National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-18
TIE GOVERNMENT OF THE DIS
TRITT.

TRIyT.
The subjcc. UppP' most in the minds of
all our CiIiLens at the present time is the
future government of the District In an
article Yesterday morningwe gave it as our
opinion that it is necessary that in some
form or another we should have voice in
the management of our local affairs. We
pointed out that the Republican party, as a
party, cannot afford to set the example to
the country of entering upon policy of
disfranchisement and reputation of that
which it has always held and maintained
to be the safeguard of republican institu-
tions-the ballot. Ii was in this District
that the experiment of charging the
elective franchise was first made. 1t was
here that in other days, under the leader
ship Of men whose names and regulations
belong to history, that the Republican
party entered upon the policy of equal
rights for all men, and avowed it
TO the world. Have we come to the point
where we find it necessary to undo what
we have done; to tear down the house we
have built, and brand as unworthy of our
to whom as party we have practically iEss
trusted the political destinies of nearly one
half of the Union? Is the Republican
party in Congress prepared to make this
admissiOn-an admission which carries
with il the condemnation of the party
itselC-which will be pointed to by the
Opposition in every State in the South as
the confession here, at the capital of the
country, of the fallacy and unwisdom of
all that il has done?
In another column this morning we give
an idea of the feeling in the city upon the
subject. 1t will be seen that even Demo
Gratis are opposed to the proposition which
seems TO have found Judgment in certain
quarters of a total Acknowledgement of the
white and black citizens of the District.
True to the traditions, the policy and the
platforms Of their party they demand some
voice in the management of their own af-
fairs. How much more keenly should Re-
publicans, with their policy of impartial
suffrage, the elevation Of every man of
every race and every religion, feel upon
the subject? The proposition of dismem-
bering us as q community and taking us in
segments and fragments to this and that
Department of the Government, put
ting our whole local anatomy under
tie control Of a body of clerks ap-
pointed from Alaska and Colorado, is
ridiculous, absurd and monstrous. Wash
ington is, in point of population, the
twelfth city in the Union. In every way
we outTank several of the States and nearly
all Of the Territories put together. We
pay more revenue to the Government than
Delaware or Florida. In point of intelli-
genCe and culture we are inferior to none
of our sister cities in the Union. Why,
then, should we not stand upon the same
plane that they do and obtain that form of
government which, from experience, they
have found TO be the best suited to their
necessities? The General Government
owes Washington and its citizens certain
duties and obligations When they are
properly presented, as they will be at the
coming session of Congress, we have the
faith that they will be discharged fully and
generously. But TO obtain all that we
ought TO obtain it is not necessary that we
should sign away our freedom as citizens,
and five were ready or willing to do 50
tie Republican party cannot, as a party,
approve the bond.