Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-02-16
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY Is. 1890.

have received from An unknown hand q
p.mplet, entitled 6 An Inquiry ante the Con.
snfutionalfty Of the po5ssr exercised By Con-
sress TO impose 7arss on TIE InhG6itants Of the
D;str<et of Columbia" Washington, Davis
& Force--svo. PIP. 90.
Asit is upon subject highly interesting 10
me District, and appears to be written IN a
temperate, manly aud dignihed STYLE ana
with much force of srgument.-i mclose H.
add request the favor of you to re-publ'sh It
"a your columns, in such portions as may SUIT
your convenience. The question respecting
= local legislature, which it incidentally no.
hoes, is one deserving grave consideration,
and to which am not at present prepared
10 give my assent,
A question of the highest
;;,nportance to yourselves, involving the lnte-
rests Of your pos,erity, and OF no little mag
nitude TO every inbabitaut Of the Union, IS
soon 10 be decided. In your persons mas
Aeen assaied the 6rmest bulwark OF republic
can institutions and upon you, in some nea-
.,,re depends the preservation OF those prin-
smiles which impelled our ancestors 10 inc
revolutionary contest, and which must con-
st;tute the basis of all governments founded
on the acknowledged rights Of mankind.
You " i'll not require TO be reminded that
Resolution has recently been passed by the
Mouse of Representatives for The purpose
), was stated by the mover himself, OF III
s,ructing the committee for the District OF
Columbia, to inquire into the expedlency OF
forcing the Levy Court to lay tax on inc
inhabitants of Washington county, IN order
70 nroyide for the more convenient accom-
mediation Of a Court established by authority
and far the benefit of the United STATES.
Won are also aware, that while, on SUBJ
seouen, day, the House were considering TIC
expectancy Of giving To this District er-
r;torial government, this measure was opPo-
,ed by distinguished member from Vngl'
o;a ON tie ground, that Congress possessed
and could not surrender, the poweroi exc'u-
s;ye legislation in all cases whatsoever, ac-
cordine TO the strict and litera! meaning oil
those words.
Nor can any Of you have forgotten that IN
the year 1875 after a deliberate report o. all
important committee, Congress tor the hrs'
time departed from principle sanetihed by
eye,y association which can bind citizen to
bis country, and with scarcely voice to de-
Tend our dearest privileges, imposed direct
tax upon the inha bitanJs of this District.
Combining the principles thus avoweu
with the precedent which has been commen-
sed, is not the conclusion irresistible, mat II
will be attempted to give to Congress- mol
merely supreme legislative authority, NOT
merely the right 10 regulate, as they please
our internal concerns-but the right to bind
US in all cases whatsoever, and TO take away
our property without our consent,
When such ideas are entertained, ana
such precedents established, it Is surely time
for tie inhabitants Of this territory to consi-
der what rights they poSsess--oE whether
there is any limitation to the sovereign pow
er, which may be attempted to be exercised.
In attempting this examination, must be
pardoned for adyerting to principles with
which all Americans are familiar, and never,
until recently, denied. My Objects not to
advance new doctrines, but to enforce the
old.
II will be admitted, that until the period
Of the cession of this District, by the states
of Maryland and Virginia. its Inhabitants
possessed and enjoyed all the righ.s 10 which
any of the citizens of the states were enli-
tied: aud that since This period they have
neither been stripped OF these rights by con-
quest; norjustly incurred their forfeiture.
Among these rights some were absolute
and inaiieuable which they had no power
10 surrender, and OF which they could be
deprived by no compact or stipulation.
What, then, are these absolute and inalien-
able rights, which appertain TO the very ma
ture OF man Every writer upon civil 60
vernment; every treatise upon Jurlspru-
dence the long established maxim OF the
British constitution, aud almost every act
connected with the formation OF our own