Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-13


repre- sentative men, one OF whom is now living.
When commenced business in a store on h
street east among my first acquaintance was
OF Sth and l streets, about one-half a square
from my location, and we soon became friends
He was well-known throughout the city for his
generosity, and active though quiet beneyo
lence, but he will perhaps be easier recognized
by his cotemporaries, some OF whom
his peculiar mode of expressing himself. In
speaking Of business transaction he would
say: g / paid him cash, and so did. The price
was high, and so it was. But must have the
article, and so l must. But won't pay 50
high again, and so 1 won't. " Every
short sentence, and he seldom made a long one,
was nailed by an emphatic negative or affirma-
tive, which made his conversation very anus
ing. He accumulated a verv considerable for
tune, and being without family he beaueathed
nearly the Whole of 1t to charitable and benevo-
lent objects. was with him frequently during
his last illness, and he consulted me about the
disposition Of his fortune. $4,000 of which he
left to the Catholic orphan Asylum of this city,
and similar amount to the Protestant Orphan
AS lum.
"oLD HICKORY. AND THE BANK OF WASHINGTON.
The financial storm which swept over the
country, beginning about 1888, arose to 1t,
height In 1886 and 81, and was felt sever ,ly in
this city. Connected with the suspension and
resumption of business by the banks, an incl
dent occurred which afforded good inside view
OF the love Of fair play which chara ;ter!z ID
Gen. Jackson, and showed that glorious .-Old
Hickory would do justice, even when by doing
so he had to take back opinions that he hal :
pressed in his emphatic style. l was then
director of the time-honored institution TIE
Bank of Washington, of which DO .tor William
Gunton was then and has been ever since the
president We We're unable after some efforts
10 OBTAIN funds to resume active operations, and
had applied unSucceSStully for assistance to one
OF the banks which had received ample funds by
government deposit. 1t was absolutely neceS-
sary that something should be done. and as Il
last resort the board OF directors, at my SuggeS-
ton, was then acting president. Doctor GIn-
ton having been called to Frederick to attend a
meeting OF the Canal company, OF which he was
directory appointed committee composed OF
Doctor Gunton and Colonel Bomford. and to
which was added, to wait on President jack
son and request OF him the favor that had been
extended to other banks a deposit of public
funds. Upon the return OF Doctor Gunton to
the city. we called on the President, stated the
object OF our visit, exhibited to him the cOndi-
ton of the bank and the security we could give
If it was required. He replied with some
warmth that the Bank OF Washington was one
OF the Institutions which had produced the
money panic When addressing the Prcsi-
dent, l soon convinced him that he was,
bank, when, with that brusGue frankneSS for
which he was wei known, he complied with our
request. and we received sufficient amount OF
deposits from the diSburSing officers of the goy-
ernment to enable the bank to accommodates the
business men of the city with liberal discounts,
and 1t became, many years since. one of the
SIfoHSeSl anu safest lnOneyeQ INSTITUTIONS OF the
District, and has rendered to our citizens in time
or business depression the substantial aid that
it extended to the United States in the war of
1912, when it loaned to the governme INT nearly
s4@.OCO, in the gl0OmieSt period OF that conflict
with Great Britain. The bank has been con-
Quoted, for nearly forty-ive years, under the
presidency OF Doctor GuntOn. our venerable first
vice president, now in his seth year, and who
looks strong enough to have at least ten years
more OF life, in which to continue to illustrate
the commanding influence of good business
habit
tanned by resolute persistence in doing right
and resisting wrong. for which he has become
proveTbial i'll this community.
THE OLD MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
In the government Of the city Congress recog-
nized, at an early day, the American principal
home rule. and established a representa-
Quoted its affairs for nearly seventy yelrs.
and it is a source of great pleasure to
NE, and am sure to every rejecting citi-
zen, that in all that long PERIOD with the eXcep-
ton of its last four years. national politics was
permitted but on two occasions to enter into our
elections Every citizen seemed to appreciate
our peculiar political relations with the national
Cover nment, and although party spirit has run
as high here as elsewhere yet when we came to
consider the affairs OF the city, there was no
party known; and men were elected to the NUM-
cipal Offices by the personal preferences OF the
electors tdone, and without reference to their
national party affiliations. In heated political
contests between wings and democrats, log cab
nue. which, every evening, would be filled with
wings, some Of whom were members of the City
Councils, and who would demonstrate. by con-
elusive arguments, that unless the Whtg caud-
date was elected to the Presidency the country
would be ruined beyond redemption; would 20
to the "demnition bow-wows;" and on the OPP
pos1te side of the avenue, under the shallow aud
protection OF a hickory pole, the democrats
would assemble, and among them, Also men,
DelS OF the City Council, asserting with equal
certainty and greater emphasis, that unless the
no vii of
the American eagle would be clipped; the repub-
lie old to the British, the star spangled banner
hung up as trophy In the tower OF London,
and many other terrible things would be sure to
happen If the wings got possession of the gov
errment; and yet when they met together,
(>ometimes within few minutes after they had
been declaiming in their respective wigwamS)
and engaged in legislating for the city, not one
word about wings or democrats was heard In
their debates.
THE INTRODUCTION OF POLITICS.
In an evil hour national politics were intro
dnced into our elections, and as a natural conse
quence, after wrangle of six years, our repre-
sentative government was abolished. and Con-
gresS, ia the exercise OF It's constitutional power
has placed the city under the control OF Com
miSsiOners, wholly Independent of the citizens
Whether that measure is founded in true wis
dom, or will produce an evil influence In our free
institution. time alone can determine. But for
the present 1t meets the favor of majority OF
the responsible people OF the District, especially
as in effecting the change in the government
1.-The feather busters have been eXtinguished
The result OF relieving our citizens OF all control
over the government of the city has thrown the
whole responsibility upon the President AMI
Congress and 1t is great pleasure for me to say
that the President, In his Solicitude for our In
terests, has confirmed the high opinion In which
he is held In this community, for the Justice and
liberalty and for the conscientious discharge OF
the duties of his exalted official position
And Congress is entitled to our warm
thanks for placing it in the power OF
the President, by wise and judiciOuS laws
and liberal grants of money, to develop the
natural beauty OF the location Of the city and to
advance the metropolis in our day long step
towards the position to which, ere the lapse OF
another century, 1t is destined to reach-the
most beautiful, SalubrlouS, and grandest city in
the world.
The judiciary Of the District is also entitled to
our warm thanks for their wise and just admin
fstration OF the laws. The high and the low
the rich and the poor, the virtuOuS and the ha-
bitual trangreSSor, all submit without murmur
to its decisions.
The cloud which lowered over our country in
1860 and 1861 and which looked to the few, weak
in faith, as precursor of the end OF the Union,
for a few months checked the advance of the
city. But the large additional expenditures of
the government, incident to the war, and the
great influx OF population from the same cause
renewed its progress and increased its wealth
and consequent improvement beyond the extent
to which IT would have attained had peaceful re-
lations between the government and the slave
holding states remained unbroken The result
OF the civil war has shown, even to the most