The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-05

Eenuty OF man ever yet dcviied. They are tn
boat OF every American citizen, and the nd
miraion OF the whole world. Under this 20
vernD,ent hope and believe the United State
Will long continue to be fouriGing and happy
and that her example will inftruti, and terd I,
amehorate the condition Of the inhabitants O
all the nations on the earth. We have moi
: happily combined tie democratic reprefeuta
tive with the federal principle in the Union O
the Rates. But the inhabitants OF this terr;tor,
under the executive iegiilation Of Cougref
partake of neither the one nor the other
/ ihey have not, ard they cannot poGtrsa Rat,
iovereiGnty nor are they in their prefrnt fitu
alton entitled to the elective franchif:. The
are as much the vaiials OF Congrefs as the troop.
! that carrifon your forts, and guard your arfe.
nails. They are fuhjeGts not merely becauf,
they are not reprefcntecl in Congrefs, but alf1
! becauie they have no rights rs frecmcn fecured
| 10 them by the contribution.
Ihey have natural rights as men, and mora,
rghte as moral agents; they may have fome
civil rights conltruGively fccured TO them bv
the contribution; bat have rot one polite al
righs defined and guaranteed to them by that
intlr1imcnt while they continue under the exclu-
disqualification ofConcrefs. have moi heard
any gentleman pretend to point out any fen
tence or the contribution that fecures them a.
s1'nt arbitrary ard delpotic domination.
That Fiys to Congrefs thus far may you 90 in
your Legislative acts and no farther. As Anne
r.cans they MAJ perhaps petition Concrefs, and
thcTe is no doubt the cars of the members will
he open to their complaints but they NAV re-
IRAN from granting their moi reafonable re-
Guetts, and do not with TO fee fiIch an ncon
troiab!e power in operation. But fay gentle
men the contribution does not give to Congrefs
the power of receding the iuIifdiGtion Of the
territory, ard ttcy are not d;tpo!.d to exercife
conttruclve power. | do not comprehend
this language. know fome phil"fnphers fpeal,
or negative power, but in my mind this IS
tpeakng incorrectly, and means nothing lefs
than Power'efs Power.-This is precifeIy the
CAFE ~ to the iubiect under confederation.
Gazing 10 exe''cif- the power vefed by the
contribution 10 but negative and wants no foe
cifc grant of power. Corgrc:s may nov eser-
cIts egiilation over this territory executive Of
the Fate governments to which it formerly be-
'onged; but with the coufent Of thofr ftates
they may wave that right, and cxcrcie only
concurrent jurtdiction over them in common
with the reople of all the other fates. Blu.
iome gentlemen fay why annex them 70 Virginia
and Maryland, rather thar to any other OF the
tt2tes.-Ihc anfwer is plain becaufe they be-
!onged t. thote ftatcs, becaui- they are CONT
guouS to them, and becaute By forming re-
union with them, they will be reHo-ed to their
~ -i-Si iSlhSs privileges ana H3CNS. rs lDte-
era! parts of oates they will have rights which
are fnsd and guaranteed TO them by the cor.
Giintion; and then will or federal edifce he
compofed or Homogeneous aud propcrt:an-
ate parts, without aay excr=fencc 10 mar its
beauty.
Il notion ftems to be entertained bv n1apv Of
the inhabitants of this City, that By adjoining
thefe refolutions we fhaH affc6t the rights Of
private property. IF believed this, however,
niuchl dlilke the principle of executive iurif
dicton, fuch is my difp0iition to foter this CITY
dft prJInutr its prof prrity. ihai couii nor ~
prtient give them my fupport. But if fhoud
iPeak from my experience in life, fhould fay
that by throwing off the jurifdietion of the other
parts Of the territory and combining the fofterine
care of Congrefs to the City, would increafe the
value OF property therein. This however may
be theoretical, but it is more probable than the
contrary; and by receifon Of the whole terri
tory, II cannot be nationally concluded that the
value Of property would I've materially affected
10 long as the government fhould remain at this
place, and that truf will be for ages. On
the whole believing il to be- fritfly confonant
with the principles ofthe contribution, and thai
i will promote the intereG of the people ofthe
United States and of this territory, 20 carry the
rciolutions on your table into efetf, llall from
fenie of duty, give my voice in favor of them.
NAi' ~ ~ y 's0V'" 'o'i t'IC ODiSGt VI Tic pre-
f'nt motion was, be fIppo!ed, to make per-
manent recenion of the two parts of this die
trict, one to Virginia, and the other to Mary-
lard, retaining the city of IFa1ineton. If this
was really the obect, there could he no doubt.
but If went TO operate a change of the feat Of
government. This be would endeavour, in as
few ords as pohible, to demonfrate. The
9th fc6tiG- Of the fri article authorizes Con-
grefs to aGu.re the executive legi1ation over
difria not exceeding ten miles fuuare, &c.
The fates Of Maryland and Virginia coded
diGria Of ten miles fqudre, or any leGer qranti-
TRY, and Congrefs accepted part from each
fate, making one diRri9, 10 become the feat Of
government Of the United States. From this
ha'ement it is apparent that the territory or
dfrict Of Columbia is the feat Of government,
and not The city Of Warrington. II then, y,u
rccede the territory, you recede the feat of go
yernnent, although you referve the city Of
WaGnneton.--IIe aficd then, whether this did
rot !ublantiallv go TO remove the feat of 90
yerdment After you have receded two paris
Of the dHri6t, can dftri6 be fad 70 remain :;
III does not remain, your feat of government
is gone, and gentlemen are juitifed in conneG-
ing the idea Of removal With that of rece(ion.
indeed, he felt furpriied at the declarationsmade
Ivy gentlemen on this floor, that the receGion
bad no connection with removal, and if they
thought il had they would abandon the reafiIre
Yet, nevertheless, they give the rcfo'utions
their warmeft fliPport.
He was not prepared TO fay !h7t Congrefe rad