Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-12-14
RetrOccssiOn Subject.

SefrOccSStOM SUBJECT.
We noticed in yesterdays Gazette, the actl 70
of tho House OF Representatives in relation to
Mr.. Paine's resolution concerning the retroces-
sion of Alexandria, and the eligibility OF Mr..
Mckenzie to his seat in Congress. We give
now the details
Mr.. Paine, of Wisconsin, from the Commit
tee on Elections, offered the following rcSo!u-
ton:
Whereas, 1t is claimed that the ratrooessiou
Of the county of Alexandria to the State OF
Virginia, by virtue of the act of Congress en-
titled An act to retrocede the county OF Alex.
andra, in the District of Columbia, to the
State OF Virginia" approved July 9. 1876,
and OF the proclamation of james x. Polk,
President of the United States, made in pur
suauce of said act on the 9TH day of Septem.
Der, 1916, was unconstitutional and void and
that Lewis Mckenzie, claiming seat 10 this
House as Representative of the Seventh Con
gressoual District OF Virginia, and alleged to
De citizen Of said Alexandria county, is in
eligible to such seat because not an lnhabtant
of me sail State OF Virginia therefore,
ReS0'rtd, That the Committee or the Judi
ciary be instructed to inquire whether said re
PROCESSION was unconstitutional and void, and
il 50. whether said Lewis Mckenzie is ior that
reason Ineligible to seat 10 this House rs the
representative of the Seventh Congressional
District of Virginia, and to report by oil or
otherwise on or before the 10th day OF JAM
airy. 1870.
Mr Pane said he supposed he might have
offered the resolution as question Of privilege,
but he preferred to offer II IN thls'way, rs i
simple resolution for action at this tune, aud
he hoped no exception would 5c taken 20 1t.
~. ~. lkl,p iv
be called upon to meet, and he thought it &c
sirabe that there should be report from the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Nlr. FiukelnbuIg, of Missouri, objected to
the resolution.
Mr.. Paine thea moved to suspend the rails
Mr.. Logan, OF Illinois, thought this very
unusual time to bring up this resolution, cSpe-
cially as the question OF the c2nstitu,lonallty
of the act of retrocessiOn had not been regular
" raised IL has been decided that that act
was constitutional, and no other decision has
been asked for except by this resolution, and
for that reason he objected to the reference.
Mr. Paine said the question had been raised,
and there is now case pending IN which 1t
must be decided 1t was not raised as an ab'
stracr question, but because the necessity ez
listed 10 meet il promptly. The opposition
seemed to come, however, from gentlemen who
were perhaps interested in the removal OF the
capital or seat OF Government, and he had no
doubt the opposition could be explained IN that
way. Ifthere was no objection he would with
draw the resolution.
Objection was made.
Mr. LOAN was surprised that the Chairman
of the Committee on Elections should attribute
the opposition to this measure to desire for
the removal Of the Capital. lie had viewed
it lust the other way, and thought the gentle
man from Wisconsin wanted to get I report
upon this subject now, with an Interior object
in view
Mr. Grover, OF Kentucky, asked Mr.. Paine
whether he know to what party Mr.. Mckenzie
belonged that he was so anxious to rule him
out?
Mr.. Paine replied that he believed \Ir. Nc
Kenzie belonged to the Republican party:
=, Nj, Earnsworth, OF Illinois suggested that
people besides those of Alexandria county, Va.
and he wanted to know il it was proposed 10
disirarchise all the people Of the Congressional
district il the retrocesson OF Alexandria was
declared unconstitutional?
Mr.. Paine said the gentleman knew very
wei what his views were toward Mr. Mckenzie
AID he could hardly be accused OF desiring TO
legisate him out without cause.
Mr.. Randall, OF Pennsylvania, thought this
resolution coutem plated an act of injustice
which the House should not entertain, and he
moved to lay it on the table. lie withdrew it,
however, temporarily, to a&oS further "a
marks.
Mr. Schenck, o! Oaio said he was probably
the only survivor 10 the Hous, OF the Congress
that passed the act retro,eiing the county of
Alexandria 70 Virginia some twenty three or
twenty five years aeo. He was a member of
the House then, aud for twenty-five years the
retrocesSion has been recognized as constitu
tional. The district Of which Alexandria is
part has been electng members OF Congress
from time to time, and the right If Represen
tatives from that district has nev,r been ques-
toned. Yet now We are askedto make an
outside collateral question, and il his opinion
it would be better 10 leave the Law alone as it
had stood for the past twenty I've or thirty
years. SunpcSn VIC Get the opinion Of the
Committee Oh he Judiciary that the act Of re-
PROCESSION was unconstitutional. What have
We then? Why, We have simply the opinion
of nine intelligent gentlemen, Is against
the opinion of a large majority of btn Houses
OF the Congress that passed the act OF retroces
sion, and who supposed they were Going con-
act Since that time it had always |
been recognized as constitutional without a |
question, and he did not see why should be
raised now
The question vas then taken upol Mr.. Ran. |
dalt's motion to lay the resolution or the table,
and it was agreed TO,