The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-28
Communicated.
REMOVAL OF THE CAPITAL.
A voice from Alexandria.
AIsxAypatA, IVA, or d. q. y

ALEXANDRIA, IVA paGJl
A. ,.,. A %, n ,ss
, ..n",, oommrnIco,,or n You oad. . ,ew
element to tho discussion Of the questions
suggested by the 81. Louis proposal 10 re-
move the seat Of government. He thinks
,ho, the re,roees.lon Of Alexandria county
10 NHsin'" !" i''o' ""'en ~ 'NoA opfNoN
h,a,on ana bo,ce that .notber retroccs.ion
o'uuen' "nu h'"e' '""'
must, JOrtor', oe wrong anu ioroidoen.
Il would be a capital blunder to give the |
advocates for the removal OF the capital the !
,dyon,aos NJ founding thu r,obtf,,ncs. or |
~ - .,,.,,
tue" se"e"' opo" an "e'o"P"'neo h"e',
recognized by the Supreme Court OF the
United States, sustained by the Court Of Ap-
meals of yiryinia. and aoouieseed in for
...a- "a .,.', IT. g., 4.
s''''' ".' "'
that so TAR from vending TO assist the schemo
OF removal, the retrocession Of Alexandria
ha, Operated directly AGAINST II. Had Alex.
.na5a 49, a.,.,n.S in ,ho n,.,r,o, .n.,n.,
a"u''" oo0" u's.'"e' !" '"' ss""e'
the nearly unanimous wish OF Its Inhabitants
and that Of the people Of Virginia, that dis
satisfactiop alone would have aide, INV
t., ,-.,, 49,
'ene'he W "u'en '"ey "'u'u 10 ""o"eu 10
return to virginia. Then, II may be, Vir-
ginia would have been a unit for the
remova,. Nov. mo.t csr,a,n,v n. far a.
Aiehahoria eau eheH au iunuence, virginia
Will be unit against the removal and Its
psoplo As thoroughly anxious for a coutinu.
ance Vi tue na''onai capita, ~ ns P'ose"' s'u'
alton as are tho people OF washington them-
| selves.
But In truth the retrocesslon Of Alexandria
affords no precedent for the St, Louis move
ment. The act of July Q, 1886, retrocedinp
| Alexandria to Virginia was in terms no re.
movai Of any part Of the actual "seat OF
| Government. v but was passed because Alex.
/ audrla county was In fact no portion of the
seat Of Government, but mere outlying ter
ritory, under tho exclusive Jurisdiction Of
| Congress, Il 10 true, but governed BY a code
| of laws different from that which prevailed
| at Washington. The preamble of the act of
retrocession cites this az the reason of the
| law, saying;
| "wh.res. no more ts,rito,v opvh, IN M.
held under the exclusive Legislation given 10
Conaress over the District, which Is the seat
ne aensrM uovsrnment, than may be
ssst, ri s"s ,s 20, .ni PaspSsc, o. such
that the portioa Of the Distriet Of Columhis
eeded to the United states by the State OF
virsini. IA. not been nor :, .ver kslyfo b ntes,
Hrygor msi purPoss; AND where's the state o.
.hss sisniaed her viiii,soss. "a
take b.uk the ,sid terfitory oedei A. sforessiS
Thsrefore-
q "a S ,av aas 81 .:G,
dria, 10 k ssoertsinsd AZ hcre,na ftes dessSihea
| all that portion Of the District Of CoIum BID
virinis, and ali the rissts and jansdicsioe,
csdsd ,Asrs-ith ever "a. same, Dc, and %.
right and Iurisdletlon .s well Of soil As Of per.
sons residing or 70 reside therein.'
The act was thus done with the consent OF
oil parties; the United States, the people Of
| Alexandria and the State OF virginia. When
the United States, the State of Maryland and
the citizens OF Washington consent to re-
moval OF the seat, now proposed, then it
may DC mat tho capital can be constltu
tionaily sent swinging round the circle" Ia
all the great cities Of the continent In turn
There was then In the act OF retrocessior
nothing really belonging to the seat OF gov
eminent removed, and the removal was b,
consent OF all parties. Manifestly this Il
very dinerent from the 81. Louis proposition
IL Is true that John Quincy Adams vote,
/ against retrocession as unconstitutional; Sc
did JEFFERSON Davis. Daniel Webster's con
stitutional doubts, II indeed he had any
were not strong enough to Induce him 4
vote against the retrocession act when Il
came before the Senate, and Its constitu,
tionality was sustained by such men rs Cor.
win, Crittendcn, Davis, Calhoun and Cam.
eron. Nor did President Lincoln hint that
the retrocession was unconstitutional; on
the contrary, he proposed TO resume juris'
diction Just as 1t was parted with, viz! by
the Joint action OF the United States aud
virginia.
Inc earliest advocate OF retrocession wal
q Henry winter Davis, then q young lawye
4 IN Alexandria; II was begun by the Legis
, azure OF virginia In February, 1916. Tn
act authorizing u passed the House OF Rep
> resentatives on tue SIN OF May OF the sam
: year py 70 10 W. In tho following July TIT
act came up Tor consideration In the Senate
Mr. Calhoun said he could see no force II
the constitutional objections which had beei
> urged. The only question was whetaer tn
1 proposed cession would impair the object
= lntenoea IN the location OF the seat OF Gov
einmeht az TINS pace. lie belisVed the seq
' OF Government would remain here so lonj
. as our 'osttutons should last. ii II shonl
IS ever W iethoTen " would DC from some othe
s cause tnan tne Gession OF Alexandria.
MT. heNeruy johnson, oil Maryland, sal