The daily critic., 1890-10-16
HCOHBS ON THg CONSTITUTION
a Correspondent VINO Pattent1y wan.
for an a marvre

.
for an Answer.
EdH0r critic. In the House of Ran.
resentatives on The 30th of july. ultim1.
Hon. Thomas NJ Bayne voluntecra 8
he opinion that CONGRESS fs obs5.
lute.y without power to delprtfs f.l.
ihorty 90 any municipal government ta
IteisIate for this District" And an
/ plrguilv to strengthen that p1siiion
Mr. NcComas came forward with his
usual cvasive Discrimination, declarinr
That 'thp people come here with notice
iuflC Constitution as TO the power add
duty OF Congress with is exclusive
control in this District Tn thar CRISIS
lcsetms to have faltered. manfulIv. to
support bis pfcientious COLLEAGUE off
predictions familiarity with the iurfs.
prudence OF ON Christcndpm.
lhereupon ] wrote % Mr.. MeCbmas.
quoting The foregoing opinion of Mr
Bayne and adding
ON account Oi The vital importance OF
That question t0 our people and OF the rep
rtscutatIve relation 90 our Distist affairs
which you seem to occupy, I have the
honor, respectfully to request O. be i1-
ioimeu whether or not You cOucu in that
opinion. Please have The Kindness to wife
me at your earliest convenience
After taking n week 10 study ont
that plain and simple question he re-
piled as follows
DEAR SIR: / do not now recall Mr.
Bayue's speech, and have not time TO re-
examine it now, as Congress rs about 20
adjourn and ! am pressed with work. OF
course, ! cannot say whether I agree with
bis views unless had read them in erteuso.
However, ] am confident that the existing
guvtr ment IN this Disii,t Is legal, II that
be the pUrr ort of your inquiry.
Very truly, yours. J.. F.. MCCoNAs.
The day following the receipt OF said
letter ] wrote him again as follows:
SIR: Ny letter 20 which yours purports
TO be in reply was addressed and delivered
to YOU on the 22nd ultimo representing
that Mr. Bayne claimed that Congress Is alb
solutely without power TO delegate author
ity to any municipal government 10 lepis-
late Tor this District, aud requesting 10 be
informed whether or not YOU concur in
hU' opinion. In reply YOU state: "Of
course | cannot say whether / agree with
his views unless ] had read them I'm er-
tense. However, ] am confident that the
existing government in this District IS legal
u that be the purport Of your inquiry"
But that was not the purport Of my inquiry.
| inquired nothing about the existing gov
erumtut, and nothing about Mr.. Bayue's
views generally | quoted Gu opinion OF
his as expressed and asked you whether or
not you conturred ia that opinion. With
out wishing TO appear too importunate !
now again respectfully request 10 be in
foimed on that point
Nearly two weeks have elapsed this
time since my inquiry was repeated to
him, verbatim; but no solution Of the
problem has yet transplred Great
questions REQUIRE deliberate answers
aud he Is not going to commit himself
on the great Exclusive control notice"
In the Constitution until he can read Il
''in c5teHso" like a man. and scrutinize
the Haunting notification poster thereon,
which be saw butdimly aud wi hapIr
chased vision when he made his hasty
PROCLAMATION thereof, as the FIRST great
discCvorer. So / wait for repy. Re.
sp,cifully, $ G.. CLARKE.
Washington, ID. c.. October rs.