National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-31
REFORMERS IN COUNCIL.
TIE ED SUFFRAGEMEE
LAST NICHE.

1 SAOx N49AAAs
MANAGEMENT OF THE DISTRICT GOVERN
MENT DIsCUsSED-MR. ORDwAYc ON HON
ESTY wv. H. CLAGETT's BILL OF
wRONGs-THE DISQUALIFICATION
WHAT CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE
THE GOVERNMENT PERFECT.
A few weeks sgo about thirteen members the
| District government held an informal meeting IN
the thirdstofy back room Of Metasfott's building,
and with remarkably unanimous vote Of the
members not reelected to the Legislature adopted
resolutions to petition Congress to change the
organic act creating the Territorial form Of gov
crnment in the following particulars: ]. To make
the upper house tCouncil) elective BY the people.
z To make three members Of the Board Of Public
Works elective by the people. 3 That both
branches Of the Legislature BE- elected for term
Of two years, and DO allowed TO regulate tho time
and manner Of their meeting. 4 To give the
Legislature full power to regulate all licenses for
doing business in the District Of Columbia.
A committee from those present was appointed
to get up mass meeting 70 blow the scheme BE-
fore the public, this meeting to Be .irTespective
mature deiiOeratiop, hit upon last night Tor ne
public meeting, and circulated invitations plenti
hlly: Legislative hall was designsted g the
rallying point, and the hour fixed ct 730 O'Clock.
| A brass band was posted outside to drum In the
crowd, and about Q o'clock nearly Thousand
American eitisens were to BE- fountin the walls Of
Among those Of nOto,,sty present we're noted
NJ. PiowS.n, S. s. baker, Bill Brasil, L O..
Hine, Nat. Sardo, ". H. Dustin ". H. Clssctt,
S Tns Matinee T1SS: 4 H. rude W.
Squire Walter, Resolution Green, Sidney Her
bert, Arthur Pannell and VIM. H. Slater.
| Mr.. TRIMBLs
read tho advertised call for the meeting and the
4 II IL 49, AnA kn,- ~..~A g.
tain distinguished gentlemen whom No expected
1 to be with us this evening" He referred to the
special influence q the "t3rman element Of our
He referred to the failure Of the same scheme
as submitted to the District Legislature, and the
70 Il out e
gress, and disciaimed oil light against the Board
aBut one or two Of the large number Of distfn-
| guished gentlemen invited to address You this
evening are present" and few have .de.ped Ito to
public print as speakers tonight was without
their consent knowledge Or appreciation
| Joseph Brooks nominated L g. Hine q chair
He was elected without opposition, and was
escorted to the stand by Major Ureh He ten
supposed some one would DO found 70 fully state
the object Of the meeting. lift was for . govern
ment representing the people, then no was In
Dr. Purvis, Mr.. Slater, Mr.. Douglass and DR..
Bowen were nominated for secretary.
| The three former declined to act, and DR..
Mr.. Holland was elected Is assistant secretary,
and refused to act.
his declination was refused.
| Mr. Trimble then nominated long list Of vice
Bohrer, N. J. fitzgerald, Dennis Cornell, VIM.
ME- fireil then offered resolutions providing
i that committee Of one hundred persons DO mp.
pointed BY the CHAIR to petition Congress to grant
| stating the object of the meeting.
Mr. Wall objected to explanatory remarks being
that they should BE- discussed after being read.
a voice ~ move they be adopted"
Watkins, arose, and said he Thought that the
third resolution conaicted with common sense. 1t
showed
"a CAT IN THE MEAL-TuB,
and he proposed to let It OUT He suggested N
S ss :. =
'' The speaker was cried down 5y demands for the
A voice moved that the amendment be laid on
the table, and 1t was vociferously carried:
The CHAIR here introduced Mr.. M. g. Ordwsy
amid cries for vote on the resolutions.
that he thought the Improvement. should have
%aa sH s
is gone. There is q lack Of responsibility. The
speaker here produced quire Of foolscap, in
he desired to make. The question is, "What are
We doing in the present, snd what shall We do in
the future?" He did not want to cry down the
District credit. All he had in the world, and
more than ALL is invested here in this District.
