Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-01
EVENING STAR.
FORTY-FOURrH CoNGREss
Closing Proceedings Tesferda,
Debate ON the s-e5 Bond Bill.

| benSte on me sos District bond Oil was
Mr.. sherman said he understood that the
bosfn al Public Works had the approval OF
zoe legislative Assembly for the general
llsl OF Improvements inauguraied by a..
Mr.. Thurman said the board hat submitted
~ comprehensive plan OF improvements 20
the legislative Assembly, estimating the
| cost at 1910 go. The assembly hai Sut n
down 70 si.oo0,ooo, but the board hal raid
hut scsnt respect To this limitation. and
$40 NOO.Oo0 W
Mr. Dawes said the action of the assen,hlv
such as IL was, was not In compliance with
the law. He went on 10 say that the Com
missioners bad not even confined themselves
10 the execution OF the contracts. legal aud
Illegal, made by the Board of Public Works.
but had, In dozens OF instances, advertised
for and given out new contracts. lie then
read from the proceedings OF the Commits
stoI ers a number of Instances where new
| contracts were given for paving. curbing set,
and sewers TO one man, who had a small
| contract on Capitol Hill. aud paid him for IL
SOL Goo This was what they called an eN-
| tension OF contract, although the work run
| from Capitol Hill 10 Georgetown, and for
| this these g bonds were issued. ThiS coa-
tractor was John o Evans. who had asslgred
The contract to one OF his w0rkmeh. Why
had John q. Evans ass gned h's contract 20
one OF his workmen? Because John %. Evans
had laid miles and miles or woOien pave
| meits which he wa, bound 10 keep in repair
for three years. He tMr. Dawes did not
aSsail any one or reflect on any one. but here
was The undeniahle act that under the widest
| construction OF the law three or four million
hsd been added To the public debt. lie Mr.
| Dawes had felt IL his duty 10 say what he
| had of the manner in which this Law had
| been construed, and to say that he never
| could give his adhesion 10 the propriety OF
| any such construction; but he held that they
| Were now 10 be provided for.
J MI Morton sail he was not here when the
| law OF ls1i was passed. Had he been he
| should have voted against IL. But he under
stood that IL had passed with the sanction ot
| nearly every member OF both parties. He
| was opposed to that bill Just as he was 10 the
| bill for new government brought I'm by Mr.
! morrill,, Me- because II took from the peo-
| pie of this District the power % regulate
| even their most trivial domestic concerns
| This was entirely contrary 10 the spirit OF
| our institutions. IL was blow gainst self
| government which he shall never cease 20
| protest against. Rut when Congress took
| exclusive control of this District IL assumed
| also the obi CATION and the duty 10 provide
| for IL. Congress was responsible now for tina
| care OF all these streets. The people had
| nothing TO do with n, they had no more
| power here than the serfs OF Russia. These
| streets had got 10 Se repaired. Pennsylvania
| avenue is now impossible. Other streets
| soon will be, and they have got To be Kept in
| order. As he said, he was opposed 10 this
| law of 1s74. hut there II was ald the gov
| eminent had got TO provide for these 3 -
| bonds, and there IS no use in talking about
| il: and In regard 10 these 3-G5 bonds he Ia.
never liked the idea fit. 1t looked 10 him
| too much like repudia alton To offer depre-
/ ciated security 10 the contractors, aud in
| effect compelling them 20 Ike them. for al
| though you do not say positively that they
| shall take them, you provide for nothing
| else. Mr.. Morton said further that, after a
| careful examination Of the law, he was sat
| tsbed that the Commissioners had put a
| proper construction upon II, and on this
| point Mr.. Morton argued at some length. In
| regard 10 the repair OF pavementS with ma
| terial different from that OF which they were
| originally constructed, Mr.. Morton main
| tanned that there was no doubt OF the author
| ity OF The Commissioners. In answer 10 a
| question OF Mr. Me4rImon, Mr.. Morton said
that II was too late entirely TO question the
| validity OF the 3-t5 bonds.
