National Republican., 1883-10-08
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
Citizens Of the District Organizing to Make a
Demand on Congress.
Speeches Made Ht the Meeting Saturday
Night-other Meetings TO be Held.

Among the gentlemen present at tho suf
frage meeting Saturday night at 632 Pennsyl-
vania avenue northwest were Hon. A. NJ.
Clapp, Gen. Eaton, Mr.. w. H. Claggett, Mr..
George Holmes, Maj. Richards, ex-chiof of
police; DIR. Allen, and other we'll known citi-
zens Mr.. Clapp was chosen chairman, and
suggested that as the night was quite stormy,
preventing many prominent gentlemen from
attending who wero anxious ito be present,
the meeting should be informal and another
call issued for next Saturday evening at tho
same hour and place. He said the next meet
ing would be attended by u number of prom
inent republicans and democrats. The sug-
gestion was agreed TO.
Mr. Watson said it was tho intention of
large number of citizens TO petition congress,
at its next session, to give tho district an
elective city government He characterized
the commissioners as "the Four-and "a half
street oligarchy and West Point despotism," )"
and favored the election Of mayor, council,
and tho several judges. "A bill giving us
universal suffrage" said the speaker, "will
certainly pass both houses of congress-"
He paid his respects TO the present police
court system. and said "it should be upset"
DIR. Allen, a democrat, declared that 1--WE
should do something to got rid of this per-
sonal government. The people of Washing
ton are taxed without representation. There
900 free citizens against their will. The pres
ent form of government is an irresponsible
one. A triumvirate is always irresponsible
because there Is no hoad and, besides that,
it is system of personal favoritism. The
present city government represents no.
body. We want officers of our own choice
and not those chosen by the President
for personal reasons. 1t is true that the gem
eral government appropriates one half of the
money for the district and should have half
the control, but the people who are taxed the
other half should also have some representa-
tion in the management of their own affairs.
The citizens of Washington were suited with
the old form of government, and if the truth
were known it would appear that the change
was made at tho instigation of few ambi-
tious men, who wanted perpetual office, or
sinecures."
Referring to the police court system, the
doctor said that people are now brought six
and seven miles to attend court, and are kept
from their business often as much as o whole
day, while policemen, who should be asleep
after q hard nights work, are dragged to the
court and compelled to wait until their cases
are disposed of.
"Tho old magistrate SYSTEM" he said, twas
better and cost infinitely less than the pres
ent machine" He had spoken to Mai. Dye
on the SUBJECT, and he learned that he fa.
vored the old system as being better for his
men than tho present.
The speaker then reverted to the system of
city improvements now in vogue, and re-
marked significantly that the sound of pickax
and shovel should be heard in all sections,
and not alone in certain favored localities.
1t is time that congress had been asked to in
terpose its hand. Men educated at West
Point to plan Notifications should not be con-
sttuted rulers Of the District of Columbia.
Mr.. Claggett strongly favored suffrage. He
believed that when man reached the age of
21 years he has perfect right, under the
constitution, to vote for the officers who were
to control his affairs. He offered $50 rs the
nucleus for a district suffrage fund, and urged
that mass meeting be held at au esrly date.
Mr.. George Holmes favored going to work
and getting as much elective franchise as
possible If the citizens can only succeed in.
making the school trustees elective, it will be
an initial step and good results will follow,
He had talked to many people about suffrage
in the district, and found they were nearly
unanimous in favor of it. The fact that GER
tain newspapers had selected few men,
known to be in opposition to the elective
franchise, and interviewed them has no sgnifi-
cance.' The mass of people want their consti-
tutional rights.
The meeting adjourned to meet next Sat-
urday night. well known sutlragist said
to the reporter after the meeting, "We shall
ask congress to put itself on record in this
matter. Over 100000 American citizens are
disfranchsed, and congressman, who owe
their positions to the elective franchise of
their fellow citizens, cannot afford to ignore
our claims for a constitutional privilege. The
yells of few bowling dervishes, in this dis
trct, led by the Four-and-a- half street pashas
will avail them nothing as against the petit
| tiOns of thousands of our communicated
| fellow citizens"
Chairman Clapp was notified that the suf-
frage club now organizing in East Washing
ton desired to become auxiliary to the CEN
tral organization. 1t was also stated that
South and West Washington would co ntri-
| butte auxiliary associations.