The sun., 1873-09-13

Gov. Cooke ON hIs Travels.
IlrNEY u. CuoKr. WHO is about to visit
Europe, an :, accordint to his own ne
count, 10 retire from oniDiu connection
with the District of Columbia before tho
meeting of Congress, uuitcs three func-
tons ln ms own person lie Is Governor,
Ir' sidcut ot The Board OF pulSic Works
nni financial Chi ( of the Washington
R.ns. When the Territorial Government
was substituted for the oil municipality.
under the false pretcuce that corruption
and plundcr were to be cured by the
change, he was selected by the President
a. Governor in June, ISL, and has cxcr-
ciscd the functions Of that responsible
office all through the will career of ex-
tnyagance. outrage, and robbery with
which the unfortunate people OF Wash
ington have lecn visited during the last
two years.
The four other persons who besides him
self composed the ur ,iual Boar of Pub
lie Works were appuu.ei at his instance.
They were a. X. SHEPHERp, an ilitcntc
plumber, daring, aud of desperate fortune.
at the time; :. u, Be. vs.. then dcfuultcr
on the books of the rr,asu y tor SIS. 900 a.
former Navy Agent at Washington: A. B.
MULLErT, architect Of the Treasury and u
confederate Of SHrPurRr, who pleaded his
piyilC gc as a British suble during the
rebellion; and J. \. MAGRrpER of George
town, notorious for di,grace.ul dealings
with the estate of one DopGE.
OF these FIVE only two, COOKE nnd Snrp-
HERD, were taxpayers, ana they only to II
limited extent. Two of the other three.
BRowN and MAGRrprR. could not hold
property in their own names and NIL
LETT had nothing bat hi, salary and the
spoils derived from his position, a. the
public records Of ISL will show. since
then they have all nc lurtd wealth, lived
sumptuou-ly aud figured IL tho vulgar
show at the capital.
The Legislature IS G., imposed Of two
branches. Council appointed 10y the Pres
idcut, and House Of pplegltc,, elective.
GOV. tookE name all the former, and 10y
a cont nation with native ami imported
negroes. which (, rmcd q part Of his pro-
grammc he indicated every candidate for
the latter. \ legion OF ,ubordiuatcs in
the newly created once. derived their
appointments from him directly.
1t Is thu, seen that he was the pivot upon
The general scheme of p.uudcrug the
District had been concocted while the bill
was pending before Congress. That /,
shown by the radical changes made in the
first project to which many of the best
citizens subscribed in tAc hope of escaping
fate like that of South Carolina, ana in
the eXorhitaut powers conferred on the
Board of Public Works.
/ 1. IL.
auspices, and in a short time the cloveI
foot was fully shown. COOKE and SuEP-
HERD divided absolute power between
them. The former undertook all the mou-
eyed operations, and the latter the con-
duct of the comprehensive plan OF
improvements They two have run the
whole government in every part, aud
made il the most Infamous drspotism now
existing, Even Louisiana i, "a paradise
compared with the tyranny, thieving, and
knavery which rule at Washington.
GOV. COOKE receives a salary of $1,000 q
year as Governor, and hc took an oath e
perform faithfully the duties for which ht
is thus literally paid. Yet il il notorious
that he gives no attention whatever 10 the
office, does not go near il, ana leaves
everything but the money matters 10 the
care of subordinate.
Without the color Of law, he has con
trivcd 10 grab all the revenues of the Dis
trict for The First National Bank, Of which
he is the ostensble President, without pay
ing Il cent Of interest on these deposits
He has negotiated all the loans without
the least accountability, and at rates tC
suit his own convenience. With the con,
trol Of these millions to bank on to shay,
certificates of contractors, and to max,
loans without risk, because OF his relation
90 the Ring, il Is easy to understand how
immousc profits have been realized, anC
why this Governor has abandoned hi
proper duties for the coming OF money
from an oppressed community.
Ii is true SHErH ERD has appeared NOR,
conspicuously before the public bevaus,
he has been the out door manager OF con
tracts and Of the system of eXtortioI
which is now familiar TO the whole coun
Try But there is no difference in gun
between them. If there be a shade or de
gree 1t Is in favor of SHEPHERD, who u
le'is' does not uilvot rel 9ion or pretend I,
De moral "A, his partner in this miuuit,
noes' one asscssos the toll Ikea highway
man aud the other trades uuou if wine,
coll''tcd, well knowing who WAS robhrd
ihe attempt made to screen CooKE bn
hlhu The broader bust Of the Ross will
"h"h ne L. associated. Is fraud nm,
known 10 be a fraud by those who hay
"h'!licI 10 u'h.'Nc Il decor ton. He hn
seen win ms own eyes, hron appealed I
to' h'u by his own friends, and rCnd th
'h""shnd criticisms on the most ploriu
'"'"Hes' without ever raising hand I