Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-02-14
The Goyernorsbtr.

~ o passage o. the bill providing ter ritoria
government for the District Of Columbia having
been regarded a a foTegone conclusion, the
fricTd ia Of divers ambitious persOnages have
been for some time past csnvassing the chances
o their favorites for the GovernorshiP, and we
understand that petitions are already in ctrcu-
it;iOn IN behalf OF several Of the aSphsnts The
l,-t OF persons willing to accept the place Is
already pretty large, and on the increase, and Ii
r. said to include quite number OF non resident
sentIemer. Indeed, we are advised that those
Who are lust now most prominently pushed tor
the POSITION are citizens respectively of Nebras-
la Alabama, Illinois and Wisconsin.
There can OF course be no objection to the
discussion of this question taking the widest
possible range, consistent with the tenor of the
IaW. both as to persons and their supposed
C.alns and actual fitness tor the place but, in
view of the plain provisions and intent of the
isw. the time spent in making capital for nom
resident aspirants would seem TO be thrown
away.
We quote the passages from the second ard
seventh sections OF the biE bearing upon this
Point, a. follows:
Sec. ? '.The governor shall be A
citizen OF, and reside within, said District, and
have the qualifications of an electOr.
sec. .. IAN male citizens of the United
States, above the age OF twenty-One years, who
shall have been actual residents OF said District
lCU three months prior to the passage of this
act, except such a. are non comPoS mentis and
PERSONS convicted Of Infamous crimes, shall be
entitled TO vote at said election, in the election
district or precinct in which he shall then re-
side, and -han have so resided for thirty dsys
IVA Nedistely preceding said election, and shall
re eligible TO any Office within the said District
ard Tor all subsequent elections twelve month";
rr.or residence shall be required to constitute
voter"
But, aide from the legal obstacles above ex-
pressed, there would be manifest impropriety
md injustice in appointing any one but bona
f-s citizen of the District to the COvernorshio
and against the appointment OF any other We
desire, without committing ourselves for or
against any individual, 10 protest, most respect
tally but earnestly, in advance.
The conditions which surround an ordinary
territorial organization Do not exist here. We
Layc none OF the turbulent and unsettled eIe-
meniS which constitute the primary occupants
81 frontier sections. This is neither a City
Refuge for escaped criminals, an experimental
held for soldiers of fortune, nor vet adapted As
hospital for decayed and discarded politicians.
The citizenship vt the District of Columbia is
composed mainly Of persons firmly settled in
ife. and strongly attached TO their homes We
ave a population greater than either of the
States Of Delaware, Nebraska, Oregon or Ne
vada,-equal to that OF both the tive latter added
iog,ther-snd nearly half Of that of all the Ter
rtories combined. Property and life are a.
secure, the grade of intelligence is as high, and
TIE standard OF morals as pure here as any
= here in the United States; and this community
Is IN every sense a. competent 10 furnish proper
GCytTTOrs for the several States and Territories
a. try are TO furnish one for h. We ask, there
tore, that our new ruler. whether he Is TO be
h'rg Log or king Stork, shah be chosen from
Byr own midst.