Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-01-28
CON GRES S
OF THE
u N I T E d S T 4 T E S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
MONDAY, January 7.
DEBATE
On receAing the District 81 Go!4n'biia.
EoUsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
On recedins the District sf Columbia.
Nr. Ep5es's Speech concluded.


Of Congress over the district WAS correc:
one, it woud net be necessary to say much
on the cxpedisacy of a MEASURE interest.
ing To the people OF the district, 10 The
people of the United States, and to ,ne
national legislature. The people OF tns
distric. IN retsrning to the bosom OF. the
respective sorereignties from vnicn they
h.ve been torn, will be again restored to
the rights vi fr1. ilen. Instead OF 4 Mise
rabc dependence on ths will OF Congress,
their rights will stand on the firm basis of
written charter. Their industry be plac-
ed under the fostering care of men elected
ANNUALLY; by themselves possessing their
feelings and interests. They will aai;k!y
experience, the dttf3g cnce between that .e.
sislaticn, which flows from a cold sense
OF duty, without responsibility. and the
active and Jealous exertion, excited tv a
common interest and kept up by proper
RESPONSIBILITY. 70 doubt the ben G:iat
effects of such change 10 the people vi
This territory, would be to call in question:
the grea, principles of representative CO.
vernment. 1t is true THAI a gentiem
from Maryland, has told us, tina, the rights
ofths people are sufficiently secure, if those
who govern them have no interest i. ia.
iur,nE them. And that the advantage of
a legislative body of their own. might be
cues STONED because too mach legislation
wa. worse than none. The people of A
mer,ca have ever deemed the RICH, to elec,
those who govern them essential to free.
dom. The time he horped would never
arrive in TINS coun'rr " n This importa
p,,. hedge shat ce'.e 10 be valued. He
should not attemq' . demonstrate first
principle. Ii the gentleman f,om Mary.
land had any doubts 10 the blessings Of
self government to people. he would re.
commend 70 him aperusal of the history Of
American indepen de nee, IN which he viii
antl the patriot whose shade he had iovok.
ed devoted the best period ofhis life tn
toll and danger for the establishment OF
a. Al principle. But We are .o!d ;ha, the
people of ibis district derrecase changv
and prefer peliti caI slavery, To a full carti-
CITATION of American rights. Do we be.
lilve this 20 be a fact ifis was a fact il
was 10 his mind conclusive one in favor
of receding the territory. IF this people
have already SO far degenerated as to at
iach no value TO the blessings Of s"lf 60.
vernmen,, and prefer living destitute Of
political rights, they are already. fit ins,ru:
ments for tyrants. It's time for them to-
take nes lesson in The rights Of man.
I.stus restore them TO as,tuation Ia which
if they cannot acquire he feelings Of A.
merican citizens, their .aetestable D-inci.
rles NAV not insure tbs great mass Of thc
community. He did nor howevsr believe
thst this was the se.s o:rrt Of a m1infitY
of III people Of this dissict, He did not
b ,lirv. j, was tie fair 81 sentiment of a,v pa
ten ofthe Eaopl; in arv par. Of the Untec3
States. He h nd no dosbt ii the cues ion
was fairly pGe the great mss .>f any
c.nmuni!y, had YOU rather hs"e vour
persons, your fr0ps uv, sod tights protect.
ed BY men Il ttea hy yourselves, or live
dependent Gil .ncn in whose election vo-
have no voice, over whose power vt.;. have
70 con ,rcul that he answer wauhl "a ev
Nv instance be in favor II possessing
.,,cse important ar Wiz res VIVA; haa
been viewed as he sen,a..,nt q tie d;s-
uict, he considered only as ne npiniou q
a fiw lad l:rds, iEho having -mraced the
er,,aeous ,5ea, that receainr this terr:!o.
ry, would atec, iAe. ya'ue OF t',.ir.nrcc-r.r
had misled, and enlisted OH their side the
people, against their substantial interests.
Ey Whit process Of reasoning this peop.e
I'D been niuc d 70 b,iie"s hat enlsrg.
ing ,heir o iucai rights would less the
raiaa q their properly, he did no, taow..
1t was species o. Logic he wished no!
TO understand f; As c. Of the representa-
,;ves + h Unircd States be should con.
slider hirsslf bound TO extend to these
people the rriviledges which every Ame-
mer,csn ought ia possess. He had al.
WAYS been taught 10 believe that the pri.
Wedges attached to property Construed
an important part of its value. That 10
charging human RICH, in district Of
eountrv. vou snlaro. also ths rn.sna of