National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-29


she present win continue at Tenth and D
streets, at which place all persons having busi-
meas relations with the paper will CALL Due
notice will be given of the removal of the
business department to the new REPUBbacAN
building. = ..,..,...
THE WAR UPON THE ADMINS
.TRATION AND THE DISTRICT.
Yesterday morning we printed the petit
zion to Congress ola number OF proiessed
friends of the District asking for an investi-
ration into its affairs. 1t was presented by
Senator Thurman, of Ohio. 1t contained
nothing new. twas the simple reiterataon
Of the old charges, the old calumnies and
the old ISLANDERS with which, since the or
kanization of the present government our
readers are so familiar, and with which the
Journals opposed to the administration OF
General Grant have been filled during the
last three years. They are the same old
charges which have been rejected by the
courts; declared false and unfounded by
Congress, and repudiated by the people In
tiection after election. Their representa-
hon to Republican Congress now by those
Kho have been the enemies OF the Repub-
hean party since it was organized; by those
Eho, with one or two exceptions, sympa-
ihiyed with the rebels in the late war, whose
agents supplied secret information to the
Enemy ); who rcjoiced when Early
srained his guns upon the city
who supported Mcclellan upon an
gn8-war platform; who subscribed their
money for Seymour, and who, onlya year
Ind Q half ago. joined in the crusade OF
sanything to beat Grant," is nothing more
nor less than a move upon the political
shess-board of 1876. Mr.. Thurman was
telected to present it. Since the last cleo
lion in Ohio Mr.. Thurman has been placed
n Thinning for the Presidency. Mr.. Jere-
tnish 6. Black and two or three other pa
riots have been intrusted with the manage
nelt and direction of the campaign, the
Srst step in which is to break down the Re-
publican party through General Grants
administration. Intentionally or uninten-
honally our patriotic petitioners have been
lnade the catspaws of these designing poll
hcians, and at any risk, and at any hazard,
J. must be proven that the gentlemen whom
General Grant. and the Republican party
have intrusted with the work of making
Washington what it should bean honor,
instead of disgrace to the Union-are as
xicked, as corrupt and as unscrupulous
Is the late Tammany ring in New
York, the exposure of whose crimes
killed the Democratic party. This is the
game. Tie Washington ring, as it is called,
p to lie mad Ire. ts,qsafteasI I and
Mr.. Thurman is to pe neIaIucu % Tue coun-
Try as the great reformer, the pure and
Spotless candidate of whitewashed De-
nocracy in the next Presidential election.
This explanation is necessary to proper
understanding of the political animus that
underlies and inspires the present attack
upon the District officials. Washington is
supposed to be the most vulnerable point
In the Republican line, and a demonstration
Is made upon it for the purpose of over
&helming the party. Will the Republican
majority in Congress allow itself to be made
the tool of Thurman and Black and the
gang of malcontents who, for purposes Of
their own, have consented to be the mere
agents and abettorS!
So far as the city of Washington and the
District of Columbia are concerned. there
5 another point from which the whole case
may be considered. The petitioners, in the
oaper which they have caused to be pre-
,ented, declare that they are friends to i'm
movements The assertion is false upon
che face of it. When the District govern
ment was organized-before a contract was
given out-before shoyelful of mud was
removed from the streets and avenues, which
we're disgrace to the city-these very same
men went to the courts and obtained an in
junction restraining the Board of Public
Works from going on with the improve
ments. At that time there was no COM
plant of corruption; no contracts had been
made, no taxes had been assessed; it was
The very beginning of the stupendous work
which has since been accomplished; but
they placed themselves against all improve
ncnt, and declared that Washington
should remain in the old ruts and be for all
lime the wretched place which they, by
their Bourbon ideas, by their stupid, bigoted
opposition, had helped to make it. Baf1ed
IN their first efforts to hamper the pro-
xress of the city, they have ever
yince continued, in every way
hey could, the work of obstruction. The
District of Columbia has during the last
two years suffered more at their hands than
It is possible to estimate. They have depre-
:iated its securities, impaired its credit,
llienated those who were inclined to be
friendly to it, driven away capital, and
caused more suffering to the poor and the
weak than could be told within the limits
of newspaper article. In word, they
must be classed as public enemies, whose
sGae policy is to ruin what they could not
Tle.
So far as the District government Is con-
ssrned, it has successfully met investigation
before, and we are confident that it can do
10 again. The record of its magnificent
achievement stands, and cannot be blotted
out. The wisdom of its worksis every
where manifested in the growth ofthe city
In all that goes to make community great
and prosperous. Our population has in
creased, properly has almost doubled in
value, and in no city in the world has 80
much been accomplished for the same
amount of money. No man who
has signed the petition which
Or. Thurman has presented could to-day
be elected to any ofice In the gift Of the
people, and In assailing at this time the men
who are intrusted with the management Of
lts affairs. they have oAly intensified the
pcorn in which the majority Of them are 30
aeservedly held. The animus of their at
aack is, as we said, two-fold: First, per:
Donal crusade against individual n,smbers Of
The present government; and. second, an
stack upon the administration Of President
Grant, who b responsible fos thsir appoint