New-York tribune., 1877-07-07
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
LETTER FROM A. G. RIDDLE.

TO the Edttor Of The Tribune
SIR: The men and things of the District OF Co
umbia have long enjoyed a nOtorety and received
an attention out Of all proportion to their intrinsic
importance. In part this is due to their being at the
political capital. and thus in the eye of the ma
ton, and from distance like many other things
here in the haze through which they are seen, they
loom to proportions that dwlndle to points as they
are approached and examined. In part this is due
to the chronic unrest OF the people, their irritation
and complaints. and the irritation and complaint on
the part of the outside world on their account.
These complaints are likely to continue With your
permission, will offer a brief review of the subject
IN its less obvious aspects.
While the people OF the District quite aware II
their own needs they may not always have appre-
ciated the real difficulties surrounding them; and
certain it is that no considerable number of the ma
tion's rulers ever have or ever will under tand them
by any research of their own. The United States
assumed jurisdiction Of the Territory in 1890, by
various ineff ctive agencies has in a way governed
the people since, and is directly responsible for
the consequences flowing from political and legal
causes, which largely mold the character and
fashion the destinies of Americans. OF the ten
miles square, about three-eighths of the land was
taken from Virginia, which was restored to her by
act of Congress in to avoid the consequences of
a threatened emancipation of the slaves IN the Dis
trict. though of doubtful cOnstiiuu0nalIty, the
Supreme Court decided on case made that the
retrocesson was an act Of political power and not
revisable in that court. The Potomac runs through
the Territory from the northwest to the southeast
and is near a mile i'm width and the fve-eighths of
the original District lying norhery of the river are
its present extent. On this territory Is a fixed
population of about 150, 900 persons, of which say
$4,000 are of African descent.
WHY PEOPLE ARE IN WASHINGTON.
The mass of these inhabitants are here solely be-
cause this is the political capital of the Republic.
They are or were, the employees Of the Government,
the boarding-house keepers, hotel keepers, shop
keepers mechanics livery men, and servants of the
officers and employees of the Government and of the
visitors, loungers, loafers aud hangeIs-on OF the
capital Their incomes mainly derived from the
personal expenditures of their guests, and they
certain to receive something, on the current pay
DAYS of the departments, each month. There is also
a numerous bar, medical faculty, and clergy, stand
ing well with these professions large element of
journalists, and a splinkling of artists, with many
cultivated people of leisure. They are largely nd-
tves of the country, necessarily intelligent with
much of the ablest and best of American and a large
cultured foreign element in their midst The con-
staut hosts, associates friends, and neghbors OF
-.
Ministers, and the brilliant men and women who
throng the capital, they know the men personally
of whom others hear and in the midst of the life
of which others read while they produce themselves
a large number who are accepted the social peers
of the capita best.
In point of morality this fixed population will com
pare fayoraby with that of any town. large or small,
in the United States. The features of Washington
life which furnish themes for graphic pen pictures,
are mainly due to the enterprlsIng of both sexes,
who haunt and hunt the capital preserve; whose
vices are their Own but whose regulations unJustly
reflect on the people generally, who did not invite
and who do not associate with them, and whose
presence adds greatly to the cost OF governing the
District Though intelligent and emulous, the sys-
TEN of education among this people Is in Its ln-
fancy and its schools and colleges, while struggling
bravely, are unendOwed by State or nation. Though
thrifty and enterprisng. they without manufac-
tnres. commerce. or even trade-save shOpkeepIng
With a noble tide-water river Washington, but
ninety miles from the sea, not even port of
entry; and save as a drain for the surplus water,
and "a highway for shad. the Potomac Is nearly use
less. except to help ont a landscape. 1t sees only
now and then lonely fishing boat OF a melancholy
wood or coal scow on its bosom.
This people are thoroughly American, thrifty and
active to reseSsness, especially under their Govern
meut The lnductions are perhaps not broad enough,
but fortiori it would not be argued that purely
American people, not governed in accordance with
any American idea, would speedily grow into a
strong, healthy, and prosperous community; while
it NAV be said of each of the methods and half
means without method that have in turn ANNOYED
and irrltated them, that the Congress and the peo
pie of the District with singular unanimity
pronounced each failure and the present govern
ment resorted to o temporary eXpedlent, is per-
mtted to remain, in the Inability aud imbecity of
Congress to invent scheme not tried and already
condemned, while, unfortunately, few Of those en-
gagged in administering the affairs of the District
have escaped without temporary eclipse. or perma-
nent loss of reputation and at this present. no so
called citizen of the District is endowed with a
vestige of political power. If he secure the in
dorsement of a Senator, of member of the House,
he may procure an appointment as notary or con-
stable or he may get ont band, call his fellows
together discuss and adopt resolutions concerning
marshal of tine District Presidential candidate
and he has some aptitude for public meetings
with the certainty that mortal will care what
conclusion is reached as to either
Ii Is to be borne in mind that these 100000 peo
pie on this fraction of ten miles square, are indie
pendent of any State or Territory, but have just
many and the same wants as the people of State
who have a State government of their own, with the
United States TO supervise its national affairs, and
require as much and as good government. For the
District the Constitution provided the shortest and
"the unkndcst cut of all" to supply its needs this
respect. 1t was, perhaps, supposed that by placing
the District under the immediate personal govern
ment of Congress- under its own eyes, at the focal
center of light and glory, the people would be adj
vanced to chronic blessedness The result Is long
rnsmanagement of their affairs, ending in their po
itical emasculation not latterng TO the wisdom OF
the American Congress a. a municipal government,