Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-27

can Oe procured The banks OF the said river
fora Federal town, anu that tie right Of soil, and excu-
siVe; or such other jurisdiction Congress may direct
sh"'i De vested IN the U. States" On the 2ls of the
aa'ne month October, l7S3) another resolution was
pnssco, preceded By preamble az Eoows: Sc Where
as there reaspn to that the providing buldng
Tor the alternate residence of Congress- i'm two placps will
be productive Of the most sautary effects by securing
the mutual confidence end affections of the States Re-
soised That buildings be provided for the use of Con.
gress al or near the lower falls Of the Poton,ac+ or
Georgctowa, provided ssitabe district on the banks
OF the river be procured for federal town, and the
right Of so and exclusive ur:sdiction or such other
Gs Congress may Direct ssa be vested in. the United
States"
On the 2Dtt of December ls54, the old Congress-
passed, as'nng others, tie following resolution:
Resored, That it is exPcdient that Congress pro-
coed to take for procuring suitable buildings
10 be erected 80? their accommodations
"Resolrcd, That it is mex pedlent for Congress lat
this time, 10 erect public buildings for their accomnod
tlon'at more than place."
These resolutions by the continental Congress- as TO
the expectancy and necessity for territory for the
OF the Federal Government, which it should have
peculiar, If not exclusive jurisdiction produced to-
show the origin of the provision ir the Constitution upon
that subject, and the obect 70. which he acquisition Of
such territory desired. That object, beyond all
question: was 10 seat for TIE Federal Govern
ment where the power of fprotection should be
pie and complete, and where il might he exercised
without collision conflict with the legislative pow.
Of any Of the States, far its exercise should
be required for the great national purposes for which
the pecua: or exclusive jurisdiction sought to.
be obtained The Jurisdiction made exclusive.
not your committee believe, and as they think
every oonside.aie citizen will admit, 10 change the
object Of the grant OF the jurisdiction when it should
be made, but TO that Object ciGctuay by
making The Federal Government Independent of State
interference, and of Stale protection within the District
where TO be located, and where its deliberations
should be held. Had the legislative power of Congress
this District not been made exclusive one of the
great AID objects Intended to be secured, the pre-
ven1on of conflict between Federal and State legislation,
would have been necessarily defeated. Every statesman
will admit the extreme Inconvenience and danger OF
granting legislation Of the character and
be exercised within the territory, (powers Of
local and municipal legislaon to two distinct and nde
pendent legislative bodies; anu The extreme difficulty IL
not impossibly, OF defining the portions Of power to
he exercised BY each to prevent constant conflict and
collision. Whisn.ust haze beente Iesu any division
Of tie powers of local Legislation, within the District OF
Columbia had been made between Congress and the
States by which tie territory was coded TO the United
States Congress required all thut power which, through
all time would be ndspcnsably necessary for its
protection, and also 10 render all the departments OF the
Federal Government independent OF Stale authority,
and entirely dependent on and obedent to- the Federal
Legislature and it alone, IN all matters Of police or mu-
ncipal legislation The adoption. Of the Federal Con-
st;tutiun by the people of The several States with this
provision in Il, so%S that the attainment of these OBJ
iects considered Of paramount Importance; and
hence, in the Judgment of your committee, the power in
question made exclusive.
Assuming The correctness OF these premises the nest
inquiry is, what expectations The States by which
the Disrc: coded, we'll as their sister States,
authorized to entertain the exercise by Congress
Of the Legislative po@s.s derived from these cesslons2
The cessons included only portion of the terri
pry Of those States but also portion OF their citizens
To the great national intended by the ceS
sion the jurisdiction Of the States over those czensJ
as well a. over the Territory of the District trans
fercd the Federal Legislature. Tiis transfer from
he necessity Of the case, abridged le rights of the
citizens within the territory, who had been formerly
satled 10 vote for thcf Legislators and other rulers
hv thrn 10 Government OF
sons in whose election they 10 have no choice
Their however copGdedto those entrust
ed with the government OF all the States; and
when reflect upon lie confidence reposed IN Con-
arcss by the States that made the transfer, and by the
citizens transferred il accounts at for the readiness
with which Tie ccsson was effected. Still, the question
rccurs what expectations might reasonably be en!e-
tanned by tie States making the cession, by the other
States Of the Contedelcy, far their interests
directly or indirectly involved and by the citizens thus
placed under the peculiar of Congress, to its
ercla Of tire uowes conferred upon it by this cession Of
! territories loT 4 .eat Of the Federal Governments
Your committee haze hesitation &c. Gag, IN
this inquiry, thai those expectations, ny all The parties
interested not only might bat must hays been, that
Congress- would .cise the powers conferred so far
their exercise should be found necessary for the great
national biects of The ccsson, with strict reference to
the accomplishment Of those objects; and that all other
mowers conferred by the cesson would he exercised will,
an equally strict reference the interests and welfare
of the inhabitants Of the Disrct-those citizens Of two
free States %to had been made dependent Congress-
for their local legislation for the protection oe liberty,
and proper;yrighs guaranteed by the Constitution TO-
all the ciarns c!lhe Conference.-The o,3es taaa seat
sor the Government. subject TO the exclusive
troll of Congress, ght be- granted to it. If these posi-
lens are cores it. follows necessarily that the nsu-
:ipns le CUSTOMS the rights, the property, and every
ether incident pertaining ~ those citizens, and muncpa!
in its ckaracsr, which they enjoyed citizens OF the
S.otes 10 which they belonged before the oession of the
District and whc dbl not tcn and have not YETI inter-
tered with the great national rights and privileges in.
,d SccOre6 BIZ the 3,UuG have been
hitherto and should be in all time 10 como, guarded and
preserved with the paerna Gaze aad kindness with
which the Legislatures OF the States, to w!c hey be-
Iopucd would have guarded and protected them they
had continued be Entrusted TO their respective usdc
| tons.
Your committee rely confidently upon this as the great
rule for H.. faithful action of Congress in reference to
this subject They feel assured that rational man
| will diapr with them. Two questions, then, remain 10
be considered, determine whether Congress should or
should attempt 70 Interfere with slavery in the Dis
lrict of Columbia, viz:
| do 1I. guat national objects which were intended
TO be secured 10 lie Federal Government by the cession
Of the territory require such action on the part OF Con-
gress?
4 uruposlton. No individual within their knowledge
no, the most deuded fanatic, has asked, at
tempted to justify measure Of this description upon
suvh prelext. The security and independence Of on
prcss from The moment Of its removal TO this District
10 tue present hour have been perfect the trainers
q the Constitution could have desired. No nmaton
has ever been heard that the existence of slavery in the
District of Columbia has produced the slightest
danger or inconvenience either the interests or 10 tue
officers of the Federal Government within It, Surely,
them Congress cannot be called upon to interfere win
that institution within the District as one OF lis aues
growing out Of The national objects conheclea WIN INC
ccssoue and if such interference is demanded from H.
the demand must grow out Of its relations to the Dis,
ct as local legislature. This brings the committee 10
o. WnmiI ,he Suites Of Maryland and Virginia, if
tho cession Of this territory the Federal Government
had moi been made from any thing which has been sho%n
to Congress- be induced 10 interfere WIN OF sOo''n '