National Republican., 1880-03-08

and satisfactory in it's administrative pow
ers This District is the seat of power Of
republican form of government which APP
plies 10 every other portion of the territory
Of the United States, except to the few
square miles which are dedicated, as the
National Capital. Here every principle and
every attribute which distinguishes Re-
publican form of government, except that
of paying taxes, is suspended. This peo-
pie are aattered with the idea that they
are American citizens, but they are
denied the practical exercise of those
privileges and duties which prop
erly attach TO citizenship everywhere
else in this Republic where there are peo-
pie tobe governed. The people of this Dis.
trict are denied the right of self-govern-
ment, and are subject to weak, vascil-
lating and irresponsible exercise of admin
istrative power, which does not seem to re-
spect the requirements of the laws passed
for its own observance, and hence it sets an
example under which crime, outrage and
lawlessness are rapidly on the increase.
This need not surprise anyone, for it is le-
gitimate fruit gathered from the great wrong
inflicted upon people who are robbed of
the right of self-government, aud are held
subjects of power that is in no degree re-
sponsible to them, or really to anyone else,
! for that matter.
These developments Of crime on the in
crease, without any effective power to pun
ish, or even to check its spread are well
calculated to arouse the people of this Dis
trict to a sense of danger, and to q desire
for protection that is not now afforded
them. Is it strange, then, that they should
urge upon Congress an early restoration to
them Of the powers of self-government2 We
| think not. 1t is far more strange that Con-
gress should hesitate one moment to return
to this people what belongs to them under
the Constitution of the United States-the
| rights Of citizenship, such rs are enjoyed by
all the rest of the people of the United
| States. To withhold from them the right
Of self.government is a great wrong that
cannot be defended upon any principle OF
equity, right or justice. 1t cannot be denied
under any principle of right, but must be un.
der the exercise Of a cruel caprice that
is indefensible, and is q dishonor to re-
publican form of government 1t is tc
make a prejudice a successful bar against Q
constitutional right, and the longer thi.
barrier is maintained by Congressional in,
difference aud neglect the more rapid viii
IL
the greater its volume. The only strong
and effective government in republic mus
be 4" of the people, for the people and by
the people" and it is to be hoped tina
Congress will soon recognize that fact il
connection with the District of Columbia
1t must disregard the narrow-minded preiu
dice and caprice which centre in "Murde
Bay and Hell's Bottom" and pay somt
respect to the wishes of those who take
higher view of citizenship aud governmen
than to seek to punish the better clas
of the people because there are vaga
bonds thieves, robbers and murderers il
our midst. Let the people govern, anC
then we should have n responsible govern
ment that the law-breakers would respec
and fear, and then crime would be brough
in check if not to a stand. As the Govern
ment is now administered, we are goin,
from bad to worse, and nothing short of
radical change in its form will afford an,
hope Of improvement. We have no sym
pathy with that objection to popular form
of government that seeks to disfranchise
whole population because fraction of it
material are bad men. That view of thr
case is too narrow for intelligence and toe
contemplate in the light of liberality, aut
shou Id never weigh to overturn an abstrac
constitutional right of the people.