M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-04-17
Slavery in the District Of
Columbia,

lnlS DISlIlcl, once lcH ullleS squhr
included two counties, one on tn
eastern side of the Potomac. carve
cut of Maryland, called Was shingto
county; the olher.on the west side 9
the river, taken iIom Virginia, an,
called Alexandria. The trrritor'
comprising these two counties made &
square &C lon miles on each line, tax
ing in Georgetown, in MARYLAND, iusI
above Washington, and only divided
by q small stream called Rock Greek
and Alexapdris, six miles below, Oh
the Opposite shore. in Virginia.
This was the old District Of Colun
hia, cedcd hy the two States above t.
the General Government for tie loca,
tior Of the National Capitol and 9th,
er public buildings. Gen. Washing
ton, soon after the restoration ofpeace
and the adoption OF the present Con
stiiption of the United States, living
as he aid few miles further down the
Potomac than Alexandria, and out
side the area ofthe ten miles square
or hundred square miles. picked out
the present location Of Washington,
and it was adopted by Congress as
the future Capital OF the great and free
nation that was to take its place
among the governments oil the world
Being himself the great architect of
this new people, the Capital WAS call.
ed after him, and its sharp cornered
streets, running 10 a conn on contre,
its rude evenues, and other peculiar
characteristics, were the work Of his
own mathematical brain. Being near
the seaboard centre OF tie thirteen
original States, accessible to large
vessels by water, and near two ports,
Georgetown and Alexandria) then
both places Of considerable commerce
especially Of -four and tobacco, the
new CopitaI was place around which
ccntered a vest amount OF wealth. and
polished Revolutionary society. which
gave no inall entertainment to the Of.
ficers OF the Government from it's ear.
liest location of that place.
From the first, this society did not
meet the narrow, Puritanic ideas Of
o! the New England people, who
were drawn to the Seat Of Govern
ment, as officers, Senators or Con
gressmen, while the growing West
libGralized, from the Bewness Of west
ern society, felt more at ease will
this ancient stock than the Puritant
OF the East. The two Adamses who
were Presidents, left Washington af
ter their single terms, carrying bacl
with them prejudiees, which were
made the grounds Of hatred, anC
charged to the character of the South
ern population because they aoere hold
e,S IF SlaUeS.
But this dislike Of the Adamses wa
| just as strong against the Nvrther RI
and Western Democracy as it wa
against Southern men who helC
slaves. In fact, it had nothing to dC
with slavery, but much more i'm
pUrtant difference of political princi
ples-the construction OF constitution
al powers, involving human libert,
itself.
To escape the. charges Of hostility
TO freedom. the Adamses and thei
supporters in the East, ic save THEN
Political regulations among the peo
pie of their section, charged the dc
feat and mishaps to the prejudice o
Shareholders, and Boston bee anne al
famous for sectional politics, as for its
aristocracy and sympathies with the
British Government.
The defeat OF the younger ADAM;
by General JACKSON, a Southern man
aud a stakeholder, excited New Eng
land to the pitch Of despair, and the
old Federalism and British loyalty
siiried up the slavery question witt
renewed vigor, and encouraged and
hacked by Euglieh loyali-t JONI
QUINoY ADAMS, instead of following
in the foot steps OF all his Presidential
predecessors, and retiring from poll
tics forever, as matter Of delicacy
and propriety, was returned to Con.
gress and placed as the leader OF slav
cry agitation, the scored fright ofpe.
tition," and The freedom OF speech. )"
On the adoption OF the Constitu.
tion Of the United States, the exc!us.
i've right of Legislation was granted
Congress over not more than ter
miles square, as might be ceded by
any States for the seat af government
Little did GEORGE WASHINGTON an(
his compeers suppose when this claus,
was adopted that should the ten mile
square be chosen in slave State, tina
the power would be claimed by th