National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-16
OF THE DISTRICT
from Fyrsf Psge.1

Her.Ia n the 9Th Of January, iIs6, the soneudiss
vsrssraph OF which ie as follows: .s s,x,.r
The city Of Washington, eonsides,eSS eaicu.
sa P ssai Of ~ s,e EXTENT the
Of AZ avenues and public squares sSeu oh;ec. ssr
respond With the magnituds Of 20 , SGisss XII
Eaieh Il was inteRoea; an and Van Of the city to
sseoeniae in them the gsniss u.s.. 81
shs 3 SnG% tSs inc 0''
pr aeFs g. nv s1
he nvseSl.understood garpose Of It's founders 70
ESTABLISH city whicA WAS to be national and In
whose growth and prosperity the whole country
fnis city was 10 be grand civic monument, TIRE
one ppot IN which was to be gathered the treas,
Ore O. ana s u oss
Oee bond the whole people OF the natsoa;
LEGISLATION OF CONGRESS.
He traces the different forms OF govefnfnss,n.
sorporstion. Cites the opinion Of President JET
fefson as to the necessity for preserving ~. n
derived from the sale Of lots for the psrp ~
this fund grew large amount and wafuss nh ~
tho Government in the constructor W P1oi'S
Ms iRsn enamnes the derent charter acts Of
the city of Washington, and SHOWS ~ tne R.oS ,
ions Of law that the Government aamns ts ~ tss
improyem Mem Of the streets, &c.
Ne then recitcs the history OF ccrtnin important
when the city had incurred large Indebtedness
and was overwhelmed in debt and appealed to
Congress for aid.
the duty Of the Government expressed In the re-
port of the committee charged with the duty Of
the subsequent legislation was that Recommended
by the COMMITTEES he concludes that It Is the
highest legislative confirmation Of the PROPOSE
ton which he is endeavoring to establish, to VIII
That the burden Of improvements here should
be upon the General Government rather IMAM
upon the citizens.
SOME ERRORS CORRECTED
A common error prevails over the whole coun.
try that the United States at this time pays all
The expense OF the government OF the District q
and ne assea S % per.on. high
in of1icial position if the United States DID not
Fay for our recent Improvements.
SHORTCOMINGS Of the Government, and place its
neglect side by side with the efforts made 5y
private citizens. We are set down as miserable
the skirts Of Congress for sustenance; whereas
truth is the United States for the past seventy
q 1 Hsssaase' squee,ips the last possible penny
ont of them 70 carry on the very work which the
& q the I hsS sss their faith
The United States have stood by and have seen
their capital become . by-word and ecotfing
the shafts Of seorn and contempt and satire
pointed toward it without making single credit
able effort to avert them.
contributed to the condition Of things which, until
within o few years, made US Just object Of esn-
temp. 81. II and in mi. examination of what has
been done and left undone q striking evidence Of
the utter want Of unity Of purpose and design on
the part Of the Government in its exercise OF con-
For thirty years it did little more than hew out
some paths to the public buildings, and stake of
the streets and avenues for the people of the Dis
trict to improve; the exact amount expended by
Government in this period being sae,eVo-less
Who can defend this miserable parsmony, and
who can justify the conduct Of Government IN
thus trifing with q great public duty; imPoeed
upon il by the founders Of the capital. especially
when il, is remembered. that during the same
period il had realized 500 eco from the fmprovi.
dent sale Of lcts-funds which had been pledged
Look at your superb Capitol building. There
has never teea q moment since It was erected
when It's surTSrnGngs would compare Iay0TnG,y
dollars IN this marble pile, OF grand promise
without ard disappointment Within, but SUI
only lacks a horse-block and hitchiag-rack to
make it perfectly primitive and rural.
