Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-19
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
(CIRCULAR.)

tee for the Dls,ric, Of ColumbIa'o inquire IN
70 the expedepey Of providing by law Tor the
,nnoin,ment of Commissioners 10 olses' ana
form a code Of civil and criminal law Tor the
said District, 10 be submitted 10 Congress; OF
such other measures as they may deem oes'
calculated 10 temrdy any existing eviis IN .he
,--sen, laws of said District, or 10 the admin
istration thereof. :,
with A view 10 aid the commi'Se IN his-
charging their duties under this resolution, ior
the benefit Of The people of this District, ana 10
,hs s,,i.fac,ion of Congress, l am instructed
rss,sc,fnlly TO solici, from you early answers
- ,he sub;oined suggestions and intcrrogato-
r;,s and 10 request that they be made as iuiy
- n,;np,ely as can be done, consistently with
YOUR convenience.
Ths Constitution Of the United States au-
,,or;s.d Jonpress TO exercise exclusive legis.
I,,;on in all cases whatsoever over such MS
Vic, No, exceeding ten miles square, as might,
bv cessio,, of par ocular States, and the acceP>
lance Of Congress- become the seat oil Eo'er"-
ment II appears that the acts OF Maryiano
and Virginia, cedng their respective PORTIONS
Of his District, and the act CT Congress oil July
rs l7yo. establishing il as the permanent seat
of Government, provided that the laws OF Mary
land should govern sha, portion OF me Dls'ric.
ON her side of the Potomac, and the laws OF
Virginia on her side, until Congress snou'u
otherwise provide. That Congress, on the Itn
F,bruary, 1901, passed an act which proVldea
,ba, the laws Of those States should continue IN
force. in heir rcspec'i~f portions oil ms us
,r;c, as those laws then eristed, until Cong ess
should otherwise direct; and thus the rlsh, Vi
the respective Sta'es OF exercising any tur'ne'
Ieri,lation over the District was destroyed.
IL further appears 'ha, Congress, since "a'
,,.,;od has done little else in legislating for
the District. than 10 inst'tu'e certai" courts VI
;,s,;ce and mass various acts OF incorporation;
in consequence Of which, the people here have
.n;ov.a no brne6' from the progress OF I'M
80. mn, in political science for nearly lhir-
~ years. In This state Of things, 1t IS repre-.
.sn,sd 70 the said committee. that many and
.sr;ous ey Is are experienced, both in regard 10
Oh. laws and 10 their adj administration; and 1t Is
nth a, earnest desire 10 learn the nature and
sxtsn, Of those evils, and to discover the oes'
remFd DIV for them, that we beg leave 10 submit
the following heterogeneous.
Are there laws now in force in this DIS
pic,. ,ha, have been repealed Sy the respec,
tive States, (which originally enacted mem.
be;nr wrong in principle, or unsulied 10 the
nr.sen, times and ciItums ances!
. When were the laws oil Virginia wary
,.rd,,s, revised and thoroughly digss'ed, ante
rior To February III, 1901!
From the very long period oil Time In
which he statute laws OF those States haa oeen
s,,m,a,la, mo. nre.ious to 1901, and from Other
T,nd wba,l circum,, ances is it not dithcu't
for even professional gentlemen, always TO dis
cover ,heir true meaning, force, and extent?
A VIVA, evils, if any, are experienced under
the laws for the punishment oil crimes and mis-
demeanors?
: What, in trials and other proceedings IT
criminal casesi
s. What specific cases il any, OF inhumani
~. Injustice, or hardship, have come uhuei
YOUR observation!
?. VIVA, detects exis, in the civil laws!
3. Are there any, and what, in the laws re-
la,ing to real estate!
Relating TO personal properly!
10 Concerning wills, aud administrator up
on the estate, Of deceased persons!
IL. Concerning heirs, wards, guardians ano
Other domestic relations!
persons Of color!
"a H. regard to liens and securities upo0
real and personal property, and the conveying
and transferring thereof!
IA. What particular cases OF hardship have
e,mr under YOUR observation, or within your
knowledge, under any of the las, eight in'erro-
gatorirs!
Is. What evils are found in the laws reiai,
ing to Migrants, 10 the licensing OF iaserns, and
the sale OF ardent spirits!
Is What defects exist in the organization
Of the courts Of justice?
IL, VIVA, arc the evils, il, any, which have
arisen in consequence of the judges Of the
Circuit Court having jurisdiction over al
criminal actions, from the highest TO the low
cs,. aud over trials at law and in equity!
is. Do The judges Of this court, at the same
term, Ivy appeals Of ci'i! causes from the sub
ordinate courts, high crimes, and petty ohsn'
ces. and also exercise the high functions OF
Court Of Cbancery!
70. VIVA, evils, il any, result from ,he,m,h'
ed in addiction Of this court and from lis ho'o'
ipv semi, annual terms only?
20. VIVA, particular cases OF hardship, on-
farr ,uy Of the las,, five in'errogatories' have
come under your obssrvalion!
81. What evils, il any, exist IN relation 10