The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-25


The infusion by those who come from the States
fill offices, and upon public business, would be pro
portlonaly larger and the separate interest, bein
smaller, would be less exclusive, and lis inhaene
I not only smaller but purer. In making these re
marks, Mr.. Chairman, | trust that shall not b
misunderstood. hope no one Will consider me
intending, in the smallest degree, TO disparage tn
character Of the people Of this District Ga the
trary, believe that they will compare not dsadyan
tageOusy with the same number OF people in any o
the States. trust that they may continue 10 do 80
but this only be done, If at all by combining thu
District within proper limits, and limiting the ten
denotes towards all exclusive, separate and dan
gerous state Of public opinion here. Should III,
| whole Of this District be KEEP, together, and
should IL grow in wealth and population, as Their,
Is reason TO expect, time mus eventually deyelot
these effects Of which have spoken, upon the pub
lie character Of its people, and the nature Of ths
influence upon the government.
II am right, Mr.. Chairman, in the views which
have tsksn In relation 20 the 2roprSly % coo.
tracing the area Of this District .bxre Gao be no
doubt, think, to the expediency, so far as thil
government is concerned, OF returning Alexandris
to Virginia. The county Of Alexandra contains
but thirty square miles and we should still retain
seventy square miles on this side Of lhs Potomac.
We should thus have enough, and perhaps more
than enough, for the public grounds and buildings,
and for all that W desired in scat Of govern
menL
But have said that the transfer OF Alexandfla
10 Virginia would be advantageous TO the portion oil
the District which we should still retain, Whoever
will look into the causes Of the inefficient legislation
for this District and become acquainted with the d.
yided state Of public opinion here, mrst think, ar
rive at tho same conclusion. IL is net 10 be conceal
ed that there is and always has be,n, feeling OF
sectional opposition between the people OF the two
portions Of the District, divided ths Potomac di.
yides them. They live under different codes OF
l.S1ya al h. OH nm
the Maryland system Of laws, they existed at
the time Of cesson; and in addition this cause OF
difference, they have shared unequallJ in the appro-
prlailons, All attempts TO harmonic these sys-
TENS with each other have hitherto failed, and Con-
gress have not had the time or means Of establish
ing new code which might be unlfom and salts
factory to both. Local jealousies aud divisions
would have defeated the attempt If w could have
had the time and disposition for theNork. The
consequence IL that the state Of the law in this Dis
trlctis dIsreputable to our government Whoever
feels interest In this subject may nd in the re-
port Of Mr. Powers to the House of Representa-
yves, in 1880, a description Of the ten existing
state Of the laws, (and | am lnformd that they
have been but little amended since,) hich would
be udlcrous for its strange contrast via the public
sentiment of the day, il 1t were not thathey affect
ed things sacred as the lives and proerty Of
felInw.belngs. The same report also Exhibits the
difficulty OF establishing laws, which Ould be sat
difficulty arising in part from the Ho different
codes, which have each their advocate, within the
District, in a comparison between the 10. Letters
are published IN this report from man OF the most
intelligent citizens of the District, and one Of them
agreed Some thought that great chages ought To
be made in the laws; others thought tn fewer laws
the better; some thought that there spud be one
uniform code for the whole District; oters Of
opinion that there should be two coos, and that
each required revision. Now, Mr.. Cairman, if
Alexandra were returned to VirgniaIye should
have but one code to attend to, and fewepeope and
interests provide for. All would be letter cared
for, and believe that for the remaining portion OF
the District we might do all, or neay all, that
Is necessary to he done.
But, Mr. Chairman; II is 70 ss.D S fl Of Alex
andria that this measure 90 opi y, they have
They have sKerslAipe interests 81 involved
in il. From their connexion with US, thy have lost
political rishts and privileges, and all th,soclai pro-
gress which the exercise of these right can give
They have thus lost, too, they and biieve, great
results from the natural advantages of thr position
1t is commonly supposed, know, tht they are
compensated by local appropriations forthe loss OF
their political franchises Does any mai really be-
lleve that public disbursements could compensate
people for such loss that Of dlsfranhisement
The exercise of political power, when accompanied
with responsibility, is, as | have said efore, the
highest task, and the most elevatlng occupation, IN
which human being can be engaged. Deprive
society Of these high and noble sprngsof human
action and ii is dficult to the event OF the
depressing and demoraliziDg influences Of such q
loss. But in point OF fact, the appropriations FOL
| Alexandra have been less than Is genraly sup
posed. 1t may indeed be doubted WHITTIER any
Thing has been appropriated than sh'
has contributed, directly indirectly, Il
| this government. hold in my hand
statement of the appropriations to Alexandria by
this government, made by an intelligent officer IL
the Senate, who is familiar with such subjects, by
| which 1t appears that the entire amount from TN
time Of cession up to this date, has been 1920, 554
! He informs me that these are all the appropriation
| of which he knows, although it is possible tina
there may be more. Now | find in thu report o
Mr.. Powers, letter signed by Ed. |. Lee, r.
Taylor and Thomson F. Mason, men distinguishes
for character and intelligence in which Is assert
ed that up to that date Alexandria had contributes
To the general government, from the pest Office
from direct taxes, and duties, and by advance
! made by the banks during The war; $685., $40 Ihi
does not include what they have paid indirectly q
consumers of dutiable goods, nor what has accrue
since that time from the post Office. But as thes
advances were of more ancient date than the heavies
| of the government appropriations, which we're to
their canal, doubt whether a master commissions
would bring that city much in debt to this govern
ment, if interest were allowed upon the items o
both sides of the account. | have said, sir, that,
my opinion, she had lost by her connexlon great n
suits from the natural advantages OF her Posiuo'
Can any man doubt this who will compare WIN
she is with what she might have beeR hold
my hand a statement Of her exports, imports, ar
tonnage, from which it appears that all have bee
declining since 1915. Her imports which, durlr
the three years from 1917 to 1919 inclusive, ave
aged 1866 1863, have been steadily and rapidly d
Ginning until now and in the five years from ls4
they have averaged but s6S, 447.
Her population has been nearly stationary sln'
1920 These results must have been produced
her separation from Virginia, and her connexi'
with us. She was not considered by the former
her system of Improvements, and she was eth
neglected or injured by our legislation. One OF u
early acts of this government, after the cesson
, Alexandria, was to throw a mole across from M
, sons Island to the south bank Of the Potomac al
thus cut Off the channel for boat communication
, tween Alexandra and the waters Of the upp
Potomac. An intelligent merchant of Alexandr
told me that from the time this was done
to the completion Of the canal, scarcely boat W
ever seen in Alexandra from the upper Potomt
, Her system Of laws has been utterly neglected
US well informed lawyer of that place sssur
me that they are now living under English and V
: ginia statutes which have been long repealed in
II countries of their origin. Is II not reasonable
suppose that her condition would have been far d
farant IL che had no YER been from Virgin