Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-05-15
TWEYTY-NINTH CONGRESS
FRlDAy, MAY 8.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The county of Alexandria in the District OF u
lumbia, 10 Inc Stale of Virginia,
Mr.. Hunter moved that The House resolve
sell into Committee OF the Whole on tha oil.
Mr.. Daniel hoped the House would 90 no sue
thing. This day, BY The rules, should be devote
10 nrivate hills and he lrus.ed the House woul
pursue The regular order of business and procee
10 the consideration OF bills on the private caieI
dar.
MIR. Hunter said there could be no debate, an
he iasis;ed on The execution OF the special ofder.
The question was put on Mr.. Hunters mo'io'
and i, was carried. o,,;,,
And The House accordingly resolved Itseii INK
Committee OF the Whole on the ota.e ~, ~ -. .h'
IInion mir Douglass, OF Illinois, IN The Cnair
,4 ur,cesed.J 10 The consideration OF the said spe
cial order
The bill is as follows
Whereas no more territory ought 10 be held un
der the exclusive legislation gwen 10 Congress
over The Dis,ric, which Is Inc seat OF the Gene
raj Governments than may be necessary anI pro
per Tor The purposes OF >nc. d sea'i dlu ".eiG ga
rrnerience hath shown that Inc portion of The Dis
,r;c, nj Columbia ceded 10 the United States BY
he Stale OF Virginia has not been, nor IS ever
Ga.,y 10 be- necessary rihat purpose; and where
as Inc State OF Virginia, by an act passed on The
Sd day OF February, eighteen hundred ard iorly-
six. entitled can act accepting by The STATE ol
Virginia The county Of Alexandria, in The DIS
rric, Of Columbia, when The same shall De re
coded BY the Congress OF The United States, hath
seuihed her Willingness 10 take back Inc >ald ter
riIory ceied as aforesaid Therefore
81 ,tcnqcted 5y Ire Senate and H9nse 81 Rep
rsseaittlres OF the United S0ieS Of america IN
Congress assembled, That with the assent OF he
peopie OF the county and town OF Alexandra, 70
Be ascertained as hereinafter presented, al OF
,hat portion OF the District OF Columbia cedeu ~
the United States By the State OF virginia, ana
alllhe rights and jurisdiction herewith ceurd over
The same, be, and the same are hereby, ceded anu
forever IelinQG,shed 10 The STATE OF virginia,
in FIJI and absolute right and jurisdiction, as well
~ so as of persons resi1ins or 10 reside thereon
Sec. 2. And b. II further enacted, That nothing
herein contained shall be construed TO vest IN Inc
State OF Virginia any right OF properly 10 .he
cus,omshouse and post office OF the united STATES
within the town Of Alexandra, or IN me sou OF
The territory hereby recetef, 50 as TO allect the
rights Of individuals or corporations therelh oiheI-
wise than as the same shall or may be transferred
by such individuals or corporations 20 Inc s'a'e OF
Virginia.
Sec. 3. And be- further enacted, That The N
ristc,ion and laws now existing in.lhe said ierri-
tory. coded 10 the United States by the State OF
Virginia as aforesaid, over the persons and pro-
perry OF individuals therein residing. snail not
cease or determine until The State oil Virginia
shall hereafter provide, b. law, for the extension
Of her jurisdiction and judicial system over Inc
SAID. territory hereby receded.
Sec. A. And BE- IL firtter enacted, That tins
&C, shall no, be in force until after the assent 81
The people OF the COUNT and town OF Alexandria
shall be given 10 it in the mode hereinafter pro.
y;t.d. Immediately after The close OF the present
session OF Congress the Presiden: OF the United
States shall appoint FIVE commissioners, (any
three OF whom may actD citizens OF the SAID
town and county of Alexandria, and ireehohers
within The same, who shall be sworn before some
Justice Of IL peace, in and for The SAID town OF
county, TO discharge The duties hereby imposed
upon them faithfully impartially, and 10 the bes,
OF their ability. These commissioners. or any
three OF them 81 oceed, V Inn len days at er
they are notified Q. heir appointment 10 NIX upon
the line, place, and manner OF taxing The vote
githin the Town or county OF Alexandria, and
shall give notice oi the same By advertisement in
the newspapers Of the said town. And on the
day and at the place 50 appointed, every white
male citizen Of The county and town OF AleXan-
dra, OF twenty-one years OF age or more, and
VINO shall have been resilient therein for two
years or more next preceding the Time when ne
offers 10 vote, and who shall not be insane or
paueer, shall vote viva voce upon the question OF
accepting or rejecting The provisions OF this act
The said commissioners shall preside when TIN
vote is taken and decide all questions arising III
relation 10 the right of voting under this act
Within three DAYS alter this vote istaken as atore-
said The said commissioners shall make out three
statements Of The result OF this poll, upon oath,
and under their seals. OF these, one shall be
transmitted ~ tie riesidcnt OF tho CNiot S,atoS
one 10 the Governor OF The Commonwealth o!
