National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-01-24


sultation Messrs. S. j. Bowen, J. p. Klinge,
Fred Douglass, A. c. Richards, j. II. Crossman
and A. NJ. Clapp.
MIR. J. =. KLINGLE
was introduced and said that IN June, 1774,
public meeting was held in the ncighboring
city Of Alexandria, George Washington pre-
siding, at which It was declared that taxation
and representation were inseparable. This
idea had been carried out all over the country
and until the past few years in this District.
NOW tho people here wero taxed and
not allowed to have voice in con-
Trolling their own aflairs. They were
under the guardianship, like unatics," of a
set of men whose only aim was TO curry favor
with Congress, and who were tho creatures
of lobby. Under the present government
100000 had disappeared, for which no ac-
count had yet been rendered. Hundreds OF
families have had their property confscated
and been reduced from comfort to poverty by
the enactment of laws from which they had
no redress. 1t was but just that this people
should have tho suffrage, and all opposed to
this principle were despots at heart, should be
marked rs traitors and made ineligible for
office. The people of this country shared the
burdens and benefits alike, aud here In the
District, whose people had always done their
share, the boon of saying how they would like
to be governed was denied them.
HON. THOMAS j. DURANT
said in appearing before the audience he was
forbidden by law to call them follow-citizens.
still ho could address them as Inhabitants of
the District who stood as high as the constit-
uency of any man In Congress whe had de-
prived them Of rights scarcely denied n slave.
Tho questions 10 be discussed lay at the root
of all governments In June, 1874, tho goth
of that month, an act was passed by Congress
doing away with all legislation that gave this
District a legislature or delegate. The bill
was introduced by Mr. Wilson, of Indiana, aud
without debate was passed. The next day tho
Senate did the same, and the President of the
United States one day later signed it. Thus
in three days was political liberty abolished.
II had boon said that government had been
badly administered, but the Congress of the
United States that formed that government
tho Board of Public Works-was alono to
blame. In 1877, Mr.. Hendee, of Vermont, in
troduced the bill under which we arc now gov
erned, and 1t was even worse than the one abol'
ished. In all the ages of the Republic it has been
held as an axiom not to be denied that local
government and suffrage were indispensable
to our liberty. In the FedeIdlist an article
writted by Mr.. Madison himself declared that
the people of this District were to have a
local government. From the time Of Madison
aud Jefferson down to the present day this
idea had prevailed, and gave entire satisiho-
ton to the entire country.
The speaker hero read tho following ex-
tracts from the speech delivered by Secretary
Evarts at the Cooper Institute, October 81
1879:
The suffrage of the citizens is the majestic
power exercised by the American people. What
ever else they may feel an interest in, their inter
est in the suffrage will never cease. Whatever
disputes whatever fallacies may exist among theil
statesmen the people themselves will endure nc
trihing, no interference respecting tho suffrage
which Is the peoples power. A suffrage free
secure, equal and universal is the peoples right
and knowing II they Will maintain i. 4"
Now, this suffrage Is woll-understood by oul
people. II is dear to the people as the inestinablC
prize Of their liberty and the basis of their govern
ment. When 1t is imperiled from any cause oil
exposed to danger from any source, they do moi
rlgor for Its protection and preservation.
From the message of President Hayes tC
Congress, December /, 1879:
/ earnestly appeal to the intelligence and
patriotism of all good citizens of every part Of the
country, however much they may be divided IN
opinion OH other political subjects to unite IN
compelling obedience to existing laws aimed at
the protection of right OF suffrage ! respect
fully urge upon Congress TO supply any defects IN
these laws which experience has shown and which
It is within It's power to remedy. again invoke
the cooperation of tho executive and legislative
authorities of the States to this great purpose.
The government now existing IN this Dis.
trict was anti-American and unconstitutional
because it imposed taxes without representa-
tion. These same causes in 1776 led to the
revolution against the mother country. 1t
was unconstitutional to put one army officer
over us, az, If ii so desired, Congress could put
three of them there. Suffrage existed before
the Constitution of the United States was
framed, and it was brought into being by suf-
frago 1t was designed to benefit postcrty,
and the depriving them of tho right of self
government was not beneficial. The people OF
the District at tho time of the framing of the
Constitution were part of tho people ol
| Maryland, and it was absurd to think that
| they gnvo Congress the power to deprive them
of political suffrage. Congress had not the
power any more than the people of the country
could vote to take away from any one his life
| who had committed no crime. The Congress.
| In taking away the right Of self.government
| had therefore done what was not delegated tc
them. The only remedy left was the right tC
appeal to the various free constituencies of thu
! United States to say to the men representing
them "You do wrong in not treating thos,
| people as you do u.s." 1t would not do. Calmly
earnestly and dispasslonately appeal to Con
gress, and If not listened to, thon go to the
people.
RESOLUTIONS
The committee on resolutions then returned
and reported tho following resolutions, which
were unanimously adopted
| WHEREAS, The people of the District of Columbia
are entirely dlsranchsed having no vote either II
the management of their own local affairs or in tn
| General Government; and, whereas, the right o
suffrage and local government existed here bofOT
the establishment OF the Federal Constitution anC
the people of tho United States In adopting that in
strunent did not design to take away those rights
and were incompetent to confer upon Congress tn
| power to Abrogate them therefore,
ResOired d. As the sense OF this meeting, that thi
| Acknowledgement Is in violation of the rights of IN
Inhabitants of this District as citizens of the United
States guaranteed By the principles OF our Constit
tOnal Government
Rcsolred (2), That there is nothing IN the relation
of this District TO the General government whic
can in the slightest degree Justify such disirOn
chisemGnt of l75 QUO people, but ON the oontror,
the property other Interests OF the United stats
possess In their respective capitals that any civ
flied nation possesses at It's seat OF government
that its power does not extend 10 the taking ava
| of the ballot which under the American system &
government is o sacred and indispensable right q
| without II no community can DO free; that W
therefore claim the same municipal rights that tn
peOple of all other capital cities have wherevO
republican governments exist, such as the founder
of the Republic intended we should enjoy, an
which were actually exercised by us down 10 th
year lS1l. ,,,,,
to be as extensive and invlolable rs those of an!
other citizens, and that the Federal ConstitutiO
ought not TO DO sci mp as permanent bar TO 6ucl
complete citizenship, in0smuch as II has bee
Thought proper and found practicable 70 amen
that Constitution whenever necessary to secur
the right of the dislIanchised, We therefore claim
as Americans that we arc entitled TO representa-
live In Congress and u vote In Presidential elGc
tlOns. and that We should hold our rights hot O
the viii ofany body OF men, but by the same ten
uro as do other citizens Of the United stetos