National Republican., 1883-07-12
RESERVED RIGHTS
Saved to Individuals by the States in Ceding
the District to the Government
An Interesting Extract From Debate In
the Senate In 1874.

trict are not likely TO advance the cause they
espouse by misrepresentation or by illogical
arguments that have been met and contro-
verted frequently in the debates in congress
on tho subject" said an advocate of suffrage
to REPUBLICAN reporter yesterday. "Tho
Post last Sunday emphatically committed it-
self as an unsafe constitutional expound er
when it declared that the District of Colum-
bia was as much government reservation as
u fort or navy yard"
"The cession of district not less than ten
miles square for the seat of the national gov
erDment was debated for some time in con-
gress after the adoption of the constitution.
Philadelphia, New York, and Annapolis were
severally voted for and the choice finally
was determined for the present district.
" Part of the territory originally ceded was
within the confines Of Virginia aud part in
Maryland. Both states were particularly
cautious to reserve and protect the rights of
individuals within the limit of cession.
The following proviso was contained in tho
act passed by the Virginia legislature, Dec.
3, 1885,
Provided, That nothing herein contained shall
be construed TO vest In the United States any right
Of property in the soil or to affect the rights Of
individuals therein otherwise than the same shall
or may be transferred Dy such individuals TO the
United States.
cember, 17SS, with few inconsequential
changes of words, enacted precisely the same
provisions in effect.
"rhe citizens of both Maryland and Vir-
ginia were then enjoying the rights of local
franchise, and the language used by each
state may be construed as protecting and re-
serving their rights in that respect as well as
their rights of property.
In debate in the United States senate,
where tho late Senator Morton had moved an
amendment granting suffrage to district
commission bill in 1874, this coloquy oc-
CURED between Senator Edmunds, of YER
mont, and the mover of the amendment:
Mr.. Edmunds. May ask the senator ques-
uon, II do not interrupt him?
Mr. Morton. Certainly.
Mr.. Edmunds. 1 would like TO ask the senator,
in connection with what he is saying, whether
the language Of The constitution Of the United
states, IN his opinion, mas any other or different
meaning thnn that OF giving sovereignty to con-
acter exists in each OF the states in the gov
erning power theteY
Mr.. Morton, II Understand the question of the
distinguished senator. suppose 1t has not. sup
pose Ii means lust that.
Mr. Edmunds. That is what thiuk.
Mr.. Norton ] was going to comment on that
language little. The power Of congress is
''To exercise exclusive legislation iii ali cases
whatsoever over such district mot exceeding ten
square milesl as may by cession Of particular
states, and the acceptance of congress, become
the seat of government Of tho United States"
be entirely taken from the states which cede 1t;
that the states codng shall lose ali control over
IT. that 1t shall be exclusively iu congress. so far
rs the states cedlng this district nre concerned;
but IL never meant that all legislative power all
government should be directly exercised BY con-
etess. From the very first this city has had
government given 10 1t by congress with greater
or less powers, being charged from time to time.
II has never been understood in the sense now
contendei for. The exclusive power took II en-
trely from the control ofth states; they had no
more TO do with 1t; but congress might govern
this district Just rs IL governed q territory. II
might govern IT, by regents or commissioners or IL
might govern 1t by tho whole people. If congress
has authority 10 depnte this power to three men,
Il has power to depute it 10 all this people. Where
Is the difference in principle? II congress can
depute these powers to three commissioners or re.
gents. can depnte them to all people Of this dis.
trict, TO be exercised by them in Il mode pointed
out There Is no difference in principle. If the
power may be deputed mt all. II may ns we'll be
dsluted to the whole people Of the district an to
Tho provisions OF the constitution 10 regard to
tho government of the territories reads in this
"'rhe congress shall have power to dispose of
and make all needtul rules and regulations re-
spectlng the territory or other property belonging
This authority to "make all needful rules and
regulations gives TO congress complete aud abso-
lute power over the territories; and yet from the
first that power has been deputed TO The people OF
the territories. From the very first they have had
territorial government derived from All act of
congress, and II was never supposed that we were
violating the constitution when We deputod the
local seli-govcrnmenL OF the territories in their
domestic affairs TO the people themselves through
the form OF Il territorial legislature, congress OF
course always reserving the power to overruie the
action of that legislature. And so with regard to
the people OF this district; they are Americans;
they have the same natural rights with other peo-
pie of the United States. II there be any ad-
vantage III local selfgovemment, they are en-
titled to il Just as much as the people of Indiana
or any territory are entitled to 1t, and know not
upon what principle We can justify this de-
parture.
The REPUBLICAN has opened its columns
l see, to discussion by the people of this dis
trict of the question Of municipal govern
ment, believing, | suppose, that the press Is
the best channel for the ventilation and ex-
change of ideas, for comparison of opinions,
whereby verdict by the people and from the
people may be rendered. | am glad to see it
do so. am for suffrage qualified or unquali-
ned, II better government can thereby be
secured. | am opposed to it in any and all
shapes II dctrimcnt to the interests of this
people is to be the result.
But the right Of the people to choose their
own rulers, ono they enjoyed for over seventy
five years, ought not to be given away on any
shallow pretenso that it is not inherent by
reason of the exclusive jurisdiction " of con-
gress over the district Such jurisdiction has
no more scope than the coordinate power cx-
ercised by n state sovereignty own its muui-
cipalitics True, tho sovereign power can
deprive a community of the right of suffrage,
but the sovereign 10 equally powerful TO con-
fer upon 1t the same right in all the ampli-
tude which secures the freedom of the citizen
THE FACTS ABOUT THE DISTRICT DEBT AND
SUFFRAGE.
To The Edaor.
IT. is apparent that the Post has become
the organ Of the "bosses' of the district as
against the citizens who desire u voice in
their own government Yesterday il said in
effect that those of us who do not like the
present irresponsible and arbitrary form of
government can get up and dustin other
words, clear out, 1t is about the same as was
said by one of the old ring when they were
coniiscating the homes of poor laboring men
and mechanics aud piling up that twenty
million debt that the Post to-day says the
voters created. When eXpostulatcd with his
reply was, "D---n it, let them leave q poor
man has no business TO live in Washington,
anyhowW
So said the tories to thewhigs at the break
ing out of the revolution, "If you don't like
the way England runs the government in the
colonies clGa out you are not obliged to stay
here - or as Tweed expressed it, "What are
you going to do about it?' A more brutal
and unfeelng remark was never made by
any autocrat, and | am astonished that any
paper here should give utterance to such SEN
timents. Not content with that in its issue
of to-day il goes further and asserts that
popular suffrage entailed on the district the
debt Of S2O0J0,0O0,"
fOuler slandor was never uttered If the