The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15

Washington. Mr.. Emery was the last
mayor of the city, retiring from office
when the present form of government
was organized.
My personal acquaintance with Col
onel Berret was slight" said Mr.. Emery
last night, though officially | knew
him well. 1 always regarded him as
thoroughly honorable and upright citi-
zen, and in all my dealings with him,
both while in office and out. found him
TO be a thoroughly courteous gentle
man. His death is greatly to be re-
GREETED"
James C. Berret was of French extrac-
tion. The life of his father was tinged
with romance. The father and one of his
sisters were brought to the United States
from San Domingo, where their parents
and all their relatives had been killed in
a revolution, and they had been saved
only after many difficulties. The old
nurse who accompanied the Berrets to
this country was able to bring with her
the family jewels. which were sold for
enough money to educate the boy. He
married Miss O'Connell, of Baltimore,
and to them four sons and one daughter
were born. The sons were John, Julius,
Joseph, and James G. Berret- James G.
Ferret was born in Baltimore, February
l.. 1915, and the other children were born
in the family mansion. NeVerdie, in Free
dom district, Carroll County.
The land at Neverdie came into the Ber-
ret family through the oConnells. and
was called Freedom district because of
the habit of the O'Connells to give land to
any who would settle upon it.
James G. Berret was given common
school education. but early showed abil-
ity and when he was twenty-one years
of age he was nominated for the position
of delegate from Carroll County, which
had then Just been formed of Frederick
County Because of his youth. many peo-
Ile declared they would not vote for Ber-
ret, but he was nevertheless elected. He
was reelected the following year. and
served two sessions in the State Legisla-
ture at Annapolis.
Toward the expiration of his second
term, in June, 1853. Mr.. Berret was ap-
pointed to a clerkship in the Registers
Office of the Treasury Department, in
Washington. In this position he remain
cd until 1SiS, resigning to accept the chief
clerkship in the Pension Bureau, tender
cd him by William L. Marcy. then Sec
retary of War In August, 1919. he re-
signed. and engaged in private business.
MAYOR OF WASHINGTON.
Mr.. Berret had become quite prominent
in local politics in Washington by this
time. and in 1858 he was appointed Post
master for the city of Washington. and
held the position until June l. 1858, when
he was elected mayor of the city. In 1860
he was reelected mayor. but resigned
August a 1851
At the time of Mr.. Berret's first can
didacy for MAYOR of the city the Know
Nothing party developed considerable
strength IN opposing the recognition OF
slavery. and endeavored to have Congress
enact bill which, by failing to recognize
the fact that slavery existed in the Dis
trict. would abolish slavery here. This
party was also active at the preceding
election in preventing naturalized citizens
from voting at the polls. a gang. known
by the sobriquet of -PIug-Uglies.' was
imported from Baltimore. They interfered
with the voting and created a riot in the
city. The marines were called out to queil
the disturbance.
Mr.. Berret was nominated as an Anti
Know-Nothing. and had for his opponent
ex-Marshal Richard Wallach, the Repub-
licau candidate, whom he defeated by the
vote Of S.6Ss to BIZ. At the next cleo
ton. in 1860, Mayor Berret was reelected
by a vote of 3 s34. over Nallach, who was
again his opponent and who received 5'ilo
w b Magruder, a former mayor Of the
city. who ran Independently, received ia
votes
BY virtue of his position as mayor, Col
onel Berret was President of the Board
of Police Commissioners, and 1t was in
connection with that office that one of
the interesting incidents of his life was
enacted. In 1851 Congress enacted law
requiring that all officers of the United
States, either national. State, or munich
pal, should take the oath of allegiance TO
the Union. This Colonel BerTet refused
to do. He stated that he was States
right man. and that he did not feel
Obliged 10 take the oath when he had al
ready done so upon his accession to the
mayoralty.
AS a result Of this declaration he was
arrested on August "a, 1861, at his resi-
dence, and taken by a provost guard to
Fort Lafayette, where he remained i'll
confinement under suspicion Of being a
Southern sympathizer. His house in this
city was searched, but nothing was found
TO implicate him in disloyal relations with
the Confederacy. Early in September of
the same year Colonel Berret was released
from confinement. and on September il
be resigned his position as mayor
In the meanwhile the two boards of the
city council had appointed Wallach. his
old opponent, mayor of the city ad IN
terim. When Mr.. Berret resigned IL was
claimed that the city was without a mayor
but Wallach served out the unexp:red
term.
In 1862 President Lincoln appointed Mr.
Ferret TO serve on the commission for
the emancipation of slaves In the District
OF Columbia. The Senate refused to con-
firm the nomination. General Grant as
President twice nominated him = Police
Commissioner for the District OF Column
bia, and he served in that capacity for
five years.
When it was first proposed 10 change
the form Of government of the District
from that Of a municipality, at the head
OF which was mayor, to the present
form. Colonel Berret was one OF the fore
most opponents OF the innovation. In
this stand he was supported by the late
George W. Riggs and w. w Corcoran,
and at one time even went SO far as to
attempt to secure an Injunction to pre-
vent the carrying out by the Board of
Public Works OF the general scheme OF
Improvement, planned by Alexander r.
Shepard.
During the year 1883 he resumed his
residence in Maryland, and upon the elec-
tion OF Grover Cleveland and Thomas A
Hendricks as President and Vice Presi-
dent. respectively. In 1884. he was placed
in charge of the Inauguration ceremonies
rs Chairman Of the Inaugural Committee
Before Mr.. Berret had resumed his resi-
Gence In Maryland. he had been appointed
by Gov. Philip 4. Thomas. OF Maryland
on his staff as colonel. He was subse-
quently appointed quartermaster general
with the rank of brigadier general, on the
stan Of Governor McLane. in 1857 he
was elected to the Maryland House OF
delegates, and took his seat Just fifty
- r.