, 1878-07-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WARRINGTON, D. C., June 2l, 1878.

600 Is more accurate approximation.
washington Is exceptional, In that 1t has
next TO no commerce, very little manll-
featuring, that little being restricted few
articles to supply local demands. We
probably have fewer really wealthy men
In proportion to the total population than
almost any city In the world though VIC
may have our proportional part of me n IN
easy circumstances. About one-thirl
Of our total population are Colored. A vast
majority OF them came here during the
war and since as contrabands, or as treed-
man, women and children. wholly with
oCt means, and have remained-most Of
them-similarly impccunous. An un-
certain number of then thousands GER
tainly--lives wholly or in part by beg
ging. Their children are taught the
profession" and 20 from door to door
soliciting food and clothing and refusing
nothing portable. Twenty calls II day at
the same place is no unusual occurrence. lt
is readily seen how little this element can
contribute In the way of taxes. Aside
from members Of Congress who average
half the time here, but who, with few eX
ceptions, are as improbable to the Dis
trict Treasury as those just considered, no
small part OF our population is made us
from the thousands Of Governmental and
| other Government employees, great and
small. Only small fraction of these pay
any taxes. But the real taxpayers have
provided five streets lighted at night,
police protection and school facilities for
all three OF the classes last enumerated.
Excluding the Cumberland coal, grain
and flour trade, Georgetown has little TO
b0ast OF over the city In the way of trade.
Let all this be remembered IN connection
with the TACT that Congress in or about
1871 abolished our old form OF GoverlI-
ment and substituted therefor Il territorial
form. The Board of Public Works, COLI
sisting Of a few men, was the essential
feature OF the new experiment. How no.
torious they soon became is not likely To
be forgotten this century. Though hand
ling millions upon millions of public
funds, its members are wholly irresponsi-
bic. Bonds to the extent of not one cent
were exacted for the honest and faithful
performance OF their duties. They were
arrogant and insolent, and disposed oil
citizens property according to the dictates
OF caprice, private or personal grudges, or
otherwise, in accordance with their own
sweet wills without let or hinderance.
There was positively no redress and the
full history OF their few years misrule yet
remains to be written. An investigation
early in 1874 stopped their career aud it
was then found that the debt OF this Dis
trlct comparatively insignificant when
they assumed power, had been c;lrried up
to between $25,000,00 and $50, 600, 900.
Subtract from the total population the
classes above enumerated as paying notii-
Ing and it will be seen how little hope the
small remainder have that are held for the
payment OF this debt OF avoiding absolute
cOnfiscation II full payment il exacted; and
the forlorn character OF this hope will ap-
pear still more decided II the smallness of
their aggregate means are still kept In
mind and the limited number Of avenues
open to them to make money rapidly
Now for the bearing of all this on the ac
of the Congress Just adjourned After
two-flfths OF the property oil citizens had
been sold to pay taxes, the matter got be-
fore the Courts and the several decisions
rendered were to the effect that the asses
ments for special improvements were un-
constitutional, fraudulent and oppressive.
Some time ago the Senate passed bill In
effect commanding District officials to go
on and collect these taxes under existing
laws. During the closing hours it was
half surreptitiously hurried to the House
and rushed through when no quorum was
present. 1t looks like an e.!ort of certain
members of Congress to frighten citizens
into paying these assessments made in the
interest OF the First National Bank OF
New York, which holds the tax-lien Ger
tihcates. The President and every meni-
ber Of his Cabinet are reported of the
opinion that the action OF Congress In 10
sense legalizes what was unconstitutional
and illegal, and that IL bars none from
seeking redress In the Courts. The
amount Of these especial improvement
taxes" yet unpaid Is said to be about 81
500, 600; and the enforcement OF their pay
ment now will result In the loss Of their
homes to many poor families who have
struggled through nearly five years of de-
preston. barely managing TO pay ordinary
taxes. It Ii also said that at about the last
hour the bill to exempt Mrs. ex-senator
Sprague from the payment OF all taxes
on an estate left her by her father, was
passed. Taxpayers here cannot help
feeling this Is one Of the most bare-faccd
and fagrant of the many outrages prilc-
tlced on them by Congress, first and last.
Bills for the reliet Of others a5undantly
able to pay their assessments have been
introduced from time to time. Members
Of Congress will understand that every
dollar abated In behalf Of these favored
few must be made up by the mass of the
poorer taxpayers who have Congressional
influence just In about the proportion with
their wealth or lack Of it. trust the love
OF fair play inherent In most of our fel-
low-cItizens elsewhere, viii excuse this
entire letter devoted to District affairs.
We are wholly In the hands of Congress
except as the Courts interfere In our be-
half But we want IN opportunity of let
ting 0thes know OF our ruined and undone |
condition and solicit their sympathy and
gOOl Offieaa KN(,r