Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-17

the Offenses committed.
Copyright Committee on Public Information.
more than to all the states. its ruler
and its governor"
In another part of his address Mr..
Brown declared:
The power granted to Congress is
more absolute and despotic than any
crowned head OF Europe or Asia for
merry had over his subjects and this
power is unlimited. The language of
the Constitution says in all cases
whatsoever and the severity of this
power is defined by the very Ian
guage of this section as the same
military power which the govern
ment has in forts, 'arseuals' and
'dockyarGs'
This provision of the Constitution
was drafted by some of those who
mad fought in the revolutionary war
against the principles of taxation
without representation in the legisla-
tive bodies passing their laws The
war of the revolution did not close
until November, 1888. and the con-
stltutional convention was held in
Septem Der. 17S7--less than four years
after the close of the war Many Of
the trainers OF that drastic provision
OF the Constitution still bore the
scars and wounds received in its
bloody battles. and the memory of
1851 ones was wildly imprinted upon
| thelr hearts; and yet, with these facts
staring them in the face, they pro-
ceeded to draft this provision of the
constitution, by which territory
ten miles square was laid off as the
seat OF government, and was capable
at that time of holding all of the
cltizens Oh The United States, and in
wnich the vicious principles of tax
alton without representation should
prevail 10 as great an extent as in
Inc colonies before the revolution
me reason for giving Congress
:s alDltrary power was that dur
Lns the years of the revolution the
Continental Congress had no f1xed
9one or permanent place to hold its
qeiioeratIons. 1t had been driven from
Fhiioeiphia to New York. to Tren-
Ion. TO YORK, Pa. to Annapolis, Balti-
more, and to several Other fowns M
! hnally it was threatened by mob VIC
renee by soldiers who Were clam
oring Tor their pay when the Treasury
was empty.
Shows MiscalcuIations.
Ihe purpose of having the District
. len niles square was, that by placing
.ao Saptoi building, the Presidents
ments in the center, and patrolIinp
tue oorders, they would be free from
Attack and destruction by the enemy
OF domestic mob, it never having
ueen considered, or even thought. at
/ that time that cannon or e11n would
ever be invented that conid sbont
distance of five miles. The iuds-
ment or our wise forefathers went
| as Iar astray in this particular cal
cuIation as it did when they caicu-
iiaeea mat they could infiict forever
upon the future inhabitants Of the
capital of this free Republic the mn
just principles of taxation without
representation.
II the District of Columbia had at
ane time OF the framing of the Con-
slituuon the number OF, Inhabitants
IL has today the idea of not giving
them representation in Congress and
the electoral college would neyer
nave occurred to the members of the
constitutional convention. This Dis
trict has today almost three times
the average number of inhabitants of
the colonies prior to the revolutionary
war. The average number of in
habitants in 1869. at the close of the
krench and Indian wars. was only
about $4,000. In other words, there
were then only about 1000 900 in
habitants--both- white and colored-
In the thirteen colonies. If the
District of Columbia had been or
ganized at the time of the first con-
stltuuonai convention as it is today
Wouio then have been the most i'm
portant political body of them ALI
and would have been entitled to and
would have demanded and received
full representation in the very Con-
gress created to levy It's taxes.
Ihe error that had been commit
ted by the trainers of the Constitu-
ton became apparent to many mem
bers of Congress Immediately upon
the moving of the capital to the-Dis-
trfct of Columbia, in the year 1901
rms is SHOWN by the debates in Con-
gress at that time"
AT the conclusion of the addresses
questions were asked by persons il.
the audience and answered, through
the chairman, by the speakers. The
questions displayed the earnestness
or those present to get full under
standing of the various phases of the
subject under discussion.
Colored Vote Factor.
Z Replying to a query prepounded by
one of the audience as to the nature
of the particular objection to rep
resentation and suffrage for people
of the District of Columbia Mr.. Brown
frankly stated it was based primarily
on uncertainty as to the eolored vote
He said that personally he entertained
no apprehensions as to evil possible
ties from this source, however.
one or the woman auditors asked if
the plan or picketing the House and
Senate ever had been considered. say
Ing she believed this method was like
ly to be productive of more Immediate
results than any other, but was in
formed that those at the head of the
movement did not concur in this opiu-
ion. -
Court procedure to be initiated by
100 residents of the District of CO.
lumbia concertedly resisting payment
OF taxes on the ground of no repre-
sentatlon was suggested. Mr.. Brown,
however. said such a. plan could not
succeed, owing to the attitude of the
highest court as regards constitution
ality of acts of Congress.