Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-31
AGITAfORS IN COUNCIL.
They want q Change In the District
Government.

torisl form OF government for this District:
l. 10 make the upper house (CounciD slec-
tive by the people. 2. To make three members
OF the Board OF Public Works elective by the
people. 3. That both branches of the Legisla-
ture be elected for a term of two years, and be
allowed to regulate the time and manner of
their meeting. 4. To give the Legislature full
power TO regulate all licenses for doing business
IL the District of Columbia
committee was appointed to arrange for ga
mass meeting, irrespective of party" 20 discuss
the questions at ISSUE which action eliminated
in the meeting last nigh, at Legislative hal. A
mixed crowd assembled OF all classes, colors and
conditions. The marine band was engaged and
stationed on the portico in front to draw In the
boys ard i'll up the interim between the
speeches.
Prominent among the crowd were Prof. A. NJ.
Piper, A. III. Underwood, x. s. Davis, Marcel
lus West, VIM. Boron, Charles Peters, Thorn As
W. Chase, Amos hunt, DIR. j. l.. n. Bowen,
Louis H. Douglass, s 5: Baker, o. s. B. Wall,
l.. g. Hine, W. II. Dustin, Bill Brazil, Charles
L. Hulse, Joseph Brooks, W. II. Clagett, ID.
Hudnell, NJ. +. Urell, Charles Walter Dr. a.
PuTyis, Sidney Herbert, W. II. Slater, w. H.
TaliafeIro, John George Adams C. H. Bliss
Arthur Pannell, james Long.
REGRETS FOR THE ABSENT SPEAKERS.
mr. Matthew Trimble called the meeting to
oIuer ana read the call, after which he stated
that several prominent gentlemen had been in
Flted 10 be present to speak on the matters at
issue, and he regretted that so few of them
were present. The German element in this
District hah taken hold with them in most
earnest manner; they had appointed commit
tee TO cooperate with the committee from the
hrst meeting alluded to, and through their eff
forts this large crowd had been gathered to-
getheT. He wished it distinctly understood that
this action had no reference to or identity with
the memOrialists, or that the movement was a
fight against the Board of Public Works
Among the prominent persons to whom Invita-
tions had been extended to address this meeting
he was sorry to see but one o. two. These gem
temen had been invited without relation to
party, and their names were used in the pub
llshed list without any authority; he would say
this in Justice to them. He thought there were
ing, which he left in the hands of the people
to take such action as they might think expe-
dent.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
Joseph Brooks, of the LIST legislative district
nominated l.. q. Hine, 1.-THE defeated Candidate
for Congress at the last election,) as chairman,
and he was chosen by reclamation. Mr.. Hine
came forward and returned his acknowledge
ments, saying there were others present
who could better state fully what were the OBJ
Jects OF the meeting. If it was in favor OF a
change of government representing the citi
Zens, then he was in favor OF il. DR.. Purvis L.
II. Douglas, W. II. Slater, NJ. NJ. Holland and
others, were nominated as secretary, but de-
clined to serve, and DIR. j. l.. n. Bowen was
elected, with Prof. 4. NJ. Green as assistant
Mr.. Trim bic nominated j. NJ. Langston, Thos
McMahon, Peter Campbell, Louis Sciade,
Madison Davis, John e. Cox, DE We're Burr
Geo. W. BOhreT, NJ. j. Fitzgerald, Dennis Con-
nell, VIM. BurkeTt, Conrad Rasun, A. Holsten
and Charles Walter as vice presidents, and they
were elected.
PETITION TO CONGRESS.
MI Urell submitted resolutions providing for
the appointment by the chair OF a committee of
one hundred TO petition Congress to grant the
points set forth in the circular containing the
objects of the meeting, and that said commit
tee he authorized TO represent the citizens of
" ashington before the appropriation commit
tee Of Congress.
During the reading of the resolutions by MIR.
Crell he frequently interpOlated his own views,
Fravr L. a al ~, -
OF the resolutions proceed, and let them be dis
cussed afterwards.
At the conclusion Mr.. Nicholas Watkins got
the floor, and said there appeared TO be
CAT UNDER THE MEAL
somewhere and he proposed to let it ont, he
moved 10 amend by allowing the members of
the Legislature to meet every day in the year at
the rate of s. per diem pay. Considerable con-
fusion followed this, and after some discussion
the motion was lost.
The chair introduced Mr.. y. G. Ordway who
would tell what he knew about it,"
WHAT MR.. ORDWAY KNOWS ABOUT IT.
MIR. OIdway came forward, and after briefly
rehearsing the acts of the District government,
said that when the project was formed for a
change of the old District government and the
formation of the present one he with many
others advocated IL; it was, however, explicitly
understood that the officers were to be elective,
with the exception of two members of the Board
OF Public Works 10 represent the United States
government, who were TO be appointed by the
President. This should have been the basis of
financial balance between the two could have
been more equal and the credit of the District
preserved. He admitted that much had been
accom- pllshed In the way OF Improvement since
the new government came into power, but the
lavish and loose expenditure of the public
money had drifted them to sea. The cues
tons which most interested us are: "What
shall we say of the present, and what shall
we do in the future" He did not wish
to cry down the certificates and other paper
the District Indebtedness, but
r a q IN han tie
restore the credit OF the District. He had some
100000 invested here, all he possessed, and
felt some interest in protecting the public
credit. He believed the Council should be
elective, as the taxpayers would be better sat
isred. The present system OF appointing these
important officers e so repugDant that he had
no patience with any who advocate il.
The Vi arine band here PLAYED a march, after
which william Boron moved to amend the res
o buttons, making the offices of water registrar
and tax collector elective.
The Chair took no notice of the notion but
introduced
MAJOR NJ. BEHLE, AN ADOPTED CITIZEN
from Germany, who said that the institutions
here were fast approaching the monarchical
form in vogue in Europe; here we have no free
dom any more, no free press. Hishearers must
excuse him; he was but Dutchman, and he
couldn't help this father and mother were
Dutchmen. Much had been said against the
Board of Public Works; some say ''it's all add
lie.' He could not see how very much better it
would be to elect the Board of Public Works, as
they would be just as likely to elect thieves as
the President Is to appoint them. Here some
one attempted to interrupt the speaker, when
he turned towards the individual and remarked
I'm doing this th;ng."l Some were in favor
of electing them for three years, but he thought
that was id long time. IL is also proposed to
give the license power TO the Board Of Public
Works. As German, he was not fighting for
his lager beer. but for great principle. Any
body knows that man cannot be forced to be
virtuous, nor can the strong arm of the law gov
ern our appetites. Virtue needs no cOmpulsion,
The question which interests the Germans most
IL whether church property is to be regarded by
the constitution of the United States as exempt
from taxation. Does the national government
recognize stated religion? He confessed that
be did not own a foot OF land in this District
but by he paid bis board bills and his rent.
MR.. WALL WANTS A CHANCE.
Mr.. .. Il. 5. Wall was the next speaker and
said he wanted TO put himself on record as
fayoling change in the District government
After music by the Marine band, the chair
introduced Mir: W. III. Clagett who started out
by saying that he was
VICTIM OF MISPLACED CONFIDENCE
In men who had been put in power by their own
rottenness, and are retained there by their own
slime. Some call him a democrat and he
thought II he was all would in less than ten !
years lind themselves democrats too. The leo
pie living in his district had thought that he
could represent them in the Legislative Assem-
bly,, but he was sorry to inform them that he
l..