National Republican., 1873-04-10
WASHINGTON.

news and In the oaort TO make paper worthy
Of the national capital.
80 wAsHINer0N.
No city In tho Uniou has had so desperate
q struggle for lie prosperity and advance
lncnt as Washington. Seventy years ago II
started out with tho most magnificent inton-
tions aud rosc-colorod expectations. The
Father Of the Country himself laid out the
avenues and streets Of the capital, which was
70 be to tho republic Of tho United States What
London 10 10 England, Paris TO France, Or
what olden Rome was to tho empire Of the
Cpssra Washington was 70 10 the great
contre Of the Union, the coutre Of politics,
Of art, OF science, Of all that tho youngest
and most advanced nation had 10 offer In the
way Of progress and enlightenment. But
scarcely had its foundations been laid, scarcely
had the forests and the farms been cleared
and thesoat Of empire definitely defined, when
tho struggle which has continued even down
10 the present day began. Enemies and op-
poncuts 10 the young capital rose up In that
day, As they hayo In this. Jefferson
ian Democracy camo with hostility
to appropriation, with non-intcr;orence
with the States ~ the Unltod States, with
oppositiou 10 tho national idea. Tho cry
was, the State capitals and not the capital Of
the states. Jeaorsonian Democracy wanted
no capital, would not have 10 II Il could have
helped H. II this city, pitched In sort Of
desert, upoa neutral territory, unaided by
phyricAi advantages, could thrive and pros-
per Of itself and by itsoli, with iis poPaia-
ton Of oficc-holders, who came 10 Il rs 4
sort Of camp to hold onioes, 70 obtain honors
and emoluments, we'll and good; but, II not
why let Is die aud languiah and lead con-
snmpuye sort Of llfO. Tho States could not
build IT, State aid was contrary TO the Idea
OF tho party In power. They did not want a
sta.a, grand, rounded nationality % Wash
ipgton vented, but number Of States-pot
one oapital but many capitals. Il was Rich
mond In Virginia, Il was Annapolis In Mary
land; Il wAs albany In New York; II was
Harisburg In Pcnnsylssnia- Washlngton
might get along as best IL could. And
90 Il was, down 10 Tho days when
Buchasan's administration explrediu treason
10 tho country, when the idea OF one State,
and the idsa Of many states, ofmany nations,
and Of one nstion, elashed in armed eoufict,
and ths opposing armies Of the one and oi
the other STOOD face 10 faeo upon the Long
bridge. On that April morning twelve years
ago, when the advance guard Of tho legions
Of tho North swcpt down Pennsyivania ave.
nuo and spread their snowy tents and planted
their cannon along the Arlington hills; wheu
tho bcst blood Of the North and the East and
tho wost offered Itself In defence Of the M,
tiopal llfe-Although we, and no one else
saw Il 81 The timo-there ended, n mere IN
nrst great struggle Of Washington IN her en-
dssvor and aspiration TO be worthy Of ths
name she boro and Of the place she held n
the capital Of tho county r.,'f.
We mean 70 70 d little into history this
morning, 70 turn backward the pagns that
have been written, and sec what Of proai
and advantage We can hnd In them. The
fFst great struggle Of our city had scarcely
ended whom new one began. The leader,
Of the nav sAministratioa conceived tho idoa
whether Justly or not IL "a unnecessary 70 dis
cuss at the present time, that washlngtou',
sympathies were entirely with the South
that we would NJ any time have gladly vol
comod tho Confederate armies ~ deliyercr,
from hated Northern rulo, In other words
We were cot down a. disloyal, and whlis
millions Of dollars were froely expended ts
build forts and erect brcaktworks aud fortifJ
strategic polnts all around US, our prlncipa
street was little bctter than . quAgmire, oul
avenues, solely under tho control OF tho Con,
erh Government were = disgrneo and 70
proach- II 10 only few years ago, and the
youngest Of Us remember IL By and by our
rulcrs came 70 know us better; TO undsrtand
that the ISLANDERS upon our city were only
slanders, with no foundation In fact. And,
the stormy administration Of Mr.. johnson nj
IN end and Gen. Grant inaugursted as Presi.
dsnl there came TO US new life and new
spirit OF achievement and ondeayor. The
history OF the last few years ls too fresi
and too recent 10 need recapitulation
Washington, through the labors and exer.
tions 0f ib entorprising eitizens, petitioned
Congress for seh-goyernment and obtained
1t. 4 certain faction opposed the movement,
and their opposltion was developed Into tha
bltterest and most malignant hostility when
the men intrusted with the new administra.
tion Of affhlrs presented the plan Of improve
lncnts which has placed Washington In tho
front rank Of the cities Of tho world; which has
addoa twenty Ave Per cont 10 The yalue ol
every foot Of her real estate; which has IN
duued hundreds and hundreds OF wealthy
citizens from other portions Of the Unior
to settle here, which has made Washington
90 fAr rs moro municipal authority and dircc
tion can do 1t, the most beautiful city In ths
Union. Contrast the Washington OF to-day
with tho Washington Of eYen three yoarI
ago, and who s there among Us who would
be willing 10 return TO the old order Of thingsi
What real estate owner Is to-day poorer thar
he was theni Whst merehaAi or mannfae-
turer has suffered WhJ, men who were
comparatively poor q few years ago hare
boen maAo rieh In spite Of themselves Ele-
giant nansions have arisen upon tho goal
pastures, and the descrt wastes have blos.
somsd into glory and . beauty that remind
the stranger Of the Parisian bouieyards, Till
u NO mere rhetorical figure, Itbthe plAlnesi
and the simplest Of prose. Hrw y. r
During tho last few weeks the gentlemen
who have achieved these mAguiasent results
In tho face Of the most relentless opposition
have again been asaalled and attacked IN q
portion Of the press Of the country, and
notably BY the New York Tribune. We have
boon told that millions Of dollars have been
expended without warrant Of law; that mil
lions of dollars Of contracts have been can
celod within the last few days; that the
school fund, the police fund and the FIRE de-
partment fund have been Illegally used, and
finally that tho city Ia bankrupt, Yesterday
morning we printed the letter Of the Hon.
Alex. Il. Shepherd, Tho ylso president and
executive onicer Of tho Board Of Public
Works, to the editor Of tho Tribune, In an
sw9r to tho gross Misrepresentation that
have recently appeared In that journal. lie
shows, hrst of all, that contracts amounting
10 two millions have not as was CHARGED,
been cancelled; and second, that the Board
u Public Works u not bankrupt "a IL was