The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-25
CON REss SION AL.
SPEECH OF MR.. HUNTER,

nc libuot DeinB III NbhHlltSS VI INV '''SNN
Mr. HUNTER spoke as follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: The bill before us proposes to
reeede and relinqnish TO Virginia the county OF
Alexandrs with the assent of that State the assent
OF this government and the assent Of the people OF
Alexandra, TO be taken in the mode prescribed by
the bill itself Thus we shall comprehend more
than all the parties TO the original compact, Tor the
people Of Alexandra were not then consulted. The
of Virginia has been already given IN advance,
by the unanimous act Of her legislature at It's last
session the assent of the people OF Alexandra viii
be given, douot not, most eagerly and gratefully,
should this government afford them an opportunity,
as trusl will, by expressing It's assent and enact
ing this bill The object Of the clause IA the con
sution which allows Congress TO obtain by cession
district not exceeding ten square miles, over which
they might exercise exclusive jurisdiction, was 70
give them seat Of government, which they might
hold in their own right, and to put them IN post
ton in which they might be Independent OF state
hospitality and State legislation for place OF meet
ing, and the means Of securing the departments OF
the government from awless violence and intrusion
The limit upoH this power was that they should not
take more than ten miles square, but the quantity
within this limit was left entirely TO their discretion
As Mr.. Madison said, they might have taken only
one square mile II they had seen proper TO 10 so
This Is the only constitutional limitation upon the
power; but there high considerations OF public
prudence and policy which should regulate the exer-
else Of this discretion. IL 10 obvious that they ought
10 have taken or keep no more territory or people
under their exclusive jurisdiction than may be neces
sary and sufficient for all the purposes OF seat OF
government Considerations Of economy IN relation
TO the public time and money, obviously suggest the
expediency OF retaining no more territory than may
be enough for such purposes. When you exceed
this limit and increase unnecessarily the territory
people, and interests 10 be provided for by our legs
lauon, 10 that extent you increase and waste the
time and money which must be bestowed upon
them.
There is a yet higher consideration, which shoulj
restrict the exercise Of this discretion within the
limits which | have mentioned; consideration
which must weigh deeply with every America"
statesman, and which appeals to all that IL most
cherished in American sentiment mean the obvI-
Gus proprety Of depriylng no more OF our people OF
political rights and privileges than may be indlspen'
sable for the purposes of safety and security IN the
seat Of government. To this extent the evil Is una
yoidable; but there be no higher obligation than
that which rests upon American statesmen, 10 de-
prive no more Of our people OF political rights ann
privileges than may be actually necessary We
owe this TO all that is most cherished In the political
sentiment Of our country we owe It TO true Amer-
can feeling; to the estimate which ourselves place
upon these privileges and we owe 1t as an example
to mankind. We have been proud TO believe thatH
a great object Ia our mission TO enjoy these
rights ourselves and by our example to increase
the value placed upon them by the residue OF
mankind. II is the great lesson we were
sent to teach, that pontlcal rights and PRIV
ileges are amongst the highest and no6es
objects Of human aspiration. Ii is our glory
that, to a great extent, our example has taught
il; but how shall we answer for our mission IT,
without necessity, we deprive portion of our own
people of these very rights which, in the face OF the
world, We have declared to I've lnesumable'
But, Mr.. Chairman, there is another consIdera-
tion which should induce us to contract the sphere
OF our exclusive jurisdiction to so much only as
may be necessary for the purposes have men,
toned. This grant OF exclusive Jurisdiction here
ard some omissions "a Ms and IL some degree
Sln,,s ,nsirion towards the States 1t was or
eshized agent Of the people OF the States
This its grand characteristic; and yet as the oca
legislature Of this District, II stands IN an entirely
different relation towards the States-a relation MOI
only different but possibly hostile TO the great end
of its institution if the district under It's control
should comprehend large and various interests.
There certain provisions in the constitution de-
signed to equal benefits and international
comfy, if | may call 1t so, amongst the states
which apply TO all the State governments, and yet
do not in terms apply to us as the legislature the
government of a separate people IN TINS Disrlct;
"Thc citizens of each State shall be entitled to all
privileges and mmunities of citizens In the several
States" This provision does not apply IN terms to
the citizens Of the District going TO the States or the
citizens of the States coming to the District. The
applies TO the States, does not embrace this District
The provision forbdding preferences to be given to
the ports of State over those of another, does
not embrace this District in terms, although incline
to think that, by construction the same Prohloiton
exists in relation to the District but still 1t is mat
| ter of doubt. When we reflect Mr. Chairman, thai
as the government of this District stand IN some
respects, though not in ALL towards the States as q
State government, we can readily see no" grea
might be the difficulties arising from these omIs
| sons IL controversies shoald ever arise between
this government and that Of any Of the States
| But there is yet another and greater danger tt
the reserved hts of the States in this power OF ex
elusive jurisdiction in the District. Under the pre-
| tence Of exercising an undoubted power, az I'M
District government, how great Is the Temptation
and the facility for exercising powers with'h I'M
States which the constitution has denied TO I'M
general government We are all familiar with IN
stances Of the kind There have been those WIN
believed that we have no power TO charter Unte'
States Bank, and yet ofoplnlon that we migl'
exercise this power within the District as a loo a
legislature, and extend its operation within tn
| States. So too, the subject OF education IN I'M
States has never been confded to this government
and vet il has been maintained that an institution
might be established here, and its operations so ex
tended as to bring the subject of education within
the States in some degree, under the control o
Congress In relation to internal improvements
difficulties may arise out of the double character u
which we act, Whlch mlSht etnpaETass TUG 90 ti'ee
sect of the strict construction school we nav
three cities in this District, each aspiring to be grea
and all desiring to open up communications to IN
sources of their trade. In dschargrng the duties O
a local legislature towards their interests, how Sc
riously might we embirrass our relations with IN
Suites, and how easily slide into conneXIon Wit
their system of internal Improvements 1t Is cas-
to perceive that in this way we might be led INT
the exercise Of powers within the States, whic
MANY of us believe TO be forbidden by the constltI
ton. To some extent these dangers must exist, 3
long as we have seat Of government at all; BIT
they are manifsstly diminished as we diminish tn
population and the variety and magnitude ct the II
terests for which we legislate by separate laws an
over which we have exclusive jurisdiction "A
these people and interests are diminished, the OF
portunty for these conflicts will decrease, the tenn
ltation to abuses will diminish, and any attempt I
usurpation of power within the States, through DIS
trict legislation, will become more palpabie an
manifest to the vigant among our people Ines
evils we're foreseen and feared by some OF the wise
men of their day at the time Of the adoption ct II
federal constitution. In the Virginia convention
Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Grayson, e.
pressed their apprehensons in relation to the al
trct which was to be the seat Of government. Ihe'
, ,,c, had kecn ,dmonished by experience to watC