Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-07-07
TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS:
THURSDAY, July ,, 1916.
SENATE

COMMITTEE o revise the rules o. The Senate
On motion OF MIR. Archer, The Senate resumed
The consideration vi The bill Tor the retrocesson Of
Alexandria
Mr.. Johnson Of MARYLAND said that, as one OF
The Committee 10 which the bill had been referred,
ne Offered from The majority who reported
against The BILL and wished briefly 10 stale his
| reasons therefor
IL ne though; that the proposed measure had
any tendency 10 remove the seat o! Government,
he should oppose il as strongly as any one, bul he
would vote Tor the bill, because ne belieYed il
would have no such tendency.
Mr.. johnson said the question presented two
distinct propositions:
Flrst-the power 10 pass the bill
Second the expectancy under all The circum-
stances OF exercising that power.
Mr.. J. then went into history Of the circum-
stances which led 10 the location Of the seat Of 60
vernment al this place, and took up the objec-
lions 10 The bill urged by The gentleman from n.
Jersey, Mr.. Miller.
II ne had comprehended the gentleman from
New Jersey Alright, ne conceded that Congress
had the ..SEt % = = away the whole District 10
Maryland and Virginia, and retain The seat OF
government.
MIR. Miller. No; a, all.
MIR. Johnson. Then the gentleman comedies
that we have The power 10 remove the seat OF go
yernmenl elsewhere.
MIR. Miller explained tina, he believed that
Congress had no power 10 ceie back 10 Mary
| land and Virginia the jursa 'clon over the whole
District, retaining The sea- Of government here,
| nor had il power 10 remove the seat OF govern
| men,
| Mr.. Johnson said that as ceding the whole dis
| trict was notlhe question, il was unnecessary 10
| discuss il. He then commended that Congress had
as Euch right after accepting the ten miles
square 10 cede back a part VI il found TO be un-
necessary for The purpose OF a sea, OF government,
as IL had TO increase Inc area 10 len miles square.
after having accepted smaller quantity. The
power conferred BY the Constitution was mol ex-
/ haus,ed because il had been exercised
| MIR. Johnson then made an able argument in
| support otlhe power Of Congress 10 remove the
seat OF governmental power however which he
should be sorry 10 see exercised.
| Mr.. Johnson then took up The second branch
OF The subjecl-the expectancy OF the measure
and made a very able demonstration in support
! Off, and showed that there was no necessity Tor
the amendments which had been suggested hy
the Chairman OF the Committee, (Mr. Haywood)
Mr.. Miller REPLIED ami coniended that the Con-
stitution gave no power 10 Congress 10 cede away
the District, or any part OF il. Il gave power
only to a@cspt, and not 10 give back. The cues
lion had been asked, what would then become Of
the District, ii the sea, OF government should be
removed? Ii was question he was no. prepared
10 answer
Mr.. flanagan said that, il ne was not mista-
ken, Maryland had, Ia the hrs instance, coded the
whole OF the ten miles square on this side Of The
river, which was accepted b. Congressman,
therefore, according 10 the argument OF the gen.
eman from New Jersey the power conferred by
The Constitution had been exhausted, and yet, az
ter il had been so exhausted, Congress had re-
pealed the act and accepted that portion from
Virginia which il was now proposed 10 cede back
In lha! Congress were many Of The trainers OF
the Constitution.
Mr.. Miller explained, that the first cesson BY
Maryland gave no cisiinc, bounds 10 the territory
ceteL.
| MIR. flanagan said, that il might be as the
Senator from NeT Jersey represented, but it was
immaterial 10 what he was about 10 say. He
then briefly advocated The measure, and content
ell that II would be unjust 10 The CITIZENS OF Alex
andria 10 retain them in the District against their
will
Mr.. Calhoun said, ne could see no force in the
constitutional objections which had been urged.
The only question was whether the proposed
cession would impair the objects intended in The
location OF the seat OF government al this place.
meni would remain here as iuhS as~ss'. ray.ara-
,iun~ should last II il should ever be removed, II
would be from some other cause than the cession
of Alexandria. Entertaining these views. he
should vote for permitting these people 10 go back
10 Virginia and relieve themselves from the bond
age OF which they complain.
Mr.. Ashley inquired oiihe Senator from South
Carolina what effect The retrocesson would have
upon the deb, OF the town Of Alexandra, which
had been authorized by act OF Congress! Would
il not make Congress responsible :!
Mr.. Calhoun replied, tina, he had not directed
his attention TO that subject. There were many
LAWYERS in the Senate, who, doubtless, could an
swer H.
Mr.. flanagan said it would have no effect atall.
MIR. Allen thought the seat oil Government
should be in the centre OF the country. The ei-
feet off location on the seaboard was visible IN
the legislation and taxation adopted tor Inc coun-
irv, and showed that the commercial classes had
entirely TOO much influence in the lobbles OF the
Capitol.
MIR. Calhoun remarked that the question Of 10
eating the seat OF Government al the west, had
been started in the Memphis Convention compo-
sed Of 600 Of the most intelligent citizens OF the
south and west, and had been almost unanimous
ly put down IT.,
people of Alexandria had no privilege but that OF
srumbling, and he should vote for The bill because
they had asked for it. They had a right 10 90
| back, whenever they wished 10 do So ltIhey had
asked for il The very next year after the formation
of the District they would have been entitled 10 il.
| Mr. Haywood said that the constitution Of
Virginia provided certain fixed apponionment
Of inhabitants 10 the several districts and how,
then, could Alexandria be represented II she
should go back
MIR. Pennybacker replied that if the Senator
had looked lille farther into the constitution, ne
would have found that, after l6iO power was
| given for new apportionment
Mr.. Archer followed in a very earnest speech in
! - - which hP had much Al
heart, and in which he took the deepes, interest.
| Mr.. Haywood concluded the debate in Lengthy
speech against the bill.
The hill was then reported 10 the Senate, and
the question being upon ordering 10 be engro's-
ed. il was decided 10 the afiirmaliye-ayes 81,
NAYS IA, as follows:
YE.s-Messrs. Allen, Archer, Ashley, A,chi-
son. A;herton, Barrow, Benton, Calhoun, Came
ron, Chalmers Cilley, Thomas Clayton, John
Fairfield, Greene flanagan, Jarnagln, Johnson
Of MARYLAND, Johnson OF Louisiana, Lewis,
hIorehead. Pennybacker, Rusk. Sewer, Sim
mons, Turney, Wescott and Yulee-32,
N,y.-Alessrs Breese, Bright, Dickinson,
Dix Evans, Haywood, Houston. Huntington.
Maneum, Miller Niles, Phelps, Semple and
| S,urgeon-l4.
The bill was then BY unanimous consent, read
a third time and passed.
The Senate soon after went into Executive
session.
MIR. Mcdowell made personal explanation
| relative 10 his course on he Tariff BILL he said
I that. when the Wings were in power in 1912, be
had voted against The taxing oil lea and coffee, ana
he I was against the presen, BILL which propose TO
do The same thing As one OF The Ohio delega-
lion he would STATE that he acted solely from prin
cipIe. aud from his own conviction Of right aud
wrong. wi,hou. being led or dictated 10 by an
man. lie was no loady TO favor around the foot
STOOL of Executive power, nor was he Iackail 10
minister 10 the appetite oil the hon, lie was an
American ci.izen, born free, and, thank God, ne
would remain free, SO long as freedom should re-