DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 20^ 



two chambers in joint meeting, and in case of three ballots with- 

 out an election he was to be chosen by lot. Quite full munici- 

 pal powers were given the corporation, including the power to 

 pass all laws necessary for carrying into execution the powers 

 specifically conferred upon and vested in the corporation, 

 whether by the act itself or any former one. Among the pow- 

 ers specifically conferred by the act was that "to authorize the 

 drawing of lotteries for effecting any important improvement in 

 the city, which the ordinary funds or revenues thereof will not 

 accomplish : Provided^ that the amount to be raised in each 

 year shall not exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars : and pro- 

 vided also, that the object for which the money is intended to be 

 raised shall be first submitted to the President of the United 

 States and shall be approved by him." This act was amended 

 February 20, 1819 (3 Stats. 485), providing for tax-sales, and 

 by act of February 28, 1820 (3 Stats. 543), it was extended to 

 March 3, 1821, unless sooner repealed. 



The act of May 15, 1820 (3 Stats. 583), was still more thor- 

 ough. It repealed all former enactments so far as inconsistent 

 with its provisions ; continued the corporation under its later 

 name ; granted many new powers ; made elaborate provisions 

 respecting tax-sales ; prohibited any tax upon property in the 

 city by the Levy Court, and limited the contributions by the 

 corporation to the expenditures of that court ; and made specific 

 provision for the division of the city into wards. For the first 

 time the Mayor was to be elected by the people, and he was to 

 be chosen every second year ; and, as before, there were to be 

 two aldermen chosen from each ward for two years, and three 

 common council-men from each ward for one year. The act 

 was limited in duration to twenty years or until Congress should 

 by law determine otherwise. 



An interesting and important provision of this act, foreshad- 

 owing the existing division of expenditures between the United 

 States and the District, is section 15, as follows : 



That the commissioner of the public buildings, or other per- 

 son appointed to superintend the United States disbursements 

 in the city of Washington, shall reimburse to the said corpora- 

 tion a just proportion of any expense which may hereafter be 

 incurred, in laying open, paving or otherwise improving, any 



