The Greenville times., 1897-08-14


at Mount Vernon, and had been gath
cred unto his fathers He. had seeH
the city founded. lie had builded here
a city residence, which still stands lie
had turned over his high office To- his
duly-elected successor, The republic
was very young, and the city OF wash
iington 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 1901, President
Washington appointed three commis-
sioners for the Territory of Columbia y
and those commissioners were the lo-
cal rulers until congress passed an act
approved May 2, 1902, authorizing the
president to appoint a mayor for the
city.
The Historical society has published
the following letter, dated June ,, lSo2,
to Robert BreI>t. Esq of the city OF
Washington:
Dear Sir: The Act Of Congress incor'
porating the CITY OF Washington mas con.
fldcd 70 the President Of the United states
the appointment of a Mayor or the Clly ~
the agency OF that officer VIII be lnliiivur nun ~
ately requisite, l am desirous to aVail tne
City of your services In II, II you VIII per,
NIT me to send YOU the commission. l VIII
ask the favor of your answer to thls prop
ositon.
"Will you do me the favor Of dining with
me the day after tomorrow (FridaD' az
half past three2 Accept my irlenuIy ahu
respectful salutations. --,,,,-c,,,n
To this official note Robert Brent re-
piled as follows:
"Washlngton, June g. lS02.-Dear Sir;
have the honor OF receiving your iaNor o'
this date, asking my acceptance OF the aP,
pointment of Mayor, under the late act OF
congress for the Incorporation OF the clly
Although | feel great dtihdence' in inc
talents l possess for executing that duty II
a manner which may afford general saus'
faction, yet feeling 1t duty to contrlbute
my feeble aid for the public service WIZ
venture upon its duties,
II beg you, sir, to accept my thanks foi
the honor which you are about to confer
on me, and for the obliging manner IN
which you have been pleased to oommunl'
cate 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
1t is a 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,000,00C
people. Robert Brent was appointed
mayor of a city of something like 1,jOC
people. There was as 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 |
1912, 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 1903 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