The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-06-27

consistent with equal human rights, thai
the freedom, prosperity, and permanent
interests of a community of thirty thous-
and persons, with all their growing and
multiplying posterity, should DC sacrific-
ed to the convenience and accommoda.
tioD of FIVE individuals The united vol
ces of God, of Justice, and Of Nature,
exclaim against such profans,ion.
But it may be urged by some that
territorial government would, in this res.
pect, be preferable to retrocessiop, in
asmucn as under it all the present iudi>
cial and municipal establishments might
be retained, and no other alteration re.
quired, except the introduction of an uni
form code of laws, chiefly collated from
those of Virginia and Maryland, which
under varied forms, how govern the two
counties in the district.
To this it may be answered, that the
district has, for 90 years, been under a
sort of territorial government, at least, so
far as it relates to the judiciary departs
ment, the expenses of which, as they
ought to be, have been betrayed BY the
United States. For government who
holds provinces for its pleasure, ought
not to hesitate to maintain them at its
expense.
But, during all that time, the district
has subsisted under two variant codes,
and is likely to continue so for ever-as
congress manifest no stesdfast or jealous
inclination to change its condition in this
respect-and too many of our citizens
are personally interested in maintaining
the present unequal, and unjust order OF
things. In fact, from the extreme isno.
rance Of congress, OF our local wants and
interests, as before stated, that body ma.
iaraily ehIi-'.S f. -, 'Oucnins si.~ subject.
This brings us to the inquiry, whether
the formation of a territorial government,
in all the branches, legislative, judicial,
and executive, would remedy the evils
Of its present situation.
So far as regards uniformity in its
general civil and criminal Jurisprudence,
this effect might be produced but, in
al! other respects, Its condition would re-
main the same. 1t would have no re-
presentation in the legislatures of Mary.
and and Virginia, and no representation
in congress, unless, perhaps in the char
| acter of a delegate, with the power OF
s5eakings but not of voting-it would
not restore the inhabitants to any social
right, of which they are now deprived
they would be still excluded from the
rights enjoyed by the citizens of every
( state in the union-they would still be
regarded as aliens in relation to such
citizens and as subjects, perhaps the
| more proper word would be vG8Sais in
relation to the government of the U. S.
Ii such a territorial government were
to be supported at the expense of the
district, il is manifest, that it has not tho
ability, unless it should possess the pow
er of taxing the property Of the United
States within it, which would be incon-
sistent with that exclusive legislation Sc
cured by the constitution to congress, o.
yer all property coded "Gor forts, maya.
zines, arsenals, dock yards, and other
needfuI buildings" If such territorial
government were established, the expen-
ses of it ought to be betrayed by the u.
States, as in the case of all other terrific.
ries possessed by the nation. And, this
indeed, would be but poor price for
the deprivation of our political rights {:
it would be paying drOss for gold.
But even such a territorial government,
(the expenses betrayed by the nation,)
would be better than the present condi-
ton OF the district. 1t would then have
at least accredited agents, through whom
the grievances Of the people might be
conveyed in an authentic FORM in hum
bic petitions for redress, to the foot Of