Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-01-30
Afa,.aau. Lanuaru z.

bio,.d0u. January z.
Debate on reeed,ng fie District Of Colunb;s.
In COMMITTEES Of the wholess-Mr Ten
ney in The chair.
The following resolutions being read:
|. Resolved, Tina, il is expsdient for
congress 10 reccde to the state of Virgil
MIA, the jurisdiction Of that part OF the
territory Of Columbia which was coded to
the United States. by he said state of Vir-
ginia, by an act passed the third day Of
December, IN the year one thonSsnd seven
hundred and eighty nine, ioti,u,ed Z" An
act for the cesson of ten miles square. or
any lesser quantity # territory within the
state to the United States in congress as !,
senAe.i, for the permanent sea, of the
general government; Provided, the said
state Of Virginia shall consent and agree
thereto
?. Resolved, That il is cxpeiies, fot
congress 10 recede 10 the Stale OF Mary.
| land, the jurisdiction OF that part of the
territory of Columbia, Without The Ii
: ini,s of the city or Vsshiig,oa,
which was c<ded to the United States by
the said state Of MARYLAND, bv an ast pass
ed the 10Th dsy az December ia the yeas
1901, iniit,i'ed can act concerning ,hs
| territory oil Columbia, and the city Of
Washington ;"--Provid.d the said state
Of hiaryland, shall consent and agree
| thereto"
Mr. Stanford said /, was his wish To
make Few nl,servsirns on the resolution
now before the cofpni,,ee, Cor the retro
cession oe tha; part OF the district ofCo.
lur'bia, which had been ceded. 10 the "
nted States by the state Of Virginia in
, support OF the vote he should give, cxprA-
f, ing that what was SAID on the FIRST, would
be generally applicable 10 the lasf reso,,
ton aiso. He begged leave, however, :,
the Ersi place 10 suggest that IN bringing
forward the motion he had not had nuy
the least intention la tste any step that
should go To arenrvsl the GO, ernmen,.
lie trusted no gentleman of tie committee
would entertain such an opinion Of his
views. Had such been his intention he
wouid have preferred d,rca motion to
that effec'.
A then both The resolutions together
made but single objrct, that of ceaing
beck again no the respective states OF Viz.
g'nis and Maryland, all the dis'r,ct of Co
lumbis, except III, city Of Washington,
hs should in The course OF the DISCUSSION
consider it more incumbent on :hcss sd
I verse 70 the measure 10 shev the original
wisdom add utility Of me provision IL, The
constitution, than on its friends. 7, would
be enough for them To sb-w IT, present
evil tcr5rpcy, and TIA; it was an ncnp,-
brance- no way necessary or useful to ihs
general government.
Upon former occasion some question
had arisen, and might yet lie IN the way
OF some gentlemen, whether congress,
having once accepted the cessions of The
states. had new the power Of reces~on.
On that head, he had not himself ever
found reason 10 doubt. by the Cd ssction
and sth article OF the constitution. con.
gress has poser TO dispose Of, and make
all nsediul rules and regulations respe6..
ing the territory or other property belong
ing TO the United Sta,es"--and besides
The 9th seSiion Of the lst article, which
assigns 10 congress the " exclusive iegis-
'asion over this district, in all cs,es chat
ever" does not sopear TO come short Of
snch pewer. Like authority IS also
given IN The same paragraph Of tn. con-
s'tu'ion over al! places purchased by the
consent of the state, ~ which The SANE
she'll be, for the erection of forts, maya
zines, nrsenals, dock Yards, and other
needith buildingx1 Congress, thus ooses.-
ING the right of disposal, had ez.rei.,d
that right by an az passed two session,
$50, authorlsing The secretary ofthc nayz
10 convex to the Salem turnpike aid chel.
sea bridge companies part Of the navy
yard sf Boston. With IL. will any one
! pretend that jurisdiction did not also psss
10 the stale OF Massachusetts whence il
had been ob;ainedl II certainly would
~ every fair and bona iae view OF the cir
cumstances. If, for instance, murder
should be committed on that part OF the
tu,npike, which .as formerly part oil
the navy yard, could II be contended that
such murder was not punishable By the
laws Uf Massachusetts That fhe gene
sol government vas The only competent
authority to ponishl Tie hoped other.
wise. y Ike discretionary power of ees
s'oo vas also exercised, when congress
anticipated The ordisarce, and transferred
=. the jurisdiction 10 thcveoule cftte North