National Republican., 1883-10-15
ms REAL VIEWS ELABonArrp.

MS REAL VIEWS ELABORATED.
urScon General Hamilton Explains His
PosItion More Tuliy on the District
Suffrage Qurstlon,
ToMs Ettor
{ OCr l2-Relerriug to the remarks of the
Man on tho Avenue" this morning concern
| ing my alleged views on tho subject of suf-
frage in tho District of Columbia, permit mo
to say that while did not suppose that half
dozen people in the district cared what
! thought or did not think on that subject, still
! ifmy views arc considered worth printing as
such, permit mo to givo you the genuine
article without filtration through the mind of
any one plso. Let me premise that did not
make any attack on the commissioners They
arc not responsible for the law, aud, so far as
l know, thoy simply carry out tho law as they
understand il. Attacks on the commissioners
are not arguments, nor do they have any
| particular bearing ON tho question whether
Americ ans and naturalized citizens living in
{ he district shall have the right to vote
The opponents of the right of suffrage say
| that IA majority of the "best people who
over they may be do not want IL that
such well meaning and intelligent citizens
| arc VOL satisfied 10 have no voice in the adj
!
suffrage were extended to those resident in
the district of lawful age worthless and
vicious class would take possession OF the
polls cnntrol tho elections, and make il gen
orally unpleasant for tho best people }" here
| tOlOTo mentioned that congress would with
draw the annual appropriations and the cntire
burden Of municipal expenses would fall upon
! the district treasury, and that finally congress,
| in establishing tho district under section s Of
tho constitution, giving it powor to exercise
exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever
over such district mot exceeding ten mios
square) rs may by cesson of particular states
aud tho acceptance of congress become the
seat of the government Of the United States"
did not intend to Gede any rights whatever to
| individuals, or TO reGogni2e tho inhabitants
| as entitled to vote.
We are taught by the declaration of indo-
nondenoe that governments arc instituted
among men to secure to them certain in
alienable rights, and that governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed. That is the theory of government
on which our foreiathers waged war against
Great Britain. Tried by this standard, what
kind of government has been provided for
this district by recentacts of cOngressp When
did the people consent to tho present form of
govotnmenti
/ do not sec much force in that other oh
lection, which by ailectation of fastidious
nicely leads some to object to reOpening the
polls because the freedmen might vote; and
this objection il made by many who consider
negro suffrage good enough in Mississippi or
Alabama, but very bad for tho district. In
point OF fact tho educational facilities OF the
district have greatly improved the status of
the freedmen, and there is a great difference
between tho young negroes of Washington
and Georgetown, and those of the southern
baCkwOods, whero nobody has yet proposed to
disfranchse the whites on their account.
As to tho Withdrawal of appropriations by
congress in case the people were allowed to vote
for their municipal rulers that is u matter OF
conjecture only. Congress is very apt to be
| guided by common sense, and nearly always
| by desire to do Justice, therefore it does not
seem likely that the fact of having munich
pal counsel, or congressional delegate
would necessarily induce congress to cease to
| appropriate money for the preservation of the
property of the nation for the public build
ings necessary to carry on the business OF the
government in its legislative, executive, and
judicial branches, or for the support OF SO
much of the expenses of the fire and police
departments as should properly bo allotted to
| tho general government; congress appropriates
now lust what it considers its fair proportion
of the whole expense of the city government,
according to the value of tho whole property
taken care of and it is scarcely reasonable to
suppose 1t would do less, unless the city
council were invested with extraordinary
powers AS the creature Of congress, not less
than tho people, such council would
naturally be careful.
Now for the remaining objection The law
establishing the district provided that tho
laws Of Maryland aud Virginia should still
remain in force. Marylanders voted, RVir-
ginians voted, and subsequently, the act of
incorporation of the city of Washington (May
3, 1903 expressly guaranteed the right of its
citizens to elect city council annually by
ballot in general ticket by tho free white
| AZ, ,,,I,n nf f,1l xunn hnxyA rn-
sided twelve months in the city and paid
taxes therein the year preceding the elections
being held, the justices of the county OF
Washington, resident in tho city, or any
three of them, to preside as judges Of election,
wi tn such associates as the council may from
time to time appoint" This seems to settl c
the question as to the opinions of the found
0 RS of the district.
There is another phase of this question:
which seems to mo is its most vital one, and
that is the example of this form of govern
ment--thc influence it may have on republi-
can institutions. Can Americans afford to
eXalt and maintain system of government
opposed to all their traditions and embody-
ing in itself the essential elements of mon
archical doctrines? The doctrine that the
governing power can better choose rulers
than the people is strange one on Ameri-
can soil, and it is one fraught with danger
to the people. Even il some temporary
|
their own protection ought not to
allow an anomaly of this sort to grow un-
checked. Ten thousand children, more or
less, arc growing up here, without the slight
est practical insight into the work
ings of government by the people. II
is no argument to show the good
ness or virtue of the present or any former
, set of commissioners. Rulers under no obli'
CATION to tho people arc not apt to consider
their wishes, and tho evils Of tyranny have
bcen but little felt in the past, owing to the
lack of commerce and the paucity of trade, but
these are now increasing, and it is apparent that
r q system which might have been good enough
for the needs Of u village where all the in
habitants were uon-residents is utterly mad
, equate for the needs of the growing metropo
l lis, and when such ~ government is likely ia
be held up as an example of what tho United
States might become without the right o
suffrage it is about time to change tho system
in favor of ono moro in accordance with th
principles of liberty and justice. Worry truly
/ yours. JOHN B. HAMILTON,
If you feel dull, drowsy, dobilitated, hav'
sallow color of skin, or yellowsh brown spot
, on face or body, frequent headache or di2ai
ness, bad taste in mouth, internal heat o.
| Chills alternatCd with hot lushes, low spirits