Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-01-10
ALEXANDRIA,:
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 1894
To Tie Hon. Charles T. Mercer.


To tie Hon. Charles T. Mercer.
SlR-As citizen Of The District Of Co.
Iumbia, ! would, with all that respect
which is Justly due both to your public
and private character, address you upon
the subject Of the Jurisprudence of tbis
district, about which there seems 10 be an
unaccOunlable apathy and indifference in
Congress. feel strong hope. that nv
appeal 10 your sense OF justice and du.
ty will not be in vaio. feel the greater
confidence in this hope, because | be.
lieve you have not imbibed the common
cant notions, that the people Of this dis.
trict are distrancbissd, and that higher
motives than love Of popularity, inau.
ence your conduct; norcan entertain, for
a moment, the idea, that you think The
trouble Of legisIating for US too great, nor
beneath the notice Of, Congress. 1t
is truth MOTTO be denied, that this is the
notion and practice OF zoo many members.
They seem to forget, that The constitu-
ton has imposed it upon them, as duty.
TO lsgislate discreetIy and understanding.
ly for the district, aud TO pass all laws
which are necessary. How Honorable
Gentleman, who claim TO be considered
republicans, whose principle ought TO be,
to discharge faithfully and pune.uaIly all
the duties which sppertain 10 their sta
tion, can evade this duty, seem. strange.
When elected, they know that it is a
part OF their constitutional duty to Iegis.
late for this district, in all cases where ne
cessary. They accept Of the station, with
= clear understanding that they are TO per.
form it. When they take their seats, they
take them under the solemn obligation Of
the oath oil ofhce--to perform each duty
appertaining to their station with fidelity.
They are, Of course, bound to give tbe
people Of tbis. district fair portion Of their
time and attention. They are paid for
this service, as well as for those which
they owe to the states or their immediate
constituents. The people Of the district
pay their portion Of the public taxes.
| ask, under what reasonable pre,encs can
the members OF Congress withhold their
time and attention from the interest and
government Of this territory.
| trust, sir, you feel the full weight OF
the obligation Of your station; and althO'
you are not a member Of the committee for
the district, that you will exert yourselIto
have something doae during the present
session of Congress, in forming System
Of Jurisprudence for Us.
/ would call your attention to what has
been done on this subject. On the sS'n
April. 1916, Congress passed law, eo''.
tied IAN act, autborising the Judges Of
"tbe Circuit Court, and the Attorney Of
" the District Of Columbia, TO prepare ana
" digest code Of Jurisprudence Tor the
said district; )" and appropriated Siooo
for paying them for their services. h'et
a lapse Of more than two years, the Che'
Judge of the district, without being able
to obtain the aid OF bis brother judges ana
District Attorney, prepared a complete
and valuable code Of Laws, with 90 index
and marginal petes; which. with letter.
dated 18th November, 1918, addressed 10
toe Hon. Henry Clay, Speaker OF the
House Of Representatives, were is'd DE-
fore Congress. This code was printed 10
volume, by Davis & Force. in the year
1919. Congress. instead Of taking Tue
code up, and examining it for themselves,
as it was their duty to do, were consented
by referring it to the Judges and the D"'
trict Attorney, TO examine and report 90
At their mex. session. Since which moth
ing has been done, either by the Jsdses
or District AtlSrney, by the Committee Of
the District Of Columbia, or by any men,
Der OF Congress. But the subject has
been suffered to sleep. 1t bias been more
than eight years since this subject vas bf'
referred to the Judges and District A''0f'
uey, on the motion Of Q distinguished mem
Der FROM Virginia, Henry St. George NC
ker, ESQ. who, while member, discover,
ad an anxious interest tor our situation. apu
took 40 active part to place The Ju''sp'o'
dence Of the Dis,rict on proper footing.
has been more than Eve years since 'D'
,ubiect was recoumitted 10 the JUDGES