Evening star., 1941-04-20

Washington. Of his service in the
Common Council, DR.. Tindall says:
Mr.. Crosby S. Moves, who was
one of his colleagues in the Common
Council, often, in my presence,
referred admiringly to the versatility
OF Mr.. Shepherd in the performance
of his duties in that body The
mutual friendship and respect which
that association engendered con-
tinued through the lives of both.
No man could have a more unas-
Sailable certificate of sterling quail
ties of character, than that he was
the cherished companion and con-
fidant of such men as Mr.. Moves, Mr..
Louis c. Clephane, and of Mr.. Will
liam F. Mattingly, who was his
intimate, lifelong friend. He was
appointed in 1867 member of the
Levy Court of the County of Wash
ington D. c. His legislative services
had material influence in preparing
him for his part in the more notable
events of his subsequent career"
Shepherds big opportunity came
in 1871. and continued until 1874, for,
on February 81, of the first year
mentioned, President U. S. Grant
approved a bill which brought into
existence WaShington'S So called
territorial" government, or, more
accurately speaking, created the
District into a government by the
name of the District of Columbia,
to be effective June l, following.
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 a delegate,
or spokesman, in Congress, and for
other reasons. But in framing this
law Congress was not as liberal or
as just as many thought it would be,
for in addition to giving the Presi-
dent the power of selecting the
Governor-subject to confirmation
by the Senate-it likewise delegated
to the President the authority to
select the secretary of the NUM-
cipality thus created. A Board of
Public Works composed of the Gov
ernor and four other persons, a
Board of Healths Legislative As
sembly and Delegate in the House
of Representatives were also pro-
vided for.
But the President of the United
States not only selected the Gov
ernor and secretary, as stated, but
he also designated the members of |
the Board of Public Works and the
Board of Health, and in order |
further to restrict the power of the
District people, Congress, in provid-
ing for a Legislative Assembly of a
Council of II members and House
of Delegates, consisting of % men,
bers, gave the appointing power of
the entire upper branch of the AS
Sembly to the President as well. And
how this worked out one may well
imagine.
For instance, the Governor had
the power to veto all bills passed by
the Assembly and to override this
required 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-pjcked by the
President. But even If this failed
to choke off 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 lin as
ample manner 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 Governor selected, as
well 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 a native
of Sandusky, Ohio, where he was
born November 23, 1895. He died