National Republican., 1882-08-24
A North Carolina Bourbon Argument

lwADEsBoRo', N. c., Aug. %, 1882
To the Editor OF THE RFPunIICAS;
DEAR SIN: As the Democratic speakers who
are opposed TO the restoration Of local affairs to
the people in county matters are making great
howl over the management Of the city govern
ment of Washington, d. c., how tho people could
not manage their oDn Ggdtrs, and how the Congress
OF the United States had to take tho management
Of the city out OF the hands OF e people and place
nil appointments TO Office in tie power Of the
President, with the advice and consent of the
Senate please give mo n history of the city
government, what party was in power when
established, and what party in power when the
change was made, and the causes Of the change.
INQUIRER
So the North Carolina Bourbons are
trying to satisfy the people of that State
that they do not want county govern
ments of their own choosing because the
city of Washington is governed by Con-
gross. These cunning fellows do not in
form their hearers that the Constitution
of the United States expressly withholds
from the people of this District the right
to govern themselves, and declares that
they shall be under the exclusive iuris-
diction of Congress. In the eighth Sec
ton of Article / of the Constitution of
the United States, in the enumeration of
the powers of Congress, are the following
words:
To erceise exclusive Jurisdiction in al cases ,rhatso-
erer over such District mot exceeding ten miles
squarc) as may, by cession of particular States,
and the acceptance of Congress, become the scat Of
the government Of the United States.
Congress has adopted various methods
of exercising its jurisdiction over this
District. Governor Shepherd and the
Board of Public Works, of which he was
the active and leading spirit, were nomi-
mated by the President and confirmed by
the Senate under an act of Congress.
They were not chosen by the people, nor
did the people have any voice in their
selection. They made a new city of
Washington, where there had been
quagmire. They tore the old concern
up from Georgetown to the Navy Yard,
and from the Potomac to the northern
boundary, and when it WAS put in order
again it was the finest capital in the
world.
All this was viciously resisted by GER
tain class of people who loved dirt and
hated to be disturbed, much in the spirit
in which dirty boy struggles against
the nurse who washes his face. Their
screams excited the sympathic3 of the
outside people, and the Democratic press
improved the opportunity to raise cry
against the Republican party then i'll
power. The party found it easier to 60
with the current than to resist it, and
after prolonged investigation had failed
to disclose any improper conduct on the
part of the officials, Congress decided to
govern the District through Board of
Commissioners, instead of through a
governor and board Of public works.
When the North Carolina Bourbons
can find in the constitution of that State
provision giving the legislature Eek
elusive jurisdiction in all cases whatso-
ever" over the several counties, then
they may draw the parallel with Wash
ington. But until then they cannot
Justify their Capitalization of power in
the legislature, nor their denial to the
people of home rule, on the ground
that Republican Congress, in ex-
ercisng its exclusive jurisdiction over
the District of Columbia, changed
one set of officers for another. If
it be said that at the time of the
change legislature chosen by the people
was also abolished, the reply is that the
Congress calls in the aid of the people,
and dispenses with it at will, in exer-
cising the exclusive jurisdiction and alb
solute power conferred by the Constitu-
ton. The legislature was an unimpor-
tant appendage, the whole business Of
public Improvements being intrusted to
the Board of Public Works, which acted
as authorized by Congress and not by the
lepiSlatlre