National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-12

pOt6eEklOn OF L0ls OlslIlct, Iuoy OIBaul1ou bu0
Corporation Of washington, then mayor and
city council, showing they understood the Oonsti.
tuition to give the District Q municipality, and
1t was the meaning Of the Constitution then and
now that this should be Q selE-governed people,
and there wa: no Just reason fSr This outrageous
epoch Of the country's history there were trying
ness and uncertainty Of those in authority. A
plan was growing to take away the national suf-
frsge and mutilate this District. A plot to upset
national sovereignty here in this District that
Washington set up, and popular rights are TO be
destroyed. Here American people by o moneyed
tTodSen under atthe feel Of The Codes: Of Liberty
He bid them rise in their might and check this
current ere It gained In such strength and rose TO
such power as to sweep their liberties of the
face Of the earth.
REMARKS OF Mr.. RIDDLE.
Mr.. A. @. Riddle was next introduced, and said
the officers proposed for the District take their
names from kings, and they would exercise kingly
powers y was said that the people 81 the Dis
have ceased to be citizens; he could not see why
they were deprived Of their rights they were
There was but one idea Of Americanism, that
This was in accordance with American ideas, and
1t was said that those who favor Regency had
not more extended American ideas.
The great trouble with the present government
Of the District was that the elements which en-
tered into It were foreign to the interests Of the
District. When the idea Of Congressional gov
eminent is thought Of It makes the District simply
Concerned, il simply meant that the citizens Of
the District have forfeited their citizenship. The
great dithculty arises in the great confusion Of
and fifty thousand people in Florida does not care
for the people of the District Of Columbia unless
he can do Something for the people Of his district
Congress meant and thought II this proposed gov
eminent was such good thing why Congress did
not Try II on in the States II regents are 50 good
Heved that every human being who had reached
the age Of majority should have o voice in bis
government. He also believed that woman should
The people at the Capitol think the citizens OF
the District are not tit to govern themselves
could not appreciate 1t. In the late government
the President Of the United States, himself
foreigner, appointed the Governor, another for
eigner. What cared they for the DISTRICT 1t is
further said that the District had Legislature!
U, Lord! what could they do? The Council, ap-
iSture' He next referred to the Board Of Public
Works and the Board Of Health, and claimed
that the latter was the only healthy concern In
the lot. The people Of the District have been in
training by Congress for about seventy-fve years,
and Congress has finally come to the conclusion
that they are not American citizens, and in the
end have reduced them to that bottom place that
they are unfit to govern themselves.
He thought the District under such clrcum-
stances should be re-ceded to Maryland. 1t was
cruel; an American community not governed by
themselves never succeeded. The President
should not say who shall govern the District, and
not be noticed by him. The people Of Washing
ton must ultimately govern themselves. He
agreed that the citizens Of the District occupied
position different from those Of the States, al
though here they pay taxes, own their property,
and therefore are entitled TO some consideration.
He again said the cause Of the trouble was the
confusion of ideas, and feeling that the District
should have a government made by appointment.
He closed by bidding his hearers to be Of good
cheer
Mr.. R. NJ. Hall, chairman of the committee on
resolutions. submitted the following:
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas the "MorrilI bill" for a government
for the District Of Columbia, now pending In Con-
gress, is anti-repubican in its principles, eompli
Gated, visionary and impractical in Its detail, and
IL enacted into a law would result In incaculable
injury to the best interest Of our citizens; there
fore
Resolpsd, That in the name Of the people of the
District Of Columbia, we protest against Its pas
sage by Congress as in direct contraventon OF the
great American principle OF home government.
First, because 1t takes away from US all right to
the ballot, in the election Of mere fraction
Of the school commissioners. Second, because 1t
places the selection OF our officers In the hands Of
the Federal Executive, with full power to place
over US strangers necessarily ignorant Of our
wants and Indifferent to our interests.
Resolved, That q committee Of twenty-five be
appointed to present to Congress the protest Of
THIS meeting against the passage Of the "Morrill
bill, and to prepare an address to that body rep
resenting the sentiment of the Peopleas expressed
RrSOlred, That the said committee be instructed
to ask Congress to frame for us an organic act
based upon the principles that "all governments
derive their Just power from the consent OF the
governed" as embodied in the timehonored
Declaration Of Independence and interpreted in
the Constitution Of the United States and organic
laws Of the several States.
Adopted.
ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. LIE Barnes presented NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
setting forth that the people Of the District OF
Columbia disclsim and emphatically deny the as
sertion that they do not desire popular govern
ment; refuting the charges made against the
old corporation; denying that the evils resulting
from the late administration Of the District were
from the election feature Of that government;
disapproving the amendment offered by Senator
Sargent to the morrill, bill;'' protesting against
the adoption Of any form Of arbitrary govern
ment; approving Of the bill presented in the Sem
ate by Mr.. Wright as the true principles Of o
government Of the people.
The resolutions also reflected upon the man.
agement Of the late government, speaking indl-
rectly Of the officers as being dishonest, and de-
fraudipg the Treasury Of the United States.
Mr. Himber moved that the resolutions be re-
ferred to the committee Of twenty-five, when ap-
pointed.
Mr.. Holmes moved that they be accepted as
Mr.. Himber objected, and claimed that the
House Of Delegates, as elected, were as much re-
sponsble as the executive Of the government,
being that they gave him all the power in exc
cutting work, giving out contracts, and by the
a, 0O0, 600 loan, and that no crime or fraud had
been proven against the executive or the mem
bers or the Board Of Public Works.
Mr.. Himber afterwards moved that the resolu-
tions be laid on the table, which was not enter
tanned by the Chair.
The resolution was then adopted.
Mrs. DIR. Mary Walker at this point stepped
upon the platform and said "Mr. President
A Voice ] move we adjourn.
The Chair. Gentlemen, DR.. Walker desires to
say few words as an American citizen.
DR.. Walker read the following:
Resolved, That the Congress Of the United
States De requested to pass an act to protect the
women OF the District in their rights of suffrage.
as the only permanent protection to the rights of
mems suffrage
Without taking q vote, the meeting was de-
elared Adjourned.