Evening star., 1938-02-20
By John Clagett Proctor

government, or, more accurately speak
ing. created the District into a gov.
ernment by the name of the District
OF Columbia, to be effective June l.,
1871.
This act was passed, of course, to
quiet the clamoring Of the people for
a change Of government such as would
give them greater power over their
local affairs and delegate, or spokes-
man in Congress, and for other rea-
sons. But in framing this, law Con-
gress was not as liberal or as Just as
many thought it would be, for in ad-
dition to giving the President the
power Of selecting the Governor-sub-
Ject to confirmation by the Senate
1t likewise delegated to the President
the authority to select the secretary
OF the municipality thus created. A
board OF public works. composed of the
Governor and four other persons, a
board of health, a legislative assembly
and a delegate in the House of Rep
resentatives were also provided for.
But the President of the United
States not only selected the Governor
and secretary, as stated, but he also
designated the members of the Board
of Public Works and the Board of
Health, and in order to further re-
strict the power of the District people
Congress, in providing for a legisla-
tive assembly of council of IL men,
bers and a House of Delegates, con-
slsting OF % members, gave the ap-
pointing power of the entire upper
branch of the assembly to the Presi-
dent as we'll. And how this worked
out one may we'll imagine.
kOR instance, the Governor had the
power to veto all bills passed by
the assembly and to override this re-
quired a two-thirds vote in both
branches, which. naturally, would have
been a very hard thing. since the
upper branch of the assembly. as
stated, was hand-picked by the Presi-
dent. But even if this failed to choke
of any legislation desired by the
people of the District, then Congress
had reserved to itself the right to
repeal or modify all acts of the
legislative assembly "in as ample man.
ner as if this chapter had not been
enacted"
And SO. under ordinary circum-
stances. the change of government for
the District, as authorized February
81, 1871, would have worked out to a
disadvantage to the city had it not
been for the fact that the first Gov
ernor selected, as we'll as the Board
of Public Works, stood very close to
President Grant. who was heart and
soul in favor of improving the long
neglected Capital of the Nation, and
the further fact that both Cows. Cooke
and Shepherd were ably supported and
encouraged by Crosby S. Noyes, editor
OF The Star
The first Governor appointed was
Henry David Cooke, then residing in
Georgetown. but who was native Of
Sandusky, Ohio, where he was born
November %. 1925. He died at his
home in Georgetown, at the southeast
corner of Thirtieth and @ streets, on
February "a, 1881. @ street was then
Stoddert street and Thirtieth Wash
ington street. OF Gov. Cooke, DR..
William Tindall writes:
He was graduated as an A. B. by
Pennsylvania University. Kentucky,
and was admitted to the bar of San
dusky and of Philadelphia. In 1845
he was an attache to the American
Consul at Valparaiso. Chile Subse-
quently he was journalist. AS repre-
sentative of the firm of Jay Cooke g.
Co. he rendered inestimable service to
the cause of the Union during the Civil
War by negotiating the sale of United
States bonds in Europe AS Governor
of the District of Columbia he en-
Enthusiastically co-operated in the COM
prehensive measures undertaken by
the Board Of Public Works. His aid
in giving his personal exertions and
the influence of his name to floating
the bonds of the District, whose pro-
ceeds furnished the funds with which
the Board of Public Works began its
task, was essential to the success of
those projects.
He was an expert navigator and
once navigated ship from Cape Horn
to San Francisco when the captain
died. Gifted, generous, amiable and
1rreproachable in every phase of his
life, he worthily discharged the duties
Of his high Office and his responsible
ties as a member of society,""
Gov. COOKE served from Febru-
ary %, 1871, to September l3,
1873, when he resigned and was sue
ceeded by Alexander Robey Shepherd,
who served from September IS, 1873,
to June 20, 1874-a temporary COM
mission form of government being
provided by Congress for the District
to go into effect July l., 1874, and
which was made permanent in 1878
and continues to the present time.
OF the Inauguration Of Gov. Shep-
herd The Star of September is, 1873,
has this to say:
THE Inauguration of Alexander r.
Shepherd, esq, as Governor of the
District took place this morning at
$50 o'clock at the residence of for
mer Gov. Cooke, in Georgetown. The
AFFAIR was conducted in a very quiet
manner, there being present only a
few gentlemen oficially there or i'm
mediate personal friends of the par
ties concerned. The large parlors of
Gov. Cookies residence were thrown
open to the guests, who were received
by that gentleman and Col H. D.
Cooke, jr.
"Mr. Shepherd arrived about $50
o'clock from his country residence,
and the entire party proceeded to the
private library. Judge Macarthur
then proceeded to read the oath of
ofice to Mr.. Shepherd, who in due
form subscribed to the same. Gov.
Cooke then stepped forward and con-
graduated the new Governor, which
was the signal for . general hand
shaking, and the congratulations con-
tinued until the party was ushered
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