Year: 1870




If controlled by and belonging to . Government
representing the whole people, and used for
their benefit, would materially lessen the bur
il stance: Avenue Railroad, Metropolitan Rail-
read, SC. For a quarter Of century one
1. urth Of the city has been greatly injured and
Mayor, in his official capacity, hasbeen endeav-
oribg TO rectfy that abuse, and now another,
and possibly a rival road comes to the Senate and
asks the privilege of running its track along the
sengers at Center Market. Then another COM
pany is now before Congress asking for the
privilege of a charter and laying its rails from
Rock Creek along the south bank Of the canal
to the Eastern Branch. A bill was intro
duced into the BOARD Of Aldermen some
weeks since by one of the board to clean out and
efectually improve that odoriferous ditch to
which 1 once before paid my respects on this
platform, called the Washington Canal. L don't
hesitate to say that the plan is the most feasible
and practical of any that have seen, and it has
been Endorsed by the best engineering talent in
the CITY. Bnt scarcely is the bill read and re-
ferred before private Company comes forward
and asks that the canal, with all its valuable
franchises, be given to them. Then we have
private company who ask Of Congress the gift of
q aCentral Market Square, worth a million of
dollars, and not only the square itself, but all
the streets surrounding it, including some 5000
square feet of the Washington Canal! Then
we have a company of ambitious gentlemen who
ask to be Incorporated as the " National Paving
Company" for the purpose, 1 suppose, of
making another tax necessary before pave
ment can be laid down. Then We have gen.
tleman, whose name l do not remember, ar
plying to Congress for grant of land from some
reservation upon which to establish a rolling
mill Now, it would seem that these gentle
men must suppose that since the last levy upon
the 50 two tables and one sofa" belonging to the
city, that the Corporation has gone into bank
ruI y and taken the benefit of the act, or they
must suppose that il has quietly parted with its
weak and sickly existence, and they are deter
mined, each man for himself to apply for let
tiers of administration, and administer such por-
ton of the estate as each may succeed in Sc
Gu ing fOt his own personal benefit and behoOf
Now ! wish to be distinctly understood; am
not against any public improvement, nor am
against taxation, when the taxes are levied with
any respectable amount OF judgment, and ex-
pended with any reasonable degree of honesty
and intelligence. But my opinion is that as
rule the Corporation of this city, or the govern
ment of this District should own and control
these great franchises for the public benefit and
in the interest Of all the citizens: and that they
should not be either leased or donated to a small
company of cOrpOratOrs for their own private
emOlument and advantage. And the very fact
that they are not SO controlled, and that the
valuable franchises and valuable property re-
mains idle and worthless shows the utter ineffi-
cheney and weakness of the present city govern
ment, which does not avail itself of these great
advantages. 1t also exhibits the peculiar disad-
vantage under which we labor, by having SO
great a body as the United States Congress-
which is necessarily uniformed as to our pc
culiar wants and necessities for our immediate





on and occasionally do grant franchises and
privileges to private companies, which are
greatly to the injury of the people at large and
have in charge. Would these measures be at
tempted or accomplished, gentlemen, il this
city and this District had government of suffi-
cient power and strength, and with ordinary
legislative functions, government chosen by
the people Observation-Disclosures with all the
facts and circumstances surrounding each case
and who could not only decide these questions,
hrt NIL and INN fhaoa
which belong to the public, for the advantage
and permanent benefit of that public to which
they have been solemnly dedicated? Applause
of the advantages not touched upon by M the gem gem
tlemen who have preceded me, which, in my
opinion, we would derive from consolidated or
territorial form OF government for the District,
1 must ask what are the objections, and from
whence come the objections? ave do not
see" (say our friends) 8. what benefits can re-
suit from consolidation that cannot be obtained
under the present system. The powers Of the
Corporations and the Levy Court can be SO en-
largea as to enable them to legislate for their
several Jurisdictions on all local matters" Let
us lcok at that. Would that be wise? Would
1t be expedient to give to three different govern
ments in this District general legislative power
Could we have Harmonious legislation Could
the entire District which would be common 10
all and just to all? Would it be desirable for
the many individuals owning property in the
three localities that each should be under diff
ferent laws? 1t would seem that it must ha
vastly more beneficial to all to have ono con-
trolling body in this District which shall be
upon the interests of all within this District
(Applause.l Their interests are in a great
measure IDENTICAL and what benefits one part
or section really benefits all sections. These,
separate governments foster and maintain also
a kind of opposition .and hostility, which is en-
tirely fictitious, and which one common gov
ernment, having the interests of all in its keep
ing, would in great measure destroy. They
say, too, that the county is too sparsely settled
to be Incorporated in city charter. 1t is not
proposed to thus incorporate it, but to give it
government in which it will have voice and
a representation, and which would be in har-
mOny with the rest OF the District. [Applausel
The debts owing by each has been a fruitful
subject Of comment and complaint. That is
clearly defined by the bill which we have pre-
pared, and which in any event will make only
the property now liable for such debts pay them
Another objector says the expense would be
greatly increased do not think it would be
materially increased; but we could well afford
to have the expense OF the machinery increased
If it would give us satisfactory results. We ex-
pend now vast sums, and with what result?
What do these hundreds Of thousands which an
nually go into the city treasury accomplish
Where are the palpable and permanent results
of all this taxation and this expenditure? We
want something tangible and progressive
something that indicates to us q Comprehensive
and established system, which we can see ad-
vancing from month to month and year to year
towards final completion. Why, gentlemen, we
have scarcely yet laid the foundation We have
not yet passed beyond the first rudiments. We
have a great work to do If We really desire to
see this city realize the Just expectations of its
friends. A work which we ought to be doing
and which should be done in a wise. judicious
and economical manner; work to be done not
only for us who now reside within these limits,
but which shall last for generations yet to come.
GApplause.l And would say here that it il in
contemplation hereafter to obtain, If possible,
the organization of Board OF Public Works,
who shall be charged with the duty of establish
ing general, comprehensive and syste matte plans
for all general improvements, which plans
when once well matured, shall be the "legally
established plans in accordance with which all
general improvements must be carried out. We
have the expectation, also, that when such a
plan shall be determined upon, that the General
Government will willingly pay its just and prop
er proportion of the expenditure necessary TO
carry It out to full and thorough completion.
lApplause.]


And now, gentlemen, who are the ObjectOrs?
Who are the gentlemen who vigorously op-
pose this bill Almost the only voice heard thus
far against it comes from the corporation Of
ficals. The amount Of fervid and fiery eloquence
expended against this bill by these gentlemen is
worthy Of better cause. Of course they are
entirely. disinterested, and they are prompted
by purely patriotic motives. But IL they are SO
filled with railing and accusation at the mere
presentation of this measure, how will they
rend the ear OF night If this bill should possibly
pass and become a law! Their conduct calls to
mind the action of a certain official in the an
cient city of Ephesus, whose profitable business