New-York tribune., 1877-07-14
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.



PAST.
tb, Edftor or Tke Tribune.
S,r The Constitution, which places the District
. .1. exclusive legislative power Of foreigners, has
=, the main been correlated by the arpolntment ot
s;rrers 10 It's important subordinate positions as
,,s nrorer under the governing principle Upon
,hoadyent to power If lie present dominant party
,bc Marshal was appointed from Illinois; ana he was
,,,.coodal hy one FROM Virginia. The present Is
resident of the District. I'm the structure OF the
new Supr,me Court OF the District, one judge was
eoI,ted from Ohio. one from New York, one from
v,,,irie and one foal Delaware. Upon the retire
,,,t of tbelast. hc was succeeded 10y one from Ala
hama. and When an additional judge added, he
,,a. taken from Wisconsin. When disclose the con-
5,ton of the law supposed 10 De IN force here, the
poiic, Of these selections can b. better estimated
There are several eminent lawyers who are residents
Of thc District and oEr bar upon each Of nc last oc-
cosions unanimously submitted names 10 the Prcsi-
dent competent TO any position known 20 our judi
ciary To mari, bis appreciation of our own Jndg-
reat Of Our own need, I'm Of the instances, the
Executive sent TO the Senate the name Of man
never admitted TO any judicial bar OF the court
tbus constructed the chief ccr, was selected from
Tennessce-no one of The District was competent
TO that place, probably was the reason.
Tpo4the demise of the late District Government
fucceedcd by the present commission one was Sc
l.cted from Ohio OF course; one from Missouri, and
one from New-lork. The MissOuiian was succeeded
bya gentleman last employed In Japan aud formerly
o aGistiugmishcd commander in the Navy, though a
soiaurner OF the District when III tins country The
successor to the New-Yorer has just been selected
from the District All officials of the late District
Government were by the law which created II resi-
dents Of the District, Congressional declaration
Uuon the matter whatever may be its value.
II must be borne constantly in mind that the Dis
trict is not part of any State aud susans no poll
teal relations with any. 10 it they are all foreign
Ii has thefos.cring of none Being thas Isolated
and in a sense independent, il rcqlifesa thc doncs-
tic and Iuunci5al al care necessary 10 STATE ana
which n state provides for itself, VITA the Natloha
Government TO care Tor its Federal Interests IheFe
is no other city and county m the United states that
does not securely Test in thc chcrishins arms OF
state Governments; and is sustained and baiit up by
its developing care, grow with the state OF which
il is the pride. boast and ornament.
The District has never had these privileges ana
ADVANTAGES. Its fortune rather that of a found
ling abandoned on the banks Of lonely river, and
ONLY placed IN the national hospital to be left to
languish without food iire clothes or light If ii
did not at once spring into maturity and beauty 1t
was not It's own fault. il can be said that no other
American city ever anguishcd through an infancy
SO long and helpless a. the Federal Capital. At tic
was about eight thousand, composed Of slayc-0wnes
aud the usual population OF other whites and slaves
in IN. midst of slavery, which the Government fos
tered with care never bestowed on It's Capital.
These people were without largo capital or enter
Tri,e. Their government has never entertained the
idea Of developing the natural resources of lie Dis
trict which were considerable, of inviting al occU-
paucy Of It's water power, winch was great, or of
improving thc navigation Of is river which was no.
be il did lay open broad pcstilental ditch, from
The mouth of Rock Creek 10 The mouth OF the Ana
costa across the city and thus formed an island By
afrver-brccdng Nuisance which it kept active for
th,t purpose until the late District Government
closed and sealed it..
Iuefcoblo village Of Washington was granted
charter; body. called Levy Court was invented
for thc riyai precincts, aud with these aud tue old
municipality Of GEORGETOWN each independent of the
Other two the District was left To itself. Nobody
expected that with such beginnings and neans 1t
would speedily assume The proportions powers ana
bearing OF a prosperous community. Those who
seck places iu the departments, Who come 90 keep
hotels ruu hacks and become the mcuals OF Senat-
or. Secretaries and Representatives. are not al
way s. men Of large capital nor do they invariably
cherish ambitious enterprises. And a people who
grow up. and children Who are born aud reared
uuder such influences 30 not always rapidly de
destincs. Il always was and stiu is the avowed
policy of Congress. 50 to shape the character of the
District that manufactures should never exist in If.
and commerce be impossible. As this could be ac-
compl.-hed by misrule and neglect, distinguished
success attended the persistent effort. Capital
SAID Conglcss-" shall be a serene place. 20 which
Statesmen can steal away from the turmoil Of the
busy world drink tEcir whisky, aud runinate Their
tobacco in peace aud calmly Phllosophze upon the
great problcms of human destiny and government,
uudisturbed by the c,amor OF uon-political buyers
and sellers and the din and solinc CRIME OF ma
ch,uery. not necessary 20 the party" Congress
would not have city OF vulgar industrie. and
interests.
1t has not made IT seat of learning, the abode Of
the sciences the resort of scholars ard artists and
tue retreat OF lcisuTcly culture; has it contrib
ui,d considerably TO make il in any way the fitting
capital OF a great modern Republic. Whatever has
been done IN this last direction was the work OF the
late District Government and the eagcrncss and
Gyidity with winch that object was prosecuted by
was the latent cause of its destruction. lDteImit-
tently far the CITY of Washington was cou-
ccrued. charter was the principal means Of such
government. rs it suffered under; granted, usually
for period of twenty Years, or extended from year
10 year by act OF Congress.
The war. with ITS revolutions changes and nspr-
ations left the District with over one hundred
thousand people-Washingtou, in fact, was and is
The District. With the infusion OF new elements,
and :u inspiration Of the old, its leading citizens,
with qrcat unaluIty, ar.ated tie subject Of pop
uIar government lor the District was distinctly
foreshadowrd by Mr.. Madison in Tie foi0albt
Public meetings speeches, newspapers, committees
fs.t 4 ia "a