National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-13
PREPARING FOR BATTLE.
HOW THE DISTRICT rHrEsrfoATxoN
Is TO BE coxDUeFER

MEETING OF THE SCB-ColNNrTnE YES
TERDAY-THE MEMoRIALlsTs TO MAKE
SPECIFIC CHARGES UNDER OATH, AND
NAME THEIR wITNEssEs-wHAT WILL
BE REQUIRED OF THE DDIEICr GOVERN.
MENT.
The contemplated investigstson Of District 81.
fairs does not give promise Of me sensational in.
forest at first attributed to IT, ~ the sub-eoMnit-
tee have mapped out . programme which, - .
foundation-stone, has purely legal principles.
Many weeks and months squandered In the last
Congress have given waning that the present
committee are disposed to heed, and eompels .
errng in the exposal Of Rtihos - Il 10 in the cub
sanitation Of guilt. Il consequently occurs that
vague rumors will not safice to destroy thechar.
acter Of men long identified with the city. and
tangible evidence Of wrong must be shown before
Islander has its sway. As already stated In THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,, . gubcommittss, con-
sisting Of Senators Boutwell, and Thurman and
Representatives Wilson and Hamilton, was ap.
pointed to arrange the line Of action to b pur-
sued by the whole committee. In accordance
with this the subcommittee have held several
meetings and have adopted . report which en-
bodies the following features: ~ u, 80.
The Board Of Public Works are directed 70 fur.
nish detailed statement of the contracts entered
into; their conditions and prices; the actual meas
urements ofthe work performed; the payments BY
the Board Of Public Works on account Of ths i'm
provements; the present liabilities Of the city and
the means OF meeting them; the character Of the
indebtedness, and general ''balance sheet" which
will give the present financial condition Of the
District. They are also required to furnish .
statement Of the finances Of the cities OF Washing
ton and Georgetown and the county prior to their
taking office. This is intended as the first step in
the Investigation" and is to supply the ground
work for further labors. Upon the satisfactory
compliance with this request the ''memorlslists"
are TO commence work. In turn they are to be
required to present formal charges of crime, mis-
give tho names Of the parties who are to appear
as witnesses to vouch Tor or substantiate the &C
cusations. Under this arrangement, It will be
principles alone, the memorialists occupying the
place Of complainants, and the District aufhori-
ties being the defendants.
specific charges of guilt have been made in the
petitions presented and 1t Is deemed Just to all
an BE e
In short the burden Of proof will lie with the me-
morialists. As this course may DO provocative Of
vancement, IL must in justice be stated that the
subcommittee propose direct action, and no cir
cumlocution, which can only mean injury to the
Citations being exhibited. The members Of the
committee argue that If the memorialists accuse
they must be able to make good their ACCUSE
tions, and there is little desire to permit them to
come into court and have the defendants make out
their case. This is all upon the presumption that
the statements required Of the District authori-
ties will be clear exposition of innocence of GRIM
tnal intent and freedom from all irregularity or
1t is further argued that Con-
gressional examination was not "prayed for" but
an Investigation Of declared offences Is requested.
Already several members Of the committee have
received written communications making diverse |
and where the real names are at |
tached to these letters m opportunity will be
therein contained.
A meeting of the entire committee will be held |
to-day to consider the report Of the subcommittee.