Look az the original plan Of the city, which
drew forth eulogiums from all quarters Of the
globe, and which occupied many Of the best hours
Of many early patriots, and see how 1t has been
With 10 common feeling of pride in the capital
pervaGing the country, and thus through the
people reaching Congress, and with no one to pro
test against Entertainments upon the idea which
found expression in the original plan, the surprise
is rather that we have city left at all OF sufficient
proportions and form to elicit the admiration Of
1t has been charged also tina. we are here not
only supported by Government, but that We are
an ahsie sn So y. nun drawing
When we ask aid the question is treated from
local stand-poin and not national one, and ap-
money given 10 The people OF the District; whereas
every dollar expended here by Government Is
more closely brought home to every citizen Of the
country than an appropriation in any form that
can be named. This is the only spot common to
the whole people On the face OF cur vast empire
where he feels he has personal pecuniary inter-
But, sir, i Will not allow the impression to go
uneontradicted that We iced upon ,i and 90 not
these District barnacles and leeches are the most
remarkable of their genus.
The report of the Commissioner Of the internal
revenue bureau for 1873 shows lpsge 1882 that the
District Of Columbia, since 1858, has paid, exclu
siye Of tax on income, into the Emitted States
Territories combined more than Arkansas, Flor |
fdn, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, or |
1regGn; and more than the salena 10 , Of the
since its foundation. In ten years this tax-bar |
dened District has more than reimbursed the Gov
common benefit Of own and private property:
Need stop e apply these iaets to remove the
Ii would seem to the natural vision that these |
leeches and barnacles would be profitable TO Gov
eminent If the species could be propagated and |
sent into some Of the States. |
Mr. Chairman. this city belongs to the United |
States. Il cannot be wiped out without giving |
. vital blow to the Government. II cannot be |
tramplod under foot without visiting wrong |
upon every man. woman and child in the nation. |
1t cannot be longer ignored without humiliation
and shame. A combination Of events has brought
the dut y Of Congress prominently before the coun
try, and members must reach some conclusion,
and it Eust be one they can defend before the
world
have read the press closely since we have been
placed in the cruciDle, and say that even the
papers most unfair ard prejudiced against the
agement take q high patriotic stand when SPEAK
ing of the duty OF Congress. have yet to ind Q
paper which advocates tho narrow view that the
and Identifying tie nations esp,aI especially as
the Government owns half the real estate and
possesses absolute proprietary control over every
In it. Even Mr.. Dana e Sun, whose columns pour
red hot lava upon the heads Of officers daily,
has never suggested tnat Songfess snGa,a ssano
improve Government property; but, on the con-
trsry, has urged just what l urEe-that II Is the
dnty Of Congress to contribute its Just proportion
Of the municipal expenses.
/ appeal to every member CT this House whose
constituents have visited this city within the last
year whether they have not gone home believing
II to be the duty Of Government TO aid in making
W Arlington the pride of the nation; and appeal
with shame, when Obliged to tell them how little
the United States have done to place the capital
why, air. France expended Sl5, ooo, 600 to open
the Boulevard Sebastopol. In Paris, and yet We
must plead as for o charity when We ask this rich
people to make . just, hxed. and certain appro
priation annually TO carry on Improvements in |
which the whole country 10 interested.
I confess. Mr.. Chairman, weary Of this contest |
year after year to obtain simple justice for the |
District Of Columbia. weary OF the Indifference |
OF Congress to the plighted faith Of the nation.
weary of the AFFECT dependence Of this commu-
nifty and the position Of obsequiousnsss which their
agent must submit to lest he offend some Con-
gTessionai propriety or step on some Congress
ional toe. weary Of combating the assumption
shat the District Of Columbia has no rights which
turn hopeleesly away from there halls IL did not
see around me Republicans and Democrats who |
will never willingly see Congress Hasten upon this
people Q perpetual bondage as the result Of their
unexampled efforts to redeem the nations capital
from disgrace.
No, MI. Chairman, It Is broader question We
are discussing than mere aid to community; II Is
whether the plans and purposes OF the early
fathers shall be carried out and the countryB
faith be kept; it is whether you shall have here
the finest public buildings in the world, and shall
hold half Of the soil In reservations and al the
streets and avenues In fee, and yet do nothing to
light your city to pave its Streets to protect your
houses and Departments from FIRE and from rob-
bers, TO secure proper sanitary protection-in
short, whether you will adopt o wise, patriotic,
and well-defined policy toward the
capital, and will act with some reference TO the
common pride In it which all Intelligent Ameri-
cans feel.