Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-16
THE NEW DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
Full Text of the Bill Acted On by
the HOUse.

Full Text OF the Bill Acted On by
the House.
The following is the full text of the bill to
provide form of government i'm the District
of Columbia which passed the House by Sec
tiOnS to-day, and was subsequently defeated
as a whole and recommitted:
A BILL providing permanent form of govern
ment for the District of Columbia.
Representatises Of y the he United states Of AH1ef-
icd in Congress assembled, That all that pOr-
tiOn OF the territory of the United States which
S the Of s 81
shall continue to be designated as the District
of Columbia. Said District, and property and
persons that may be therein, shall be subject
10 the following provisions as and for the gov
ernment OF the same, and also to any existing
flaws applicable thereto not hereby repealed or
inconsistent neon % with the provisions OF this act
month of June, in the year 1878, there shall be
elected or appointed, in the manner herein
oners of the bseP of af De who
exercise all the powers and authority now
vested in the Commissioners of said District,
except as hereinafter limited shall be subject
to all the restrictions and limitations which
are now imposed upon said Commissioners.
One of the said Commissioners shall be an
officer of the Engineer Corps of the Army,
whose lineal rank shall be above that of cap
tain and shall be detailed by the President for
the term OF three years, and until his success
S0r shall be appointed and qualified: PrOrided,
That the officer so detailed shall not be as
signed to any other duty, and that he shall
receive no further compensation than his reg
ular pay as an officer of the Army. The sec
0nd OF the said commissioners shall be elected
by the House of Representatives, by ballot
for the term OF three years, and until his sue
cessor shall be elected and qualified; and the
third of the said Commissioners shall be elect
three years, and until his successor is elected
and qualified; and at the end of the several
fnI tI,n
successors shall be elecSed or appointed. in
the same manner, for the term of three years
respectively and until their successors are
elected or appointed and qualified; the said
third Monday in the month of June, in which
the term OF such Commissioners shall expire:
Pr0rided, That at the first election of COmmiS-
SiOnerS by the Senate and House of Represen-
ia ives, as above provided, the terms of said
Commls sSlOnerS so elected shall expire one one
year from date of said election, and the other
two years from the date of said election, the
same to be determined by lot. Their success
sors shall be elected In the manner and for the
term above prescribed. The two persons
elected as Commissioners by the House of
Representatives and the Senate shall, at the
time of the il election, be citizens of the United
States, and shall have been actual residents of
the District OF Columbia for ten years previous
70 their election, and who have, during that
period, claimed no residence elsewhere, and
who shall hold property, each in his own right
to the amount of 5000; and if the place of
any cause, or he shall neglect for twenty days
10 take the oath of office if he be elected by
the Senate OF House of Representatives, his
place shall be filed forthwith for the balance
OF his term in the same mapner as the person
whose place is to be filled was elected or APP
pointed: but il the person whose place so be-
comes vacant shall have been elected by the
Senate OF House of Representatives, and such
vacancy shall occur not i'll session of Con
greSS, then the said vacancy shall be filled by
the appointment of the President, uatil the
a. NJ lfrt,r
case may be, shall elect a person to fill the said
Office for the balance of the term thereof One
OF me said commissioners shall be chosen pre-
sIdent of The Board of Commissioners at the
first meeting thereof, and annually thereafter
Sec: B. That the said Commissioners of the
bIlstTlct OF Columbia shall be, and they are
name OF The Commissioners OF the District
OF Columbia" and by that name shall have
perpetual succession, and be capable in law
to sue and be sued in any court whatsoever.
ana may nave and use a common seal, which
may be altered at pleasure; may acquire, rent
ana hold property; may contract and be con
traeted @ with (in all cases authorized by law) !;
ana may, In appropriate ways, in court and
eSeN here. cons iStent with this act, assert
DEFEND, and maintain its rights and interests
to the same extent that it would be lawful if
the said Commissioners of the District of Co.
lum bla were municipality.
sec. /. That such Commissioners SO elected
sentatives, shall each of them before entering
upon the discharge of his duties, take an oath
or affirmation to support the Constitution of
the United States, and to faithfully discharge
The duties imposed upon him by law, and shall
each give a bond, with suretieS, to the United
states, in the penal sum Of fifty thousand dol
to be aPP * the Of the
duties OF his office, and shall each receive for
his services compensation at the rate of five
thousand dollars per annum
Sec. 5. That as soon as the Commissioners
appointed as aforesaid shall have taken and
subscribed the oath OF affirmation hereinbe-
fore described, and the two so selected as
aforesaid h shall have duly bonded as aforesaid,
exercised by, and all property, estate and eff
iiects, now vested by law in, and exercised by,
Inc c0mmissloners IN ISL appointed under the pro
~. 1874, shall be transferred to, and be vested
in, said Commissioners; and the functions of
me GommlsSioners SO appointed under the act
and the commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia shall have power, subject to limita-
4he, Il9ns nereln proylded to apply the taxes or
ment of the current expenses thereof to tie
support OF the public schools, the fire depart.
ment' mem and the police, and for that purpose
snail shall lake possession and supervision of all
the oflces, books, papers, records, moneys,
credltS, securities, assets and accounts be-
longing or appertaining to the business OF in
teresls os S OF the government of the District
OF COlumbla, and exercise the power and au-
thOrity aforesaid; but said Commissioners in
the exercise OF such power and authority shall
Hdhe no Contract nor incur any obligation
other than such contracts and obligations as
hereinafter provided for and shall be approved
by Congress: All taxes heretofore lawfully
assessed and due, or to become due shall be
collected, pursuant to law, except as herein
otherwise provided; but said Commissioners
snail nave no power to anticipate taxes by a
sale or hyp0thecatiOn of any such taxes or eyi.
dence thereof, but they may borrow in antic
lpatlon OF collection of revenue, not to exceed
In any one year $2OO,O0O, at rate of interest
not exceeding SIX per centum per annum and
SAID commissioners are hereby authorized to
abolish any office, to consolidate two or more
0hceS, reduce the number of employees re-
move from Ofilce, and make appointments to
any ofllce under them authorized by law, sub.
Ject to such limitations as are hereinafter pro
vlded: Prortded, That nothing in this act con
tanned shall be construed to abate in any wise
or interfere with any Nit pending in favor of
or against the District of Columbia or the
Commissioners thereof, or affect any rights or
cause OF action existing IN favor of any citizen
OF the District OF Columbia or any other per
son, but the same may be commenced or pros
ecuted to final Judgment, and the corporation
hereby created shall be bound thereby as If
the suit had been originally commenced for
or against the said corporation; and all final
judgments recovered against said District
snail De paid by warrant of the Commission.
efs, or majority OF them, on the Treasury.
Sec. 6. There shall be council, consisting of
twenty four members, with duties and powers
as hereinafter provided.
No person shall be eligible as member of
said council who is not the owner of property
In the District OF Columbia of the assessed