Virginia, and one shall be deposited in the clerks
Office 0. the County Coat OF Alexandria. II
majority OF the votes given shall be cas-
against accepting the provisions OF this act, tden
il shall Be void and OF no effect; but il majority
OF the SAID votes should be in favor OF accepting
The provisions Of this act, then this act shall be
in tul force, and il shall be The duty of The Pre-
sidenl of the United Sta,eS 10 inform The Cover
nor OF Virginia that this act IS in inli force and
effect, and 10 make proclamation OF the iaci.
Sec s. int 81 II furttrr sH0cied, That in such
case the i.h, 0; property in the half square in
Alexandria on which stands the courthouse,
bounded hy Columbus, Queen and Princess
streets and the halt square on which stands The
lail, bounded BY Princess, ST. Asaph, and PHI
streets, shall be Conveyed 10 The Governor OF Vir-
GINA md his successors Tor the use OF the coun-
" ana corporation of Alexandria forever; and
the Solicitor OF the Treasury OF the United States
is hereby authorized and required, in the name
and on the behalf OF the United States, 10 make
all the proper and necessary conveyances Tor
that purpose.
Sec g. And BE- a furtier eEacte1 That The
United States retain the right OF property and )u-
risdiclion over the long bridge across the Poto-
mac river, and over 50 much land on The southern
side of The river as may be necessary lor the
abulmcn, Of The said bridge.
Mr.. Hunter, Chairman oil The Committee for
the District, aidresse The committee III a gene
raIexpose oil the grounds and provisions OF the
bill He observed that il was bill 10 reIrocede
The county OF Alexandra 10 the State Of Virg-
MA with The consent D: Virginia, OF Inc Govern
ment OF lhe United States, and OF the people Of
Alexandra, 10 be given III mode prescribed in
the bill. These were all the original parties 10
the cesson q this part OF The District and little
more, because the people Of the county them
selves were here 10 be party conserving 10 its
retro ,ession. The assent o! Virginia had been
given by unaum )us vote OF her Lcg Slalure al
il last session. That assent had been mos,
readily ant cheeriully given, on the condition tina
the assent OF Congress should be obtained.
The retlocessiom was measure OF some ad
vantage 10 the Federal Government, of still more
10 that part of the District, and OF most vital in
portapce, more especially, 10 The people OF The
civ Of Alexandria itself.
Mr. H. (who, always rapid, now spoke with III,
rapidly OF one Iunninga race against time) wen
on 10 observe that the original purpose OF cecin:
this District 10 the General Government had beer
ihat the Government might have possession OF
place of meeting over which il migat have exclu
siyc Jurisdiction, without the consent OF any on
OF The States, and without being dependant on II
legislation or lis hospitality The extent OF ihi
portion OF territory was mol, BY the Constitution
10 exceed ten miles square. Now, il was plainl
the duty OF the Government in awaiting itseli .
this grant, 10 take, or 10 retain no more oil IN
land ceded than should be actually needed tor
seat OF legislation. This must he obvious; be
cause any surplus beyond what was actually
site could only occasion waste both OF time an
of money, in attending 10 business and making
appropriations merely Of local character
But higher consideration than this made il III
duty of the Governmen, 10 deprive no create
number OF the citizens than was unavoidable G
their political rights and privileges II The Go
vernment must disfranchise any, III pursuing IN
general good, i, ought certainly 10 dislranchise
few as possible. With an American Statesman
worthy oil The name, there could be no consdera
lion OF higher obligation than that OF allo~in
others 10 enjoy The same rights OF freeman
,,.L,oh h., Al himself and which /, was his warm