The present system Of appointment in the Dis.
e g on
| The Board of Public Works "needs brakes put on
It." He appealed to all to consider wen this
connict going ON between this one-man power and
the viii Of the people. It Is an outrage to have
Of the members betray their constituents and cry
money, money, and vote for money. He claimed
in paying them here, but they have been 80 often
levied that he could not keep track Of them. He
had q contract with Mr. Slater, the collector, to
tried tried to get i word, but Was cried down. Why
should our loo, 900 Inhabitants be
| THE WARDS OF THE NATION.
He had conversed with Congressmen, who CON
Cured with him in favoring the creation of the
The best feelings Of our manhood are wiped out
| in the form Of government We now have. lap.
plause. A voice, "Ha Aim esia:"l, He had lost
kept his manhood. He was there because the
meeting seemed to be ~ renewal Of tho fight on
his own line" The irregularity Of distribution Of
4
reason why change In our government should pc
made. The loss Of credit Is another reason. We
is carrying Us to ruin. HHe biushed for shame
when he thought that the credit Of this city was
being dragged in the dust" Let rs show Con-
that tns ARE Ss9 E9iSn ss1 10 d sa.s
TMo years si Ssvns changed S purpose q sis
| mind. Let us work TO do something to stay Up
aalns S By Ii. 5.nS Boron
an amendment, providing for the election Of the
| tax collector and water register.
The Chair refused to recognize the offer Of the
| amendment and introduced
an adopted German-American citizen, who said
he was - only Dutchman, but his father couldn't
help it and his mother couldn't help It," Laugh
ored Struggling for thar fights The District is
foster child Of the nation. The speaker said he
did not own . foot Of ground here;
"Bur PAY NY RENT, By GOT"
Your presence here shows there !: something
ieSisiators are derived rom the people, ana If We
| do not want to grant them, he said, "then, gen.
tiemen, let's 60 home" He hoped they would not
meet to break down The credit Of the District.
i Don't forget that selected men arc som etfmes
big shieye, q appointed zones" f. 2:
enough."] Tho speaker then went for the license
question, and claimed that Germans love "lsger
Of t the law VIII never make vaoas
| We want moral suasion. Virtue never knows
compulsion He then discussed the question,
aDoes the United States recognise stated re;
ligion Z" and urged that church property should
not be exempt from taxation, lCalls Of slime, y
senough."l The speaker thanked the audience
| for its attention and closed.
! After music by the band, Mr. O. 8. B. Wall wai
put mp for speech amid deafenihg. cries foI
Green. Quiet being restored, Mr.. Hall said he
wished TO put himself ON record - in favor Of
extended suffrage" and REFORM He thought
We should endeavor omake our form Of govern
ment more perfect snd get the right to sbfeak ur
rings" and be treated with deOency when awe
visit an ofhcial" He only desired TO place him.
self right before the public. Renewed applause
AMER music By the band, the sudiencs wal
SPEECH BY v. n. cLAeIrf, 3. fr =
! who said he was victim Of misplaced ccnndenoe
in men who had been put Into power by their oML
| rottcpness and are retained there ~ tneif oMi
, slime [Applause.J He bad been 6gbting ege!ns
wrong ever since he was boy, and tntended 70 dt
40 unffl God put him under the God. Voices: s0t
: ahead 70 .Tslk Il r. Wild applauSe.I
> tail government. They called him DemoceAt
> he believed every man IN tho country would %
Democrat ten yeaxs hence. He thought the Hons
fof Delegates Was fsSoe, only des1gDed - NJ n
9 tbilla for the ~House Of 1sordDn upSteira III
! general sewer bill never wss feed ~ nye dele
d tSctss and newer Vna road at all IN the uppo