The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-08

the day is the evil thereof" But if tho gentleman
himself and his friends voluntarily involved them
selves in difficulty Of that sort, Mr. p hoped they
would not call on him to point OUT the means
by which 10 extricate themselves. He
thought the whole error in regard to this case re-
suited from the fact that the gentleman seemed 10
consider Congress omnpotent within the District oil
Columbian that the clause giving 10 II exclusive
legislation" made II absolute despotsm; that Con-
4 gress could perform any act within this District II
deems proper independently Of the limitations OF
the constitution. That was an error. The consul
tuition gives to Congress Exclusive" power OF egs-
latIon, but not unlimited power. IL cannot WITHIN
this District take private property except Tor puoNe
use, and on paying just compensation thefeior, u
cannot abolish the right Of habeds corpus, OF trial by
Jury or do any of those acts prohibited by the con-
situation No; Congress must leglslate exclusively
| within the District Of Coumbia-no other Iegisla-
ton can be admitted within t-but It must egslae
under the provisions Of the constitution. Otherwise,
all the difficulties which the gentleman from Vr-
GINA seemed TO anticipate would occur; but conhn'
Il ing himself TO the limitations Of the constitution,
they will be obyiated, and the bill under consid-
GRAFTON will be excluded. Congress had the right
to receive district and exercise exclusive egisla-
ton. There its power stopped II had no right to
transfer.
With reference 10 the amendment which Mr.. p
| h ad offered. The District Of Columbia so far as
the government was concerned was ONE no sections,
no divisions were known TO the government OF the
|
united in political association; bound TO submit to
one authority, and their, destlnles in fact linked
together in one common bind. IL seemed TO him,
therefore, that whenever an attempt was made TO
ALLEVIATE part Of that community the assent OF the
whole at least necessary. II he was disposed
| TO 20 into the question generally, he would deny
the power Of government to transfer Its territory,
and Il this government particnarlyi and the books
would bear him out in the fact that no territory
could be transferred unless such transfer was ne
cessaTy in order to preserve the whole But no
such necessity existed. This proposition OF transfer
| was not founded on necessity, but on the will OF
| few individuals living in one part OF the District.
Now, before this retrocession was made the ques-
lion should be submitted to the whole people Of the
i District OF Coumbia and in case il sanctioned
by them, the would at least be presented in a
| more favorable light than IL il at present.
i Another objection he had TO the bill was, that
we had paid very large amount for that portion OF
the District Of Columbia south Of the Potomac river.
Was It contemplated to refund this money Did
the Virginia legislature in its zeal to get back por-
ton Of this District, think proper TO provide for re-
funding that money-not less he thought than
million Of dollars' No; they ask you to give back
Alexandna-the soil too, a thing which this gov
eminent never had, but the jurisdiction only. But
ifthey adopted proviso to this bill declaring that
we will not pay the debt Of the corporation Of Alex
andria amounting to somewhere in the neghborhood
of one million Of dollars, it would very much change
the state OF vote when taken and then the people Of
AeNhnura VIII reject THIS prOpOslUon IN TINS OIL
The true object Of the bill was 10 saddle on the
government this debt only to give up every dol
lar that has been paid, but to bring forward an adj
ditional claim against the government amounting to
a million ofdoars, for gentlemen had told him that
unless this debt was paid by the government they
preferred to remain as they He insisted, II this
bill pass, il should be with the declaration
that this government not going 10 pay that debt,
| so to exclude the millions Of petitions which
session after session would be presented to refund
this debt.
There was another objection to this bill which did
not so Immediately before this House, but,
II was not party objection, he deemed proper TO
state 1t. They were aware that in Virginia that
there had been conflict going on, he might say, al
most from the beginning of that government down
the present day the subject of the right ofsuf
frage. This was not party question, but an east
ern and western question in Virginia; and that State
was now on the very point Of calling convention
the object of which was to extend the right Of suf-
age and equalze the right Of representation in the
counties. As things now stand, eastern Virginia
controls the political power Of that State with
population vastly inferior to western Virginia This
bill proposed to add 500 5000 voters to the east
ern side Of Virginia, the influence Of all whom
would be thrown against western Virginia, whose
object is to extend the right Of suffrage, and have
a convention, as she ought to have. Having been
born and reared in that State, Mr.. p might be per-
med to say he felt an interest in her institutions
and her interests, and he hoped the day would yet
spects, may yet take her stand side by side with the
enlightened States of the Union which have discard
ed all those old distinctions and who now permit
the right of suffrage to rest upod the freedom Of the
citizen and not on the property he holds in his pos
session.
Mr.. seldom interposed, and (Mr. P. yielding)
was understood to call attention TO the fact that the
Virginia Legislature, by unanimous vote, repre-
senting Of course the eastern well the western
portion Of the State had agreed to this retrocesson
lnf ndr,a H.
on the part of western Virginia to this measure.
i Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Virginia, rose and appealed
to the gentleman to allow further explanation.
Mr.. PAYNE. Certainly, Sir. | wish to hear
from western Virginia.
Mr.. JOHNSON said his colleague [Mr. SEppoNl
| referred to the question Of conventions; he in
ror. There was division Of sentiment in Virginia;
and western Virginia required a convention Assem-.
bled on basis different from that which the eastern
part was willing TO accord to them, and they
would consent to meet their eastern brethren on that
subject until they coul1 meet them the broad prin
I ciples Of equal rights.
i Mr.. PAYNE (resumng) said he was aware of
the interest felt on this great question of conven
ton in the western part Of Virginia. 1t was not
| party question as between wings and democrats, but
was advocated by the friends of freedom, whether
found marching under the wing the democratic ban
ners. On the great question of the right of suffrage
where party divisions had been laid aside to promote
the great principles Of liberty and the right of suf
fraBe-ln SuCn CONNECT, Wnat ne desired was, tnat
the Congress Of the United States shall not throw
its weight and influence against those who were
battling for the right Of suffrage.
Mr.. J. MCDOWELL Mr.. p. yielding the foor)
said he should like to be informed by the gentle
man the remainder of the sentence was lost to the
reporter He should like to know above all, whether
the gentleman from Alabama does not admit as a
fundamental article of his own creed that en-
titled to scfgovernment And furthermore, whether,
special and particular article Of his party creed
he does not not go for the largest liberty Of
Mr.. PAYNE. must ask the gentleman to re-
duce his question to writing.
! should like to know also, Continued Mr.. Nc
4 DOWELL,) on what general particular doctrine
it is that the gentleman desires the power Of
Congress to interfere with the local questions of
| Virginia. Furthermore
Mr.. PAYNE (interposing) insisted on his right to
the floor.