Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-08-24

BRENTWOOD.
duly-elected successor. The republic
was very young, and the city of Wash
ington 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, 1871, President
Washington appointed three commits
sioners for the territory of Columbia, -
and those commissioners were the To-
cal rulers until congress passed an act
approved May 3, 1902, authorizing the
president to appoint mayor for the
city.
The Historical society has published
the following letter, dated June 8, 1902,
to Robert Brent, Esq, of the city of
Washington:
Dear Sir: The Act of Congress incor-
porating the City of Washington has con-
fided to the President of the United States
the appointment of a Mayor of the City. As
the agency of that officer will be immedi-
ately requisite, 1 am DESTROYS to avail the
City Of your services in it, If you will per-
init me to send you the commission. l will,
ask the favor of your answer to this prop
osition.
will you do me the favor of dining with
me the day after tomorrow Q'rlday), at
half past three? Accept my friendly and
respectful salutations.
'TH. JEFFERSON"
To this official note Robert Brent re-
piled as follows:
Washington, June 3, 1sO2.-Dear Sir: ]
have the honor of receiving your favor OF
this date, asking my acceptance of the APP
pointment of Mayor, under the late act Oh
congress for the incorporation of the city
Although 1 feel great diffidence in the
talents 1 possess for executing that duty, II
manner which may afford general salts
faction, yet feeling 1t duty to contribute
my feeble aid for the public service, 1 will
venture upon its duties.
Il beg you, sir, to accept my thanks for
the honor which you are about to confer
on me, and for the obliging manner in
which you have been pleased to commune
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 obi. Ser,
ROBERT BRENT"
There is the formal proffer 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.
II 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
ident of a republic of about 100000
people. Robert Brent was appointed
mayor of a city of something like 1900
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 1908 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 to withdraw from the office. He
succeeded Gen. Dearborn as paymasteT
general at a critical period and full
filed the functions of that office to 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 a stroke Of paralysis in 1919, when
he was On his sixty-sixth year. He
then resigned,the position Of paymaster
general of the army. Within a few
months thereafter he died at his man
sion in Washington, September IA. 1919.
SMITH D. FRY.