Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-02-09
III II ceats Single.l


ne m The article, which gave 10 Congress IL
~ r's5ction over this territory, had yerv
he dinarent a'ea.iing from the me e power Of
e making bss. Tncy do, IN his o,inion,
4 vest IN Congress absolute sDvcieieay over
: The disIret. lie had 10 douh; bui hat the
l words we're se,s cled for that purpose.
: an absolute sovereignty, rs the power tn
; pass iaws,,eiihsut any limitation, ~ TO the,
exercise of tia power, Lei anygrntIe-
man attend 10 tie clause which ,ives to
Soo -rass' jurisdiction o,er'ihs dsirict of
county, Congress shall have ,nwer to
exerc'se exclusive degradation in all cases
whatsoever Wha; Is tie linaiit.ion to
lh's power! Is thsJe any hul The moral
recttudc of Cong ssy Have the people
! ~ this territory any chartrr OF rights! IF
uisy have, where is il 10 be found !! Can
l'ney Claim the constitution or the United
oSates as their clisrser of rights They
are not parties TO That co,nneca. If thew
are at all par ties 70 that corpeci, i, must
be, as Citizens OF Mayylano and Virginia.
Whatever rights. as a portion ,,f the states
oi Mlryl5nd and yissis;n, ICY m,phr
nave acquired, by beng citizens of those
. states, a. the time tiie-cans;i;alion or the
onited States was aio9 ed, were certainIv :
i3s,, by the asts OF, cess:oas.f Maryland
al" Virginia. by that trepsief IN, lost
ueir Chartered rights undcr he stole con-
situt'oas Of Maryland and Virginia. and
also the r'g'ss they had required under
tne constitution of the JpIiei States as
portions OF The states o, Ala; yiand and
virglHna ar the time nj It's adoption. By
ne acts OF cessinD th=ir right of proper
Y on,y, rs secured their poIi:ical rights
es'cd IN ConEre>s. Ard The peprie of
MS territory, have as good rn hi Il, clsin
. Their charter, the stale constitutions of
'sSr: land and Virsinis, as they would
'yf to claim the constitution oil the Unit
% States Their rights under the consti-
uiion nf the United States were acquired
IS citizens o. Maryland and V,reinia, and
heir rights as citizens OF those states are
ost- IL IS not tbcrcfure IN the constitute
sn OF The United Safes. we are TO look
or TIC limitation OF the power u Congress
as 1t respscia ,hIa dIs,riet, Is 10 the
people OF the dlstrie, we are Ia hook for
iois snitaiion! Have they acy share I'm
our eleetionl Are We in sl,y shape re-
sponssSi.. to th-m I Are they REPRESENTED
on this ltoor DO ,hes pretend to Charm.
or isxerclsc, any polnicsl righisi 1t then
an absolute poTerto legissaIe without con.
trout, IS absolute Sovereignty, ard there
IS no conuon!, either by charter, or in
Ih= people OF ibis territory over The pow
CT OF Congress, as i, respects this districf,
1t follows icrss,slibly, however ealiine il
may be 70 the people OF The dissrGi, that
as complete sovereignty over them as hu-
man Language can give is vesred IN Com
gross. That her wiz is the law of the
aIstrict OF Columbia, and that tlie poliii-
cal privileges of the people depend sole
~ on toe moral re6ftnde of The national
legislature. This doctrine is s.rengthen-
cd by the opinion which has always been
entertained, that the trainers OF the o,n.
sn,ulioD intended tovestCoharess with ah-
'olute power within this dIstrlel, A,d
indeed ne had often heard that one Of the
most conspicuous irienGs TO this r.onstrr
u the constitution, declared tbst I,brrfv
'ught NOT To exist within the ten y,jl.s
quaresthat one gceatofiicer, and one streat
'Ison' was the only government which
nghi TO be established within Iris teya,-
d territory. If as he bad auemn,ed,o
new, an absoiuieisover:gnty oycrthe Ter
tory was ves.ed in Congress, IL followed
$ necessary consequences that il miebt
'e transferred.--rhe United States bad
ancnoaed the principle OF transfer waere
The sovereignty was complete, because
hey had acquired valuable lrrritorv nm.
der such a transfer.
10 be con;saued.)