The Washington herald., 1914-04-12
BY A. LEFrwIcH SINCLAIR.

Former Assistant Corporation Counsel, d. c.
4 I am in favor of an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States giving
1 the 10000 people Of the District Of Colum-
bia representation In the Senate and the
House of Representatives and in the
Electoral College.
The founders of our government of the
people, by the people. and for the peo-
pie," never intended that the residents
OF the District should be excluded from
the rights and privileges OF American cit
| izenship.
That this was not intended is shown by
the statement OF James Madison. made in
the Federalist during the campaign for
the adoption Of the Constitution. that:
"A municipal legislature for local pur-
poses, derived from their own sunrages,
will. of course, be allowed them"
Policy Followed Until 1871.
The policy which had been marked out
by Madison for the District was followed
by Congress until 1s7l. The city Of
Georgetown enjoyed the right Of self
government under her own charter, and
the city Of Washington exercised this
right under the charter given her by
The people Of the District inherited the
right Of local seIf-government from Mary
land, and this right was always recog-
nized by the United States, In greater or
less degree. until 1874 Between 1870 and
ISL the citizens of Washington elected
their mayor and their city council. In
ISL Congress revoked the charters Of
Georgetown and Washington. substitut-
ing a new form of government for the
District, under which the people of the
District were permitted to elect the MEM
har - ~ nf 1aIa and
a Delegate to the House of Representa-
tives. On June 20. 1874. Congress passed
an act abolishing this form OF govern
ment and vesting the, government of the
District temporarily in three Commits
sioners to be appointed by the President.
thereby disfranchising the people of the
District. BY the act of June IL, 1873, COM
monty known as the organic act, this
temporary and revolutionary form of
government was made permanent.
In q pamphlet on the Government OF
the Territory of Columbia" published
in 1901, by A. B. Woodward, II is said:
Entitled to Citi.enship.
This body of people is as much en-
titled to the enjoyment of the rights of
as any other part of the peo- |
pie of the United states. There can exist |
no necessity for their disfranchisement. |
no necessity Inefn 10 TepOSe on Ine |
mere generosity of their countrymen to be |
protected from tyranny; to mere sponta-
neous attention for the regulation of their
interests. They are entitled to participa-
ton in the general councils on the prin-
ciples of equality and reciprocity"
II was the expectation of the members
1f Congress in the early days of the gov
.rnment that the people of the District
would be given representationAin the Ma
.ional government
In December, 1900 Representative Dem
his. referring to the people of the Dis
rict. said:
IF it should be necessary, the Consu-
.ution might be so altered as to give them
delegate to the general legislature when
heir numbers should become sufficient"
Speaking of the District of Columbia,
Huger. In 1S0e, said:
81 look forward to the period when the
from their number and
iches, will be entitled to a Representa-
i've on this floor. And with respect to
heir local concerns. when they grow
more numerous and wealthy. there will be
10 difficulty in giving them a Territorial
legislature
Time Has Now Arrived.
The time referred to by Representative
Iuger has arrived. 1t arrived many years