The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-06-13
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE Is, 1928

What possible evil can ever result eli
Their to the United States, to the state O
Virginia, or state of Maryland. or to the
district Of Columbia, from the retroces.
sion of jurisdiction, as proposed in The
last number!
This question presents three fold as.
pect.
First-Wbat evil can result to tho U.
nited States
The congress thereby will be relieved
from the exercise Of an exclusive leeisla.
ton over people whose local situation
and whose peculiar wants they can have
no intimate personal knowledge Of, and
therefore cannot perform this important
duty satisfactorily to their own mind. or
safely and bene6cially to those on whom
their laws must operate. II is not. there
fore, to be wondered at that they have
contented themselves with adopting the
codes of Virginia and Maryland as they
existed twenty-five years ago--those Of
Virginia for the county of Alexandria,
and those Of Maryland for the county OF
Washington and that they, from perso-
nal ignorance, and want Of necessary in
formation, have avoided making any fur
Their important municipal regulations.
Congress, therefore, must rejoice in
being relieved from duty which it is
beyond their power adequately to per-
form. Is this exclusive Legislation es.
sential to their safety, or the safety of the
executive officers OF the government -
Can the exclusive command of the militia
of this smail district be necessary for the
protection of government who have the
control of the whole military force of The
nation TO repel invasion and to suppress
instruction Feeble would be such
force, and wholly Inadequate to either
objee., even an insurgent attack from Wiz.
ginia or Maryland which is the only
remote and almost impossible chance of
any obstruction to the deliberations of
compressor to the duties Of the executive
officers. For it is not credible that the
Inhabitants of the 6istric, of Columbia,
especially Of the city of Washington,
should ever be SO lost to just estimate
Of their owH Interests as to do any act to
offend those on whose good will and con-
fidence their prosperity aud happiness
mainly depend. In such an eYen,-the
most improbable in the conception OF,
maD-the military force Of the district
being against the government, must be
suppressed by that of the nation. But
tpore naturally, on the other hand, If
there were no legal obligation or coer-
cion, they would always be found ready
TO interpose their force for the protection
and safety Of the rulers of their country
for the reasons before suggested. But,
even if it were possible that they should
be otherwise inclined, they must be sem
sib!e that such mad attempts would be
instantly crushed by the overpowering
weight Of The nation, as well as that the
government would instantly remove from
amongst a people who had shewD Them
selves 20 unworthy Of The benefits which
they enjoyed.
On the ground, therefore, of safety and
protection to the government, there is no
reason whatsoever why congress should
retain the exercise of an irksome power,
inconsistent with the free principles Of
the political institutions Of our land, and
which, as already demonstrated, they
cannot properly exert.
By receding the general powers OF
exclusive jurisdiction over the district Of
Columbia, they would still retain exclu.
sive legislation over the particular SUBJ
jects of public property belonging TO the
United States,namcIy, cover forts, maya
zines, arsenals, dock yards, and other
needful buildings within it," the same
legislation which they hold over like
places In every state or territory IN our
1 union, This with the command Of lis