Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-08
ALEXANDRIA CANAL.

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coed to the business connected with the District
of Columbia.
The motion prevailing. the House took up the
bill for appropriating 100000 to be expended
under the direction of the United States In the
construction of an aaueduct over the Potomac,
above Georgetown, intended to connect the out
let Of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal with the
lateral canal about to be constructed by the
Alexandra Canal Company on the eight bank OF
the Potomac, from a point opposite Georgetown,
to the City Of Alexandria.
MIR. Doddridge. after stating that it had been
suggested by the friends of this measure, that 1t
would be a better plan to give the money at once
to the Company to be expended under treir own
management, offered an amendment to that effect,
but guarded by a proviso that the President
should pay out the money from time to time, as
the progress of the work might require.
He observed that this bill and amendment pre-
sented that form of aid which the people of Alex
andria would prefer, and which also had his wi
preference as being the better mode OF promoting
the object in view. But, if the House should
not approve Of the present bill the committee
had prepared, and reported another providing tor
a subscription Of stock to the A'eX'd Canal 20.
to the same amount; aud the people OF Alexan-
dria would ~joyfully and thankfully receive the
aid in whichever form Congress might prefer
to grant it. Mr.. ID. then went into a history Of
the District as connected with the Legislation
of Congress. since Its first erection in 1890; and
caused the act to be read, by which Congress set
apart a territory Tor the seat of Government, then
expected to be located at the mouth Of the Cont
gocheagne. He dwelt upon the indebted condi'
ton of the Government, and the singular specta-
tie of a Government so situated, and without a
dollar in its Treasury, looking out for the Seat
of Metropolitan City, and providing for the
erection of great public buildings as the seat OF
its legislation. He also referred to the embar-
raised state of Virginia finances, at the time she
made a donation to the General Government Of
$4,000, and surrendered the town of Alexan-
dria to its exclusive control. He considered a
similar grant by Maryland of 70, 600 to be an act
of equal n,unihcence when the state of her 6nan-
ces at that time was considered. He proceeded
to describe the origin of the city: the purchase
of 54l acres from the original proprietors at SOC
66 per acre, and the gradual sale of city lots un-
til the Government had received from this source
1,O82, 900, besides which, it still held unsOld
lots to the value of $50, 900 dollars. OF this
SUN, the Government had expended for city pur-
poses 1876. 500. and had made a clear profit out
of the original donation of those two States OF
half a million of dollars. The population of
Washington. he said, was not a Maryland popu-
lation, hut miscellaneous in its character, having
been collected from all the States. That Of
Georgetown was a Maryland population. Among
this People the Government had expended three
millions of money on the public buildings be-
sides all the rncalculable advantages arising from
the presence of the Government, the visits of
those who had business with it, and the influx Of
strangers from al parts Of the world. Its popu-
lation having neither manufactures nor m
10 any extent, might be said to subsist on the
Government.
Mr.. d adverted to the works of taste with
which the Government had adorned the city.
and noticed with pleasure this tact as an ~illustra-
ton of the contrast between comparatively young
and healthy Governments, and those which were
old and corrupt, in the application of their sur
plus revenue. In the one it was devoted to
works of public utility, and monuments OF the
public tas'e; while IN the other il was wasted on
jobs and iavori,es. Having thus noticed what
the Government had done for the District on
this side the river, he then enguired what monu-
ments Of its mu1i6cence were to be- found on the
other sides There was but one object of sense
to remind the People of Alexandria OF the rela-
ton in which they stood to the Government,
ana mat was connected win all the ASSOCIATIONS
of infamy and crime. The Government had
their eaol. Although large sums were
annually col iected at the custom house there, the
Government had never planted a shrub nor va
tered a flower, nor made a blade Of grass to grow,
in all that portion of the District, IN the AZ years
during which it had been under its control; nor
in all that time, had the people OF Alexandria ev-
err asked this Government for one cent. Its pop
uIation when it came under the charge of the
Government, had been 5000. and 1t continued
about the same number still. They had been
overwhelmed by public misfortunes, but though
depressed by poverty, they had never INDUCED
in any Jealous interference in the eternal dis
putes between the two sister cities. Mr.. ID.
concluded a very eloquent and impressive
speech, by an appeal to the representatives from
all the States. in behalf of q DISTINGUISHED people,
.ho had no representation on that floor, and had
never asked the smallest aid from Government
since they had LETT the fostering care Of the legls-
Iation of their native State.
Mr.. ID having concluded, a debate immedi.
ately arose upon the amendment he had ProPo-
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