National Republican., 1878-01-26
A Review of the Case.

can continent. For about seventy years the
machine ran under different corporation
charters, and ut length attained an uncnyia-
bic notoriety for utter worthlessncss for all
the essential purposes of government. I'm
der its operations debt of upward of five
millions Of dollars had accumulated, with
nothing to show for the outlay but few
blue-stone and cobble pavemcnts and a rcpu-
tation for dust and mud, conditioned upon
the variable humor of the elements. Finally
a cry was raised that the nations capital
should be removed to some city which could
better reflect the wealth, the pride, and the
enterprise of the republic. Startled by the
clamor, few of our adventurous spirits, in
1871, succeeded, by n herculean effort in
procuring from Congress new set of gear
ing for the old machine, in the shape of n
quasi-territorial government, consisting of a
governor, legislature, and, in fact, all that
was supposed to pertain to modern improve
ments in governmental science. Its central
figure was the Board of Public Works,
which, in the brief space of three wears,
effectually stilled the cry for q removal of
the seat of government, by expcnding in
improvements sufficient amount of public
money to anchor it permanently where
President Washington had originally
located it. Whatever might have been
the shortcomings of the board, it
left its mark in the stupendous
improvements which it originated and car
ried out, and which made q grand city of
what had hitherto been but an unattractive
struggling village. The transformation was
50 great that even Congress stood aghast.
while the enemies OF the administration of
President GRANT, who had lent a willing
and powerful aid to the work of improve
ment began a howl of cxtravngance, cor
ruptiOn, and fraud. Their cry ut last he
came too strong to be unheard by timid
and weakened Congress Investigations
unparalleled in severity followed; every
thing alleged was carefully inquired into
but nothing was proved and the conclu-
sion reached was that the form of govern.
mcnt then in force was too expensive and
cumbersome TO merit continuance. 1t was
accordingly summnrily abolished, and the
affairs OF the District were placed in the
hands of rcceiyership, consisting of three
commissioners, whereby creditors. of the
DISTRICT were actually swindled out of forty
cents in the dOllar-an ofitnse which, per.
petntcd by any other body than Congress
would have consigned the guilty ones tc
durance vile. At the same time Congress
agreed to pay the interest on portion Of
the debt, and appointed committee lat
the head Of which was Senator LOT VI
MORRILL,, of Mainc) to prepare plan fol
a permanent government for the District OF
Columbia. This committee labOred year
and brought forth bill of about one thou
sand pages which was printed, fccbly dis
cusscd once or twice, and then rclcgated ia
the was'e-paper rooms, there r morldcr
away.
another committee was then raised
which, after sundry consultations, prepared
what is known as the "HENDEE bill" now
pending before the District Committee
Let us premise our objections to this bill
with n statement that the speedy settle
mcnt of the account between the General
Government and the District of Columbia
Is Il matter not Of favor, but of sheer ius-
ticc, as very large proportion Of the exist.
ing debt of the District WAS contracted bv
Federal officers under the authority of the
National legislature
The llENDEE bill proposes that the Gov
crnmCnt of the District shall be vested in
three tOmmissioners-Onc TO be appointed
by the President for four years. and who
shall have been lor"ght years previous citi-
zen ot the United States; one TO be elected by
the House Of Representatives for two years.
and one to be elected by the Senate for six
years, both Of whom shall have been citizens
OF the Cnitcd States and residents of the
District eight years previous to their APP
pointmcnt. These Commissioners, ii is pro-
posed, shall exercise all the powers and au-
thority formerly vested in the Governor and
the Board of Public Works, subject TO GER
tain limitations.
II occurs to us that the one hundred and
fifty thousand people who nhabit this Dis
trict should be permitted to have some
voice in the selection of the officials who
are to govern them, and collect from them
and disbursc the taxes which they are COM
PEELED to pay. 1t cannot be urged that
either the President or Congress can have
any greater interest in the improvement OF
the Capital than those who make it their
home Much less will it be alleged that
those servants OF the public arc as familiar
and as identified with the wants of our
community us are those whose all is centred
just here. Yet, in the selection of their
rulers, our people are virtually ignored,
while the "spOls of Office" are parttiOned
among the President, the Senate, and the
House Of Representatives., all Of whom
must, to hold their positions have their
permanent residences, and consequently
their interests, elsewhere. Thus we are to
have abundant taxation and mere pre-
tense Of representation, limited to two resi-
dents not to he elected by the governed,
but to be designated and thrust upon them
by officials who are not in the least degree
responsible to those for whom they assume
to legislatc.
1t would be difficult, we apprehend, to
give any sound reason why measure 50
utterly in violation of the first principles
OF our Republic should become law. The