
Washinston,) and moved to amend it by insert
ing hve additional names as corporators The
amendment was concurred in and the hill
passed. He then called up the bilS s.incorpo-
rating hospital for foundlinss in the citv of
W Wasnington," which was .sread the second time
and considered as in Committee Of the Whole;
was reported to the Senate without amend
menS, ordered to be engrossed for . third read
ing, read the third time, and passed" The
District Committee then yielded the floor to the
Committee on Pensions
And this ID but repetition OF the old experi-
ences No important District bin having inter
est 70 the public at large, has ghost of chance
u consaderaton, because il may involve debate
mo esnnoe be disposed of in 'sten minutes As
we nave heretofore stated. but four District
bills passed Congress last session, and these were
Auof the"ten minutes" persuasion too in
ngntneant to provoke the slightest debate. And
al hn through no indisposition Of Congress to |
zeal Justly by the District, but simply because
every CONGRESSMAN has TO look out for No. 1, his
own Interests and those Of his own District.
state, section or party, and the poor voiceless
District Is lost sight Of In the scramble.
Palpably the best and only remedy for this state
of things Is for Congress to provide Territorial
plan Of government for the District Of Colum-
Ola, win power to legislate upon all ordinary
Dsuicf matters, reserving to itself the power
of revising the action of the Legislature when
necessary.
The relief, both to Congress and the District.
1ouid De great and immediate. Congress would
ave being bored about District matters. and
'ur people would enter at once unon a selr-rs-
liant, energetic and hopeful career befittin9 AN
American community Of I7O, 900 people