The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-09-16
& lr1eId's Defense.
HE SEEKS TO EXCUSE HIS CONDUCT BY
MIssTATEMENT.


condemnation of all intelligent men, he is
compelled to assert that Congress, and he
as member of Congress, were in no way
responsible for the acts of the Board of
Public Works of the District of Columbia.
In his speech at Warren, Sept 10th, 1874,
he uses this language:
"In the first place want the audience
to understand that the city of Washington
is governed and always has been governed,
so far as its own Improvements are con-
cerned, by It's OtOn laWS and It's O,Cn people,
just as much as Warren has been govern
by its own corporate laws and authority"
How does this statement comport with
the facts?
l. The Constitution of the U. s., Art. 1,
Sec. 8, provides:
The Congress shall have power u
to exercise exclusive legislation in all
cases whatsoever over such District (not
exceeding ten miles square) as may by
cession of particular States and the ac-
ceptance of Congress become the seat of
the Government of the United States,
Mr. Shellabarger says: "This provision
as to legislative power is plenary, and ex-
hausts the subject matter. No other body
than Congress can here legislate or gov
ern"
In 1880 the District of Columbia was
ceded to the United States.
The streets and avenues are held in fee
simple by the General Government.
This was expressly decided by the
Supreme Court in the case of Van Ness
VS., the City of Washington. a Peters
Rep 275,)
The District of Columbia Investigating
Committee, at page 461 of their Report,
say:
"That the Real Estate held by the Uni
ted States in the District of Columbia full
ly equals, if it does not exceed, that held
by citizens"
Congress, by an act approved Feb, 81,
1871, created the government for the Dis
trict of Columbia, which was managed
and manipulated by Boss Shepherd and
his associates in villainy The following
are some of the provisions of this act;
&" Sec O. That the executive power and
authority in and over said District of Co
lumbia shall be vested in a Governor, who
shall be appointed by the President, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, and who shall hold his Office for
four years, and until his successor shall be
appointed and qualified"
"Sec. 81. That there shall be in the
District of Columbia Board of Public
| Works, to consist of the Governor who
shall be President of said Board four
persons to be appointed by the President
of the .. S., by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate "They shall
hold office for the term of years, unless
sooner removed by the President of the
United States. The Board of Public
Works shall have entire control of and
make all regulations that they shall find
necessary for keeping in repair the streets,
avenues, alleys, and sewers of the city, and
all other works which may be entrusted to
their charge by the legislative Assembly
or Congress. They shall disburse upon
their warrant all moneys appropriated by
the United States or the District of Co.
lumbia"
"Sec. 38. That the officers herein pro-
vided for, who shall be appointed by the
President by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall be paid by
the United States by appropriations to be
made by law as heretofore provided"
Here then is a Board appointed by the
President of the United States, and re-
movable at the pleasure of the President,
and whose salaries are paid at the United
States Treasury from appropriations TO
be made by Congress, and yet Mr.. Gar
field says that the people of the city Of
ouIi hn anti Of
the improvements made in that city as
much as the people of Warren have over
the improvements made in Warren.
Can any reliance be placed upon the
statements of q man who thus audaciously
perverts the facts and predicates his de,
fense upon falsehood2
Hear Gov, Shepherds testimony:
Question by Wilson-You think, then,
the General Government instead of ow-
ing &,375, ,427.94, really ought to pay twice
that amount2
Answer-I think, Judge, this-that they
should pay q just proportion for improv
ing streets and avenues which they own
in fee simple and have entire control
Of-which they have ownership over, and
which they close in and take up whenever
it suits their purpose
Question by same-You don't mean,
then, as this report states, that this is an
Indebtedness of the General Government
to the District of Columbia?
Answer You know that Congress is q
body that has supreme control and can do |
what it chooses, and the citizens of this |
District have no recourse whatever. They |
can do nothing but take what is given
them.
This Board of Public Works created
debt of nearly twenty millions of dollars.
In 1878 Congress appropriated 1892, ,946.1s
toward the payment of this debt.
The Hon. Samuel Shellabarger, in his
argument before the District Investigat-
ing Committee, at page "a, says "This
appropriation was extorted from Con
gress under the joint persuasion of the
shame of bankruptcy impending over our
Capital and of false and simulated ac-
counts, made up against the United
States for work never homework dupli-
measured work falsely measured - and
work charged to the United States at
prices enormously excessive. When this
appropriation of three and half millions
was made, Mr.. Garfield urged the appro-
priation upon Congress on the ground
that the work had been done for the bene-
fit of the General Government, and that
the work had been accurately measured,
and the Government, in equity, ought to
contribute to pay forlthe same,
When this three and half millions
was appropriated the bill of the Committee
on Appropriations was amended in the
House, so that the Board of Public
Works we're prohibited from incurring