Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-08-06

duly-elected successor. The republic
was very young. and the city of Wash
iEgtOn. was yet to be built,
We have the same sort Of government |
to-day. with slight notifications, that
Washington provided for the national |
capital. In January, 1791, President |
Washington appointed three commits
siorers for the territory of Columbia"
and those commissioners We're the To-
cal rulers until congress passed an act |
approved May ,, 1902, authorizing the
president to appoint mayor for the
city.
The Historical society has published |
the following letter, dated June 3, 1902,
to Robert Brent, Esq, of the city of |
Washington:
Dear Sir: The Act of Congress incor-
porating the City Of Washington has con- |
iided to the President of the Unit d States |
the appointment of a Mayor of the City. AS |
the agency Of that officer viii be immedi- |
ately requisite, am desrous to avail the |
City of your services in 1t, if you will per- |
nit me to send you the commission. l Will
ask the favor of your answer to this prop
ostion.
will you do me the favor Of dining with
me the day after tomorrow (Friday), at
half past three? Accept my friendly and
| respectful salutations.
TIL. JEFFERSON"
To this official note Robert Brent re-
piled as follows:
washington, June 8, 1s02.-Dear Sir: Il
have the honor of receivinE your favor OF
| this date, asking my acceptance of the ap-
| rointment of Mayor under the late act OF
| congress for the Incorporation CT the city
Although 1 feel great difiidence in the
| talents possess for executing that duty, in
manner which may afford general salts
| taction, yet feeling it duty to contribute
my feeble aid for the public service, 1 will
venture upon its duties.
| Il beS you, sir, to accept my thanks for
| the honor which you are about to confer
on me, and for the obllging manner in
| which you have been pleased to communi-
cate it.
II will with pleasure, accept your polite
| invitation to dinner on Friday next. With
sentiments of much esteem and respect,
have the honor to be, sir, Your obt. Ser,
ROBERT BRENT"
There is the formal protfer and ac-
ceptance Of the first mayoralty of the
city Of Washington. There is the for
mality, the Difference, the respectful
consideration displayed by the presi-
dent to the private citizen; and there
we also see the consideration and
esteem of the citizen for the president.
| il is matter of record in the Historical
society that the dinner lasted from
! three o'clock until seven o'clock in the
| evening. Thomas Jefferson was pres
/ iGent of a republic of about G,00O,000
people. Robert Brent was appointed
mayor Of a city Of something like 500
people. There was us much courtesy
and consideration displayed as though
| Brent were being made minister to
Great Britain.
By the act of congress the appoint
ment of a mayor of Washington was
made annual, and the president con-
tinued reappointing Mr.. Brent until
1872, when he declined to serve longer
because of his incumbency of other po-
sitions, He was mayor Of Washington
for ten years, judge of the orphans
court from 1906 to 1914 and paymas-
ter general of the army from 1905 to
1919.
Manifestly President Jefferson made
no mistake in selecting the first mayor
of Washington city. He was reappoint-
ed by successive presidents until other
official duties Of Importance compelled
him 10 withdraw from the office. He
succeeded Gen. Dearborn as paymaster
general at a critical period and full
filed the functions of that office 10 the
satisfaction of three presidents.
During Mayor Brent's administration
the city market was established, where
it stands until this day. An ordinance
was passed requiring the maintenance
of leather fire buckets filed with water
in all storehouses and hotels, Appro-
priations were made for the digging
and maintenance of public wells for
drinking purposes and for the Use of
fire-bucket brigades.
Mayor Brent maintained an elegant
private residence, and Sir Augustus
Foster, the British minister, wrote to
! his country at that time: There are
only three private residences main
tanned in this city; they are by Mayor
Brent, Mr.. Carroll and Mr.. Taylor"
The first mayor of Washington suf-
fered stroke of paralysis in 1919, when
7 he was. in his siXty-sixth year. He
then resignedthe position of paymaster
general of the army. Within few
] months thereafter he died at his man
: sion in Washington, September IA, 1919.
I SMITH d. FRY.