Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-21

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| commenced. Never was an accused man S
vindication from false and slanderous
| charges more complete, and never We're a
| mans enemies more completely routed But
| time, which evens all things, was destined
| to bring him even a more complete vindica-
| ton. The Court of Claims had held in GER
| tain suits brought by contractors under the
| late board of public works that payment
| under board rates, when not made in accord
| ance with written amendment to the con-
| tract, were unlawful, and should be set off
| against anything found to be due.
A More Complete VindicatfOn.
Congress, at it's very last session, directed
| that in all such cases board rates should be
| allowed, and not deducted when settlement
had been made in accordance with such
| rates.
| Broken in fortune, though victorious In
his great task. he was obliged to seek the
opportunity of mending it in foreign coun-
| try, which his native city could not give.
And now. upon his return to the city for
| which he has done so much and sacrificed
so much, we meet him with open arms and
| loyal hearts. and say: Welcome! Thrice well
| come homer
Behold this splendid superstructure.
which the foundation you laid has made
possible! And we say because we can say
| 1t truly, that twenty years of absence has
not dimmed the luSter of your achievements
nor lessened the debt of gratitude which
| rests upon your countrymen for them, but
has orly served to increase the respect and
| affection which the citizens of the District of
Columbia entertain for their first Citizen
their greatest benefactor.'
Senator Stewart.
Mr.. Parker. in introducing Senator Stew
| art, referred to him as having always been
| a friend of the District of Columbia.
Il did not come here expecting to be called
| on for speech" said Senator Stewart, but
1 cannot refrain from referring to the past.
| which, from the remarks made this even
| ing, is so wildly before me tonight. When
| the war closed it left the streets of Wash
| ington which had been macadamized in the
| ordinary country fashion. in most deplor
able condition The war had converted
WashinSton-a country town as it waS-into
a most horrible mudhole, much so that
| visitors proposed to remove the capital to
avoid the mire of Washington. Nothing
was more common on the streets, as you
met strangers, than to hear the suggestion
| that 1t was the duty of this great govern
ment to get out of such a mudhole. Move
mentS Were started in the west in various
| cities and localities for the removal of the
capital. 1t became subject of popular dis
| cussion. The country had become involved
| in vast debt, and the people felt poor. 1t
was impossible to get appropriations in ad-
vance. and Tor awhile the fate of Washing
| ton was in the balance for before the war it
was between the sections, the north and
south, neither willing to improve it; both
| fearing that it would not be permanent. and
| seemed against the locality selected by the
| father of his country as the national CAPT
| tai. One man decided the fate of the city,
| and that man was Gov. Shepherd.
II remember well the conditions of this
| city when l first visited it as a Senator in
| lSG4-J. When we arrived at the Capitol
| steps my escort asked me what l thought
| of Washington. l told him that it need I'd
taxation to an extent that would confis cate
the property more than it needed rain.
| Governor Shepherd proceeded to construct
the city. and for three years appropriations
| followed. The democratic party, in the
meantime, was cursed with Tweed in New
| York. and the exigencies of the case de-
| manded a Tweel for Washington. and an
investigation followed in order to ind that
man.
Il was on the committee that made the
| Investigation. and the efforts to find the
Tweed were proceeded with with energy
unparalleled in the venom of hate against
a man of enterprise. and as that iEvestiga-
| ton progressed and hundreds of the PEG.
pie looking for Tweed had made their
statements, one morning We called on the
man who was being attacked for an eXpla-
nation of what occurred. and In the sim
plest words that the English language con-
| tains, he told us the story of what he had
done. He presented to us his letter books,
containing the letters he had addressed to
the men who made propositions Cor i'm
proving the city. There the matter ended
and day after day these charges came and
| as uniformly the REPUTATION came. Judge
4 Thurman, known as the Old Roman, took
| me aside one morning and said to me: This
| Is the most remarkable man l have ever
| met In my life. In courage, in honesty Of
purpose and in indomitable energy L have
seen 10 parallel to him..
1.-The report of that committee in detail
will show that every charge of corruption
was refuted. every charge of bad faith
was successfully disposed of. and record
of energy and patriotism was presented
which will remain to Governor Shepherd
and his poSterity forever.
Governor Shepherd nesis no monument
| of marble or brass. The city of Washing
ton is his monument, and the record of his
work here is imperishatle. 1t will show
that this young man born in the capital
| never experienced before, and created a
| city that will make every Amrcah proud
1 testify to what know of the great work
of this man in creating the most magnifi-
cent city in the world.
Justice bradley.
Justice Bradley of the Supreme Court of
| the District when called upon by Mr.. Par
ker, said: II think that if my friend Par
ker had realized the relation existing be-
| tween myself and the honored guest of
+! this occa sion he woull not have expected
me to say anything.
"a few days ago l came across state
ment that may be of interest on this &C.
| sion ard that was in laying out the plan
| of the city of Washington, LEnfant dis
appoiEt ted Gen. WASHINGTON. Streets were
not made to conform to the topography of
! the locality nor to the natural drainage
| OF the creeks and rivers. 1t occurred to me
| If Gen. Washington had lived to see this
| day he would have felt no disappointment
whatever for grade which in that day
| appeared to be forty-five feet to square
| or between two streets was to our friend
| Shepherd as a matter of small Importance.
He found no obstacle in the torty-tive foot
| grade. daughter and applause) He over
came 1t. Gov. Shepherd has been to me
not oily a source of pleasure in his COM
| partnership, but he has been an instructor
| to me in law, for in acting as his attorney
l find l learned a great deal of law. and am
| therefor under great obligations to him In
! that particular. But 1 am glad to say
| while en- my feet that consider 1t not only
an he nor to be associated with him as
men Der of the same family and call him
my brother-in-aw, but am proud to have
| been accorded the privilege OF calling him
| my friend"
Col. Wilson.
When Col John NJ. Wilson, superinten-
dent of public buildings and grounds. was
introduced Mr.. Parker referred to him as
one of the most popular superintendent of
public buildings and grounds ever in this