Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-23
The District Before the Senate.

The SeEate did not get through with the Dis
tItct bill yesterday, but made some progress
The principal debate was on the amendment
proposed by Mr.. Bayard reducing the time of
residence required of the civilian commission
CTS from three years to one. Mr.. Bayard held
that any man who is qualified to vote for
another for any office should, by law, be quail
fed to be voted for; and this District would
be the exceptional case that would require a
longer residence in the official than In the per-
sons creating him by their votes. Mr. INGALLS,
said that one great cause of complaint that the
citizens of the District have urged is that
strangers have been sent among them to rule
0"er them, and 10 eat their substance and it
was thought best, in order TO comply with the
sentiments of the people upon this subject and
to carry out the general ideas of local self gov
eminent that prevail 10 so great an extent
am' ng The American people, that period of
f. sdence and citizenship should be pro-
yided which would prevent this cause
of complaint hereafter The period of
three years is one that would enable 4 person
residing here 10 famiiiIriEe himself with the
wants of the people, and with the necessities
oil administration here. Mr.. Nrrrimpn, also.
heid that three years residence was Only a
reasonable time to enable 4 Commissioner 10
become acquainted with the people and their
respective wants. Mr.. EdmuniS thought that
under the condition of the District and the
relations of the United States TO it, there
ought not to be any residence restriction
whatever, but he would not oppose a provision
OF ore wear This BILL he sIid, provides for
the United States paying One-half OF the ex-
pense of carrying on the government of the
District. The United States, therefore
ought to have, through it's Executive and
Senate, the right, inasmuch as it pays
nall the expense, to select for a part
OF the governors of the District and more
IMAM one as this bill provides, any citizen of
the united States whom the Chief Magistrate
and the Representatives of all the states and
OF all the taxpayers think is a fit man. even if
he has not been permanent resident in this
District for three years. Half the money
comes from the whole people of the United
states, and then the Constitution Itself pro-
Nides that this District, in which nobody is A
resident Except those in jaiD without his free
and voluntary consent, shall be district in
which Congress is to exercise exclusive legis-
lation. Congress is the legislative power of
the District, and that Congress is the Congress
OF The Whole people. This is place for the
Whole people of the United ateS To have an
interest In and 10 take care of and to pay the
expenses of, as it does now by this PROPOSE
ton, TO the extent of one half and Indirectly
to much larger degree"
Alter further deba-e the one year amend
ment was adopted by a vote of % to lS bat Mr..
Hoar gave notice of an amendment that one
OF the two civilian commissioners shall have
resided here three years, and one of them for
one year He did not see the force of those
arguments in dealing with the proper form of
government for the people Of the District of
Columbia, which are based on the principle
spoken of by the chairman of the committee
as local self government. The Constitution
intended and required that the wh,l, le.isll
tive authority over this District, all the making
OF its Laws, should be exercised by the ma
ton at large; and il is sOecisn
In government To separate from the power
which makes the laws the power
that administers them. Ii seemed to him
that If the interest of the District of Columbia
is considered, of the Old residents, their wish,
so lar as TO require that one of the two com
mISSiOners appointed from civil life shall be
an old resident here of at least three years,
the President of the United States ought to be
permitted to select for this important official
function any citizen from the entire country
OF whose special fitness for the duty he may be
satisfied.
The debate, altogether, yesterday was i'm
pOrtant, as showing that the Senators have
given no little thought to District affairs and
are prepared to legisIaie intelligently upon
them.