The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-25

SonsreiS has power tc diiooie of, and make
all needfui rules and regulations refpecting the
territory or other property belonging TO the u
nited &ates"-and bciidls the 9th ir(lion of the
LIT article, which afigns 30 Congrefs the " ex-
clufve ieeiilation over this dariet, in all cafes
whatever,' does not appear to come ihort of
Inch power. Like authority is alto given i'm
the fame paragraph of the contribution over all
places purchafed:by the content OF the fate, in
which the fame ihall be. :" for the erection of
forts, magazines. arfenals, dock yards, and o.
ther needful buildings" CongrefS, thus pof-
letting the right of diippf4i, had exerciicd that
right by an ACT palied two fellions ago, autho-
rihng the iecretary of the navy 10 convey to the
, Salem turnpike and Cheiea bridge companies
part ofthe navy yard at Bottom. With it, will
any one pretend that juriidiction did not alto
pats to the fate of MaGachufetts, whence it
had been obtained? 1t certainly would bv O.
very fair and bona 63e view of the circumfan-
ces. If, for mftance, murder ihould be commit
ted on that part of the turnpike, which was
! formerly part ofthe navy yard, could it be
contended that iuch murder was not punill,a-
bic by the laws Of Mafachufetts? That the
general government was the only competent au-
thorityto puniih? He hoped otherwife. A
like Discretionary power of eeJ5fon was ALTO exer-
cited, when Congreis anticipated the ordinance,
and transferred the jurifd ttion to the people of
the North Weftern Territory, which now
forms the itate of Ohio. 1t would he remem
bered, that at the time OF the transfer, the u
rited States held the eSeiHEqe juriJdit7ion of
that territory.
But, Mr.. Chairman. we have cafe of recent
date itlii more concluliye, as being more di-
reetIy in point. The very term ittclf cedc is
ufed. In the Cd article of the late articles of
agreement aud celfion" with Georgia, after ac
cePtiug the cetiion of Georgia, the United
States go on to fay " and they cede to the
fate OF Georgia whatever claim, right, or title
they may have to- the iur;id6tion or fol! of anv
lands, lying within the United States, and out
of the proper boundaries of any other Rate, and
lituated fOuth of the folfliern boundaries ofthe
itates of Tenneiiee, Noua.C Carolina and South
Carolina, and eait of the boundary line herein
above deicrlbed as the eafeeln boundary of the
territory coded by Georgia to the u. States.' 1t
is worthy of remark that Congrefs never even
took exception to this act of cefIion, and inter-
change OF ceiiions, as il refpeeted the power of
doing fo-nor did the fate of Georgia, though
ihe had both federal and Gate interet to f;,rve
upon the occaEon, and, had TO pats folenIn
act of ratifcato on and acceptance of fuch ceifi-
or from the United States for it made part
OF her compensation for the Mififippi territory.
That Rate has moreover fiRce extended her an
thority, and erected county in the very terri
tory thus ceded. Other cafes might be cited
ola Gmiar exercife of power on the part OF the
general government, hut he mutt be allowed TO
|conlider the preient2s sufficiently conclufive &
unanfwerahe.
As To the expediency of a retrocefiion, he
did not know that nuch need be faid. Every
debsSe during the 5saeDr FELTON, u relation 10
the AFFAIRS on the oIittCt was Dut an s6d;tio.,s
argument for the expediency as well as policy
of the meafure. Whole days had been lately
taken up with local and uninportant matters,
10 the neglect OF the greatef concerns of the ma
ton. lie did not think there could be found A.
mother dittri9 of country of the fame extent,
with the fame variety, not to fay contrariety of
nterets. There ieemed indeed perfect tur
mol q ; :i:sFstss T,;;,GIit;Is 20 re-
concie, and as impoffible to legiflate for in
peace. lie would ak, did it accord with the
genius OF the general government TO be thus &C.
cupIed with this finall portion of the country |,
| Could it be fuppoGed we fhould be- able to get
along with turh an appendage? He thought
not. With the exception of territorial inrif
dietlonS, the powers of Congrefs were as they
ought 70 be, not of local but general nature,
ana yer with one local concern, or another,
within this ten mile iquare, Congrefs had been
Narrated with petitions, counter-petitions and
mem orias, more than from one half of the
ltates in the union befdes. This faGf would an
pear by reference to the journals of the differ
ent ieihonS hnce the ailumption of jurifdi6tiou.
But the time continued in this way was not all
the exiting government of the ditriet formed
annually no uncomfortable item of expence in
an aggregate point of view. To this G,ould be
alto added the expence Of printing. Our Jour
nails are much enlarged, veluminous bills and o.
ther matters printed, which, . doubt, went far
to fwell the contingent expences of the Houfe
of late 70 jufly complained of as enormous.
But, fld Mr.. s. over and above the conGde
ration, thafthe difritt of Columbia is no way
ueceilary and every way expenave to the gene
raj government, in fact kind of governmental
nuifance that ought to be removed, thcre was
another objection fill more ferrous with him,
the people of the diariGt were the meref fib-
jecisin their condition. Ifthey held rights they
were not apparent to him in the constitution.
He believed all they held were thofe of courte-
fey. In the contribution no immunity, no pri-
viege, no political right had been, in 20 many
words, referved to them. They had been fpeci-
hcally given away, conligned to the ideal convc-
nence Of the general government without fin.
gle fpeciic referyatiOn. This was not the cafe
as 10 the people ofthe ltates. IF he were told
the people were content, and did not with
change, that with him was good reafon why
the motion lhould at once prevail. IF twenty
or twenty-five thoufand people had already be.
come willing fubie6ts, without wifhing any
flare, or control IN their own affairs, fIch
an example ought no longer to remain under
our iyitem Of government, and he truned would
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