Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-06
COMMUNICATIONS.

Mn. EpIToR: Rumour, with her hundred
tongues, i, loud respecting the laoors oil the
Hon. District Comm.tee OF the pres Cen
press. IL is said aud believed that, besides al .
,ention more prompt than usua, TO occasional
local business (Which has been the pflncIpa'
burthen Of that Committee heretofore they
are actively esgaged in maturing Constellation
and Code for their constituents oil the ten mile
square.
am one OF those persons, Mr.. Editor, who,
alIho' sensible Of the imperfec,ion ct our pre-
sen, system, am not disposed 10 hail every IN
novation as an improvement; and without
meaning any disre,prct TO the Hon Gen'iemen
Of that Commute or intending to suggest any
thing in dis2aragement Of their wisdom ahC
learning, or Their benevolent lntenuons towards
the peopi. Of the Districi, Gin which hrmly
believe) would suggest the extreme difficulty
Of satisfying both counties by any scheme
Of united local government; and would parlicu-
larly solicit the attention Of the minority SIDE
OF the river 10 the subiecr, before i, is TOO late
II must be obvious, at hrs, view, that a local
legislature wosld always meet in Washington
That all public buildings and Improvements
for whicn we, as well as they, should be ts1ed)
would be erected in Washingtou-and that IN
all questions whirh would pass the ordeal Of
such an assembly, there would be Wash'a g
ton County majority; and that this majority
acting in concert would render our representa-
ton q perfect non-entiiy. Moreover, does no;
the Constitution OF the United States guarantee
that Congress shall exercise erclisite legislation
within the ten mile square! The National Lee
gisla,are (reconizing the principle that taxa
tion and representation should be CO extensively
have, heretofore, imposed no taxes upon US
and hence the contributions levied by our own
Corporations respectively anu expended among
ourselves, are all that We pay. The lands IN
the counties which are not included IN ether
of The Corporations are exempt, and the only
tax paid there is the County Levy, imposed by
the Levy Court for The maintenance OF their
own poor How would the matter be rsgulat.
cd in, alocal Legislators, where the agricultural
representation would be toIhe representation 81
the Towns as one 10 forty! Is there not some
reason to fear, that cows and horses and hogs
and sheep, would have their presen, value much
diminished by taxation! particularly as the cor
porstions are all deeply in debt and the Counties
owe nothing An uniform civil and criminal
code for The two counties would be less objrc-
iionable: and indeed The lstIer is necessary now
that our Legitimate Legislatures have deter>
miusG to adopt the Penitspiiary sy,iem: but
even here, have noi the labors Of the Hon. DIS
uict Committee been fores allied Did not 4
former Congress devolve upon the Judges OF
The Circuit Court The duty Of preparing such
a code! and did no, the Chief Judge, gem
tlsman whose personal acquaintance with the
people for whom the digest was intended, aud
whose high standing as jurist and citizen,
50 emiBentIy qualified him for the task; did
not he, with or without the aid Of the puisnc judg'
es, actually prepare such a code? Why have we
heard no more Of the result, Of his l.bors! And
why have they not been submitted to the exa,
miRation and revision Of the National L. gisla :
ture? But 10 return to the original subject
a revision Of the criminal code is necessary,
because u Penitsntiary System has been resolv,
ed on by Congress, tour only legitimate legis-
iators and building erected and officers ap
pointnd for tina, purpose.-3ut why not stop
here! There is no complaint among he PEG
ple-rovehing the Common and statute laws as
they s,aud-rhsy are well satisfied why NOT,
then, let. we!i-euough alone! Noiumm 1egss
anglia mutdri: We were born under our 2resen
las and have lived in comfort und themt OF
this time--and desire no change.
FORTESCUE.