Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-08-27
Especial Dispa'eb to the baltimore Sun.
The National CapitaI-The Removal
QuestiOu-The Laws Establishing a
Seat of Government, re.
WAsHINGTON. Angnst ID.

WAsHINGTON, August ~.
Mr.. N. Sargent, commissioner of customs,
has been looking up the laws establishing q
seat Of government for the United States,
aud bias prepared an article 70 show that
Congress- cannot remove the capital except
by an amendment to the Constitution. 7 am
permitted to make ,xrscts from the article,
which wil, be published in the Republican
OF this city to.morr w. Mr. Sargent SAYS
Among the powt~s enumerated as given
To Congress by the Consii. ution is the power
"to exercise exclusive legislation, in all
cases whatevea, over such district (n0t ex-
ccrding ten niles squar' as may by ces-
on of particular States aud the acceptance
ol Congress become the s,at of government
Of the Uuted States"
b, this clause Of tho G 'nstitution I" the
eat Of government of the United States "
WAS established within the district which
sh Iuld he ced-d by particular States and
accepted by C,n-r-ss. Toe present Dis
trict OF CIlumhia was selected for that pnr-
l,se, coded 10y the States OF Mar! lAud aud
Virginia Tor the SAM purpose, aud accepted
10y q Ingres', as We shall -ee.
o. tue 10 h of Jdly, 1890, G ngress pass.
cd " An act inr the temporary and perma.
nent seat OF the government OF the United
States" the first section OF which declares
"that district Of territory, not exceeding
ten miles square, TO be located as hereafter
directed Ou the Potomac river, at some
place between the mouths of Eastern Branch
and Conegocheague be, and the same Is
hereby, accepted for the permanent seat Of
the government of the United States"
The same act provided for the seat Of gov
ernment remaining temporarily at Phila.
delphia, that is puul tho public buildings
conld De prepared here.
In a subsequent act, passed March 3, 1891
the object of which was 50 u alter the
bounds OF the District as to take in Alex
andria, the language used is as follows: Aud
the territory So included shall form a part
of said district, not exceeding ten miles
square, for the permanent seat OF govern
ment of the United States"
GA the 27th of February, 1901, Congress
passed an act declaring That the laws of
the State Of Virginia, as they now exist,
shall be- and continue in force in that part
OF the District OF Columbia which was ceded
by the said State to the United States, and
by them adopted for the permanent seat Of
government aud that the laws of the State
of Maryland as they now exist, shall be and
continue IN force 10 that part of the said
District which was coded by that State to
the United States, aud by them accepted
as aforesaid; that is TO say, accepted for
the permanent seat of government"
Ii appears from the foregoing that the
framers OF the Constitution anticipated that
a territory not exceeding ten mills square
would br ceded by the United States for
its seat of government by one or more
States, and that Ia framing that instrument
they gave Congress power to exercise ex
elusive legislation over such district. The
cessions were made by the States of Mary
aud aud iginia "iOr permrueut seat Ut
govrrum-ut oi the United Stalts," and ac-
ceut.d -uch ~ Congress
Here, thee, "a, impact entered iuto
py aud betS seen the United States aud the
States o Mars land and Yug MIA, namely
that the territory thus cedsd should be and
remain the "p imanent seat Of government
OF the United States" pursuant 10 pro.
vision of the Constitution. And not only
was there compact entered into, In full
hlment of provision of the Constitution,
between the United States and the tNe
States mentioned, but this compact Is part
aud parcel Of the sgreemenI or compact
which the United States entered into with
those to whom the government sold the lots
add squa es from time TO time. That this
stoaId be the permanent seat Of govern
ment was one Of 1.-THE tights, privileges
and appur;enances belonging to aud con
stituting the largest portion, and the entire
value OF the property sold. Government
could, with equal propriety aud justice
sell a mill privilege, and then divert the
stream of water which constituted the Who'll,
value OF the property.
Government is bound by It's compact, ant
| Congress has no pou'r u undo shat wal
done In 30 solemn and formal a manner.
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