MIR. Allison said that, To c3rryOu the idea
| OF Mr. Morton ii would toe improper u stop
| the issue Of the SOS bonds until every stree;
and alley in this District was pat in repair.
| Mr.. MerrimOn said as there seemed 70 De
| no doubt about the obligation OF the govern
| meHt for these bonds, what was the use OF
| further debate on this suhject2 Why not
| pass the bill so that the bonds be prevented
| from going to protest tomorrow? IL there
| IL any doubt as to the power OF the Commits
Sioncrs 10 issue these bonds they can Be pre-
vented very thoroughly from issuing any
more by the adoption of a three-line amend
| ment.
Mr.. Morton said the Commissioners were
bound 10 carry out all the legal contracts
| made by the Board OF Public Works. He
| was, however, IN favor of limiting the issue
OF The S-t5 bonds, and then hereafter We
would have TO pay these contractors In
money, and that is what ought TO have been
| done from the first.
| Mr.. Morrill, Me }, in reply 10 questions OF
| Mr.. Merrimon, said the payment of the in
| terest on these bonds To- morrow depended
absolutely on the passage OF this bill this
| day.
| Mr. Erelinghuysen defended the Commits
| sioners from the charge of having exceeded
| theiI powers He proceeded further to speak
of This capital, and its claims on the general
| government. Every American who came TO
| this capital was rejoiced to see the improve
| meDts which had been made here, no mat
| ter from what section of the country ne
| came, or 10 what party he belonged. The
| American people were proud and a gener-
| Gus people; they did not want the 10000
| people OF this District TO pay for capital
| Mr.. Morrill, (Me.) said this was not a sub
| ject for debate. This was the last day TO
provide for Keeping the credit OF the United
| is amusing itself by talking about the dis
| erection exercised by the officers of the gov
eminent In a matter of which they have no
proof whatever. At such a time as this,
| here is the Senate wasting the time on COLI
| lateral issues when the faith of the United
| States on its own obligations Is at stake. IL
/ is only by the violations of the clearest
| principles OF law end honesty that the gov
| eminent can escape its own obligations in
| this matter. is there anything to talk
| about? What is delaying us? Talk about
matters over which we have no control.
| There is time for all things. Is the time
| and the place for what We have heari here
| the last three days? While we are talking
about these things the credit OF this great
government is to go TO protest. From the
shirked its duties as to this capital. IL has
| never been treated as the capital OF a great
| country. 1t was allowed TO be run Dy two
| one horse city governments, and every time
| an appropriation has come up here there
| have been found plenty OF people ID object,
| and TO say let these cities do IL, let them
| pave these streets, and light them, aud adorn
| these public squares. Senators seem TO
| forget that for every deed done and omitted
| in this District We are response ole. Every
| time that any OF our officers in this District
| come here with an account OF their doings
| they are met with doubt and suspicion and
! obloquy, although We should be the last ones
| TO 90 it For every &C. OF that Board of Pub
! lie Works We are responsible. Mr.. Morrill,
| (Me.) again explained the reasons heretofore
| givet by him why the Committee on Appro-
| priati ions had recommended the striking out
| OF the provision OF the bill.
| Mr.. Oglesby said IL IL was not SO late, and
the eXigency so pressing, he should be In
| Clinet 10 move tie reference of this bill TO
| The Judiciary Committee. 1t involved, pc
| culiarly, questions of law, and notwith-
| standing tire debate of three days, he doubted
| now whether the law was understood. 1t
| was very true that the people of this country
| bad great pride in this capital, bat If there
| was anything which stunk In the nostrils OF
| the people OF this country IL was the out
| rageous extravaganza and abIse of the adj
| ministration OF public affairs in this Dis
| trict. The people of this country were now
| in the throes of the agony OF hard times,
| pinched by want, and they may well again