Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-03-08
ALEXANDRIA.
FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH s.
THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF ALEXAN-
DRIA, Virginia. TO THE DISTRICT.

OF our people! No remOnstrance OF theirs, We
are afraid, can now ward off the impending
blow! But, until the deed is consummated, We
abstain from remarks. Heretofore when there
!. was chance that 50 great an outrage upon the
rights, and feelings, and interests of this com
munity, and upon the rights and interests of
the State of Virginia, could be prevented, We
have expressed our views, and did all we could
to avoid the successful accoml lishment Of the
monstrous injury But let us hasten to make
the record, and for one day, at least console
ourselves that the good old town is still in the
good old State, whatever may be its condition
tomorrow.
In the House of Representatives, yesterday
M ,Stepeas, of Pennsylvania, moved to sus,
pend the rules, tc enable him. to introduce bill
to repeal the law retroceding the county of AL
exandria to the State Of Virginia, and reinsta
ting the jurisdiction of the District of Colum-
bia over the original ten miles square. The
rules were suspended, and the bill introduced
After some remarks in favor of the bill by Mr.
Ingersoll, and against it by Mr.. Mccullough,
the bill was passed-yeas Ill, nays IS.
The following is copy of the bill as it pass
ed the House of Representatives:
''Whereas the Constitution of the United
States provides that Congress "shall exercise
exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever
over such District mot exceeding ten miles
square) as may, by cesson Of particular States,
and the acceptance of Congress, become the
seat of government of the United States "
and Whereas by an act of Congress approved
july sixteenth, ammo Dolnini seventeen hun
dred and ninety, ten miles square OF territory
was accepted from the States of Maryland and
Virginia as the permanent seat OF government,
constituting what was subsequently known as
the District of Columbia, which, when so ac-
cepted and defined, all jurisdiction over the
same was, by the Constitution, forever vested
in Congress, whose duty it Was then, and for
ever alter, to preserve unrelated and Tree from
all control whatsoever, save that of Congress !;
and whereas experience derived from the recent
rebellion has demonstrated the wisdom of pre-
serving such ten miles square under the ex-
elusive control of Congress, both for military
and civil purposes, and for the defence of the
capital; and whereas, by al act of Congress
approved July ninth ammo Domini eighteen
hundred and forty six, that portion of said ten
miles square lying south OF the Potomac was
ceded back to the State Of Virginia, 10 viola
ton Of the intent and meaning OF the Constltu-
ton of the United States, and to the great
peril of the capital, as aforesaid: therefore,
Be 1t enacted, That the acs of Congress APP
proved July ninth, ammo Domini eighteen hun.
dred and forty-siS, rctroceding to the State OF
Virginia that portion of the district ten miles
square, as provided by the Constitution, known
as the District of Columbia, be, and the same
is hereby, henceforth and forever repealed and
declared null and void aud that the jurisdiction
OF Congress- and the laws provided for the
District OF Columbia be, and the same are
hereby, put in force, the same as ii said act OF
retrocess: on had never been passed.
Sec. 2. That private and personal property
shall not be affected by this act, so far as the
rights of parties are concerned and all public
property whereof the United States were pos
sessed &C the time of the retrocesson of said
portion OF the District of Columbia to the
State of Virginia shall, from and after the
passage of this act, be vested in the United
States government, any law, act, or conveyance
to tue contrary notwithstanding, and the gov
eminent, through its prope: off Gals, is hereby
authorized to acquire, by purchase or other
wise, any and all further property, real or per-
sona in said portion of the District OF Colum-
bia. as may be deemed necessary for public use.
SEC. g. That all suits and actions at law,
civil or criminal, shall, from and after the
passage of this act, be conducted and deter
mined according to the laws, rules, and regula-
tons enacted and provided by Congress for the
District of Columbia, excepting causes wherein
final judgment, decree or sentence shall have
been pronounced or passed; in such causes the
final satisfaction of such judgments or DEGREES
will be in accordance with the laws in force in
the State of Virginia But all causes wherein
final Judgment or decree shall not have been
passed OF pronounced shall be in future con-
Quoted and determined as provided by this act.
Sec. f. That all taxes and revenue assessable
and collectible on property, real or personal. in
said portion of the District of Columbia south
Of the Potomac, shall, from and after the pas
sage of this act be rated, collected, and applied
according to the existing Or future laws of Con-
gress governing the District of Columbia.
SEC. 5. That from and after the passage of
this act all civil Offices in the said portion of
the District of Columbia south of the Potomac,
in the city of Alexandria and what is known as
the county of Alexandria, shall be declared
vacant; and the vacancies so created shall be
filled by new appointments or elections, to be
made and held under the laws regulations,
and qualifications provided by Congress tor
elections and electors 10 the District OF 20.
lumbia.
SEC. 6. Thst all suits or proceedings now
pending in any courts of record of said city
of Alexandria, or what is known as the county
of Alexandria, shall be, and hereby are, trans
Ierred to the Supreme Court of the said Dis
trict Of Columbia; and all suits and proceed
ngs pending before any justice of the peace, or
Mayor Of the city'of Alexandria, or Alexandria
county, shall be transferred to and be deter
mined by such Mayor or justices of the peace
as may be elected or appointed under the laws
of said District of Columbia after the passage
Of this act.
SEC. 7. AndJe It farther enacted, That this
act shall be in force from and after its passage.
STATE CONVENTION
The Senate Of Virginia, yesterday, passed
-, too ba caoopI