Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-30
The Great object of District Iatere>t
IUPORTfNT STGG TTONS BY con-.
NISSTONER BRIIN.

MISSIONER BEAM.
The views presented by Judge Bryan In
the suhjoined communication TO the Citizens
Committee merit consideration.
Geo. ". Rugs. Esq Ct.LiTmdq. Hon Gs)rye
7GylDr. Joiye Jos Casey ant Others
GESTLEMFN.-Ar. Fox delivered your in
vliailon 10 me TO attend the meeting of the
executive committee OF "the one hundred
citizens" or II not attending, 10 present any
suggestions that might occur TO me.
The purposes OF your organization have
been 80 iLtelligently and thoroughly dis
cussed by members themselves, a. well a.
by the press, that forbear To add more than
merely the expression of the hope that our
citizens generally will study the great ques-
tions involved, and so familariZe themselves
with the salient points as to be able each one
TO advance The good cause with intelligent
and efectual championship
in the exc llent ske ch entitled [" Washing
ton In Embryo" edited by MeSsrs. Faehtz
and Pratt, will be found an exhaustive ac-
count Of the original negotiation and convey
ance OF the lanGs upon which this Federal
City was located. From that review IL is
apparent that the nineteen original prOprie-
tors donated the great bulk OF their lands 10
the general government And surely IL was
not the design OF the contracting parties, nor
can II be entertained with the least SEM
hlanca Of justice, that the little remnant re
tanned by those original owners should bear
the IL oTnoUS expenses OF establishing ard
maiT ia inirg the capital, or that the land 50
reserved should be burdened not only with
A. -
thus donated.
a claim so preposterous would seem
scarcely worthy of the vigorous attack 10 he
found ia The able report OF Judge Poland.
Us Congress. 1>t session. report No 81 } u
which / desire particular reference, ami FROM
which IL may Low be opportune 20 circulate
amoTg The people The following extracts.
The followiI z table If comparative stree
areas viii Illustrate tie scale Of mdgn:nceuce
upon which the city was laid out:
Rd'io Il street areas 81 certain cii,cS'-PariS
25.CS Per cent; Vienna, 35.Gs: PHI ai6l pdi3,
29Gs; Berlin, 1904; Boston. 26o2; New York,
80 tS, WAsHI>GToS, d %.
Tie committee believe there can he no
question In laying out such city as is here
described, that il was fully contem plate by
COVER ment that the extent of expenditure
would keep pace vito the magnihcencc at
IT, p'sn 10 be ultin a'ely carried out = .
Every thing about il was 10 correspond with
the ma gnitude OF the object for which IL was
inieEdt 3. IL foTesaw a far distant future.
when IL was TO De the center of a continent
under che form OF government, looking 10 II
Tor lis avs and for its protection. Ii was 10
be city where all improvements male On
'xpei ses incurred were 20 be for the benefit
Dffhe hole people. There is some
thing revolving TO proper sense OF u~ttce In
the idea that the United States should hold
free from taxation more than half OF the
area OF the capital city; should require 20 be
mainiained city upon an unusually eXpen-
sive scale from which the ordinary revenues
derived from commerce and manufactures
sre excluded; that in such a case the burden
OF maintaining the expenses for The capital
should fall upon the resident population.
A very large proportion OF this population
are temporary residents, and only
brought here 10 serve the government in
various ear acitiss. Aside from ali question
OF sentiment or patriotism or pride in the
national capital. your COMMITTEES are i'm
pressed with the belief that the Federal Gov
eminent sUstaips at least such relation
toward the citizens OF the local government
as wonld require II 10 contribute 10 NUM-
cipsl expenses an amount bearing relation
Ia Ire Whole amount required which the
interest of the Federal Government here
nears To the IN tereSt Of the local government.
ard this they believe to he at least one-half''
Those OF "a who claim that the vast deot o.
lie DlstTlct should he ASSUMED by Congress
hecsuSe incurred by L. < officers arp puts
under the law of Congress. find supper Il.
ire iClloWi12 cNtrac's - In strict legal sense
There can re SAID "a be 20 SUCH thing 2 : q
local Cover me1t o. The District OF Columbia
fer there c n be no CnverhIn eut within The
DISTRICT independent Of that Of the Federal
Government: ~ Il WIS .cver local authority
Temay he now eX.' II 2 or which may here.
after be set M within ;he District. IL can only
be Re g3 rded legally "a an agency OF the Fed
oral Government; and whatever authority
This loo al govern ment may eXerci sc. IL must
he regnrded a the act OF the United States
through their delegated representative"
Armed then with such conclusive argu-
ments, lei every citizen enter the field with
good cougage. ard Unflagging zeal. VI is
mistake 10 suppose thai the labors of the
hundred or more citizens" absolve the rest
matter OF such vital consequence to the Dis
trlct. III the choir consist OF a hundred or
more, under the ablest leadership, il is only
Tor The better training of the entire congrega-
lior. All are expected to join in the chant.
In thus comparing the attitude OF our petit.
uonlng people 10 that of a church assembly.
let me, with no irreverence, beseech all 10
attend this church, and mite in this petition
10 congress, the supreme ruler OF this Dis
triet. There is ample room outside the
church for thediscussion OF all the differences
between the members, for the ordinations
and recrimiuations, legitimate and illegiti
mate, and for all the battles to redress griev-
ances. Without the sanctuary there is more
straint IN these matters, but l0ithia let me ex-
hort all TO unite In the one righteous prayer
for relief-a prayer which should not be dis
tcrbed by any such aeitations, nor should
the anthems of either the choir or the con-
gregation discourse one DESCENDANT note.
First, let the one g7eNk end be attained-all
that the right may prevail. Very respect
fully, THos. b. BRYAN y
Washington, D. O., Oct. %, 1871. axF.