The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-06-25
DEFERRED.

IetrocessioD do TO the political rights of
the district of Columbia
This question may be answered by
offering others. Has it any holaiccl
rights9 ifit has: wha, are they
II has no agency in its own govern.
men', except in a limited degree, by per.
mission of its MASTER 1t has no control
over the congress, by which its funda.
mental and other general laws are es,ab.
lished.
But thu political condition Of the dis.
trict has been, perhaps, sufficiently
brought into view in the two first mum.
bers, in which i, mas been shewn that i,
possesses none of those essential rights
appestenant to freedom, and without
which, freedom cannot exist and rem
dered manifest that by retrocession to
the states of Virginia and Maryland, it
will be restored TO those rights of which
it is now deprived, and which form the
basis ofthe liberty Of every state in the
union.
The supreme cour. Of tho United
States, has decided that not being STATE,
the district of Columbia cannot enjoy
some important rights, which the inhabi.
tants of every state possess. And the
Same doctrine is maintained by the courts
of the states. So that to ell intents and
Purposes-~, &c aliens in relation to the
ststes--and subjects and not citizens in
relation She United States, and, there
tore, 1seither within the bounds nor out
OF the bounds of the district of Columbia,
do the Inhabitants possess those equal
rights and privileges, which, by our ma
tlonal constitution, are. secured to the
citizens of every state In the union. We
are governed by laws made by persons
not representing Us, and having no com.
mon feeling Of interest or affection Of
neiehborhood, and this deprivation is es.
pecially visible in the power of taxation
exercised by congress.
Under such distranchisemen il cannot
be nationally expected that any person
will be Induced to seek settlement in
the district of Columbia from choice or
lsudable ambiiioD-but only from neces.
sity to receive the wages of government
| for the performance of some technical
public duty in fact necessity compel.
ling the individual to barter his freedom
for ga mess of pottage," These persons,
SO employed, generally contemplate a
temporary residence, and look forward
to the period when they may return to
the country from which they came, to
breathe again the air OF liberty,
Such is the general description of the
population of the district of Columbia,
especially of the city of Washington,
which necessarily draws after it as many
tavern keepers, keeping of boarding hou-
ses, retailers of dry goods, grocers, and
numerous other trades, as the necessities
Of the inhabitants, and the accommoda.
ton of such persons who are called to
the seat of government on temporary
business, may require, with perhaps a
more than qaantunt Sn6fcit Of lawyers
and doctors-we will not say divines-
those missionaries OF heaven being solely
devoted to instruct us in our duties TO
Con and TO man. 1t may be also added,
that the district possesses as many bro
kers, auctioneers, notaries, bankers, &c.
as can be employed byit.
AS Washington already contains more
buildings than are necessary to supply
these descriptions Of persons, it is pro.
bable that it will not increase in any great
degree under its present government, but
must for ever retain its existing ragged,
bizane' and grotesque appearance, and
exhibit to strangers every thing but so-
ciaL character.
In few years the expenditures oTmo.
ney for public Improvements must greats
ly diminish or altogether cease-and the