Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-02-17

been yet paid 10 the organization Oh tne
territory, which, when properly arranged
will remove great OF our trouble. ne
had no doubt thar when the government
beeau.,- Acquainted with the wants anc
the withes Of the people, the governments
of them by the unitcd States would be
rendered as agreeable 20 ti.sm as that OF
the iates.
Gentlemen, in looking at the inecnve
r.ience attached to the people Q. tie terri
tory, do nor iofficien,iy regard the iupe-
rior convenience they poasis. Though
the citizens may rot pofeis toll political
rights, they have greater influence upon
the meaiures Of the government than any
equal number of citizens IN any other part
OF the union.
Mr.. H. concluded by obferving that he
felt no difpoG'ion to go at large into the
difruGon. He had barely made theie re-
| marks TO thew, that the proprleiy OF re-
celion was not 70 plain cafe as might be
Inferred from the arguments OF gentlemen
who had preceded him.
MIR. Dennis regretted that he had been
called cut Of the houle, when this fubJeet
was taken UP, as i'll the remarks which
he coniidefed it his duty to make, he
could not avail himfrlf of the ideas tug
gefed by other gentlemen, and as he
might refeat VIVA, had been perhaps al
ready faid. He would undertake, how
ever, 10 fhew that the propofed reioluti-
ons were Objectionable in every point OF
view that could be taken of them. They
prefen,ed two aipeeas. Admitting 10 the
h,R place, that they could be carried In
| 10 effect 70 far as 10 reiiore tie people OF
| the territory to the ftuation in " hieh they
| were placed before the ceiIon, YET II af-
| peared 10 him 6rong objection that all
The advantages of executive juriidietion
would be thereby loft. He had always
thought thar part of the contribution,
which gave. Congreis, executive Jnrlldic-
tor over diifritt OF ten miles lquare, wife
and proper and that government Whole
laws were to peryade the whole United
States ought no, TO be fuhjeeted 70 the
whim or caprice of any part OF the United
States.
1, was extraordinar, TO ailert, and the
whole fytem of our legiflation went TO
prove il, that the polleAing executive
iurifdieion mould be made the fine qua
non of accepting trinng fpos fer light
houfe or ratification, and yet that in
an affair of 70 much importance as the
prelent, that jurildietion fhould be a.
basdoned. IF in the former cafes iole
jurifAittion was inGfed upon, it was H.
ani,ely more important to have con-
troll over that diftrif in which the CO.
vernment itfslfexercifed its powers. But,
in the fccond place, it is evident that ,heie
refolutions, if agreed TO cannot have the
efea ofleaoring the people to the h'ua-
ton in which they were placed before the
cefion. The provifon 10 the contribution
is imperative and it is lmpoiiibie by
any act of ours to diveif ourielves OF the
ultimate Juriidietion over tue tef'i'o'y.
For the contribution declares !" that con-
grefs fhall have power to exercitc exclu.
five legina,ion in all cafe whatloever,
over fuch diHria tnot. exceeding ten miles
fquare) as may, by cefion OF particular
ta,es, and the acceptance OF Congrels, be-
come the feat Of the government OF the
United States
By executive legilation, he underftood
the excluhon TO the fates OF all pafticlpa-
ton in legi1atiou. He admitted that 1t
was competent to congress to fanttion the
acts of Maryland and Virginia; but he
believed no one would contend that con-
orc(s could diyea themfelves OF an ulti-
mate controul. They might admit the
Legislature Of Maryland and Virginia to
leoiilate for the territory but congress
poiTsned the power of controlling or mo-
drying their acts. He would with to
know what advantage there could be IN