Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-05-12

and six, and the reserves were sent 10 mat In.
sahty as matter OF PreeautiOn against any
Disorder which might be instigated bv the bal
advisers but before their arrival the crowd had
quietly dispersed.
The RetrocessIon OF Alexandra
County.
This morning. in the Supreme Court Of the
DEtIlet IN General Term, the case OF Robert A
Phillips agt. Charles ". Payne-involyiuy the
eonsttutOnality of the act of Congress retro.
eeedinz Alexandria county, TO Virginia-was
taken up. Nh Westel WillOughby appearing
Tor the plaintiff. This IL an action in assumsir
TO recover money Gained "a have been Illegally
exaeted Of him by defendant. a collector of
thtes IN ALEXANDRIA county, va. The taxes
were paid under protest, plaintiff claiming that
Alexandria county il in tn District OF OoIum
Ola. ara the law retroeeding such territory is
unconstitutional and void. Mr.. Burke Com
menwesllh's Attorney for Alexandria county
tied demurrer and issue was Joined on tie
demurrer. The plaintiff first considers the his
tory OF the establishment of the seat OF govern
ment referring to the first Observation-Disclosures
by ChEs Ptnkney on the 10Th of Nav, I7S7, 10
provide for tie establishment of a seat of
government for the United States not ex-
ceeClnE miles square, in which
they shall have exclusive jurIsiiction-and
quotes ne acts Of Congress and the procIsms
mons or the subject The location Of the Dis
tTiet was the subject OF long and angry cOntrO-
VERSES, and threats were made of a dissolution
OF e ITe union IN consequence. The location a.
hnally made was due more to Virginia than to
any other state, and be suggests that il il not
strictly equitable that she should seek or be
HtAAAittuN " HltGUIdN Der ceSSiOD. After thA
IaIse OF over half century, from this cessiOn
or her territory to the United States ana after
tne had secured the beneht Of the location Of
the scar OF gosernment, near her borders, p
she desired, and for which she made su.h esS-
Sen, Virginia began 70 agi,ate the subject of 2
Ieuocetsion; and on the Sd day OF February
lsi6, her legislature passed an Act signifying
her willingness to take back the territory
WREN the Congress shall recede the same;
snd Congress being bssieged by petitions
for such retrocessioD, on the 9th OF
July, 1876. passed the retroeeSsiOn act
The plaintiff continues discussing the cues
tIon that the court has no Jurisdiction bacsuss
the question IL or a political nature, and saws
This case Is one involving private rights, and
also the eonstitutionality OF the act of Congress-
which ID interpOSed as a political decision. and
therefore the authority and power Of Congress
70 make such decision, and the court has juris-
dictiOn." The suggestion that the autS0rirv
over the county in question is such De fncio
authority that the court cannot question its acts
n considered, and also the question that the au-
tbor1ty has been 50 long acnuesced and recoy-
niZed that IL ought not now be disputed TIE
validity and constitutiOnslity OF the retrocesson
act OF 46 ~ discussed. Referring to the Ian
euage OF the act, the plaintiff contends that the
only power given TO Congress was to accebt ch
olstIist, No express power can be found to re-
esiablSh the seat OF government, or to recsde
or reiinquisb the jurisdiction imposed upop
Congress in relation TO IL. The question for
eonsideIation then, l. such power clearly I'M
Piled This question is discussed at length
fhA counsel Claiming that congress has no
sueh power by implication. Co1I;Iess may dis
pose Of the soil which il owns "a pr0p-r,,.
but 1t cannot transfer or yield up its SOW
ereignty. The unconstItutionality of the act
Is more plainly apparent that IL purports to
delegate legislative power; and after discussing
the question the counsel VS." Nothing can
hs ni=iheT than BE. SE11ns.a-- las never exer-
to Virginia jurisdiction over the county of AL
exsndria; and on this ground, 10 no other If
must be adjudged unconstitutional AMI void"
The plaintiff concludes by denying that the
consutut1Ona'ity of The Law had been decided
by the supreme Court of the United States
The case OF the Bank the Potomac vs. McLaugn-
lin had been, before the so-called act of retro
eesslon, taken % appeal TO the Supreme Court
OF the United States Upon being decided
there, 10 sent its mandate to the circuit cOurt OF
Alexandria county. The question before the
court OF appeals was, whether, according TO the
acts OF retIceession, this was the proper course
The conStitutOpAlty Of the acts was not bron -ht
in question. but this was conceded on bSth
sides. The demurrer was sustained.
THE IRISH HOME RULE LEAGuR-A meet
ing OF the Washington branch Ofthe Irish HOu.~
Rule League a. held LAST night a. S.engerbnnd
Hall, the president, Daniel MeHahon, in the
char, and MT. james Belev, secretary. Mes4rs
John NcArdie, John Connell, and Martin
Glenn, were proposed as members and unani-
nouslv elected. and the names Of Messrs. ,Jere-
miah and Peter MeGrath were added to the
national roll OF honor. 10 was agreed that the
meetings be beld on the second Mondays OF each
month. Mr.. ID. A. Brosnan moved that a re-
fort Of the names of those who had signed the
money paid in, be made mp for the purpose of
forwarding the same to the headquarters in
Dublin; agreed 10. The chsir called upon the
members TO use extraordinary efforts to obtain
all the names possible for national roll, every
one OF which would be entered on the great roll
Dook Kept IN Dublin OF Irelands patriotic sons.
Ine 1olovtng are names of the committee
authorized by the League 20 receive names and
subscriptions for the roll; ID. A. Brosnzn, G,
between I'D and 10th streets; John kennedy, n
street northwest; Jan e. ,liew, It'll street, aud
WIN. Fsgan, Louisis ma avenue, between 9Th
and 10th streets. Adjourned.
TBE Franklin Co-ope. ariyA Buil ling Ass,cis-
ton held its i!!..a regular moathly meeting AZ
harlnis hall last evening. a large amount OF
money was advanced at q moderate premium:
amount. ~ 600; average premium, les per cent
The Peoples Building Association at its 55th
meeting last evening cancelled 10 shares
<SALEoPA VIRGINIA FARM.-The farm known
Tue cottage" At the mouth sizchodoc
ing 70 the estate OF Nicholas Oue-anberrv de
ceased, WAS recently bought by Mr. Osce0la
6reen, OF Geor getOwn, ID. ID. for Al 500. This
lam was recentlv assess ii at si4 900.
ATTENTION Is called 10 the advertisements nj
Mr. j. Markriter in another column At m q
store there IL cOrst ntlv on hand a large varied
and vel selected stock of wall papers, picture
frames, window shades, ard Other ARTICLES ne
eoliar 70 the trade. Br. MSrkriter shquL be
Visited and his goods inspected.
WAsHINeroN Fish MARKET rO-DAY.-Sald
by X A. Golden & Bro, 5000 sbad at ST p TO
- per hundred, 60,00O herTinks, from 3 To
80 per thousand.