Evening star., 1896-12-26
Some Reasons Why a Return to
Virginia Was Favored.
THE POPULAR VOTE

retroceding the portion Of the District south
Of the Potomac to Virginia had been test
ed. The Attorney General was also re-
quested to inform the Senate what legisla-
ton is needed to secure to the government
exclusive Jurisdiction over the whole or
part of the territory originally included in
the District Of Columbia.
When the District of Columbia was es-
ia blished under the Constitution of the
United States, Alexandria. following the
wish Of General Washington, was delighted
to become q portion of the seat of govern
ment; but this patriotic feeling was soon
modified by an act Of Congress which for
bade the erection Of any Of the public
buildings on the south side of the Potomac.
Nevertheless, the new status continued
popular for 1aany years, and all the efforts
to dissolve the District were made in Con-
gress, and not out of 1t.
AS early as February, 1903, Mr.. Bacon of
Massachusetts submitted in the House a
proposal to restore Alexandria to Virginia,
but the House Of Representatives. by a
vote Of 86 to 28, declared that Congress
itself Of the right of exclusive Jurisdiction
and retain its seat OF government" Every
few years thereafter retrocession was pro-
posed in Congress, but was always rejected,
no considerable number appearing in its
favor.
Sporadic suggestians for the return of
Alexandria to Virginia. had met no public
recognition until 1873 when the grand jury
OF the Alexandria court made a present
ment in favor of the retrocessfon of Alex
andria. to Virginia. This movement had it's
origin in a feeling which had been fostering
in the little town since the close of the war
with Great Britain In 1915, for 1t was be-
lieved that Congress had not punished the
surrender of Fort .Warburton, which led
to the capture of Alexandria, because Alex
andria- had been opposed to the war.
The Act Of ls4G.
Thenceforward, whenever Alexandrians
did not get from Congress the measure they
had hoped for, suggestions Of secession
to Virginia filled the air. but it was not
until about 1S4O. wbin Congress had re-
fused charters to the District banks, that
the leading business people of Alexandria
began with ardor to insist upon a separa-
ton from the District. All the usual de-
VICES to awaken feeling Of devotion to
Virginia and mistrust of Congress were
resorted to.
The movement toward Virginia soon be-
came popular and was in the end almost
unanimous. The whig banner Of 1910 bore
emblematic figures Of the chains Of Alex
ahdria dropping off at the touch of Vir-
gtnia, with the legend Our revolutionary
fathers intended us to be free. Sons Of
Virginia, Will you see US sIaves?' The re-
suit Of several years agitation was that
while Alexandra city became unanimous
for retrocession, Alexandra county was al
most as strongly opposed to 1t.
In 1916 the legislature of Virginia ex-
pressed Willingness to receive back Alex
andria into the commonwealth. Thereupon
scores of petitions poured in upon Congress
on the subject pro and con. Among the
most potent advocates Of retrocession in
the local forum of Alexandria was Henry
Winter Davis. then just come to the Alex
andria bar. Congress passed in 1s4a and
President Polk approved on July of that
year an act retroceeding Alexandria city
and county to Virginia, but making the
force of the act depend upon the voters
Of that section.
Submitted to Vote.
The. act provided that IF majority of
the votes given shall be cast against ac-
cepting the provisions of this act, then it
| shall be void and of no effect, but IL a ma
jority Of the votes should be in favor of
| accepting the provisions of this act, then
this act shall be in fun force" Upon this
question the polls were kept open in Alex
| andria for three days of September, and
| 763 votes We're cast in favor of retroces-
sion and 222 in opposition. Thus was the
act consummated and Virginia extended
its jurisdiction over Alexandria.
In point OF fact. the Virginia and the
constituted one community. While. the
Maryland law prevailed in Washington,
| the Virginia law prevailed in Alexandria
AClS u SOHSTeSS, OF course, COntTOll6U OOIl,
| but these acts were few in number, and
different laws and different precedents
were In force In the two Jurisdictions. The
courts OF the county Of Washington and
| the courts Of the county of Alexandria were
| held by the same judges, but in different
places and under entire different circum-
stances. II
| One grievance which much incensed Alex
andria was that no judge resided In Alex
| andria, and that In cases Of habeas corpus,
| ETC.. 1t was necessary to seek justice in
! Washington. At last, a new justice having
been appointed iii was provided that he
should reside IN Aiexandria, which he did
| for a short Hme, and then removed to the
other side of the river. This was the straw
the great vote h, favor of the return to
Virginia,
| Appealed to the Supreme Court.
| Each Of the voting days was closed with
torchlight processions,. cannon firing and
| rejoicings. A novel feature was that the
people marched to the boundary line be-
tween Virginia and the District.~ spit upon
| 1t, and rubbed thears feet over it, as IL to
obliterate 1t forever This was done three
times So Alexandria got back to Virginia,
put IS months nsSsne years sa speed pee Of
began to make Washington and Alexandria
more like one community than in times
| when they constiNteds one political body.
The county people had always opposed
retrocession and denied it's validity. and.
| after much talking ON the subject they
carried the question sof the legality OF the
1 transfer to the Supreme Court of the
United States.
In 1874 R. "A Phillips. a well-known Alex
andria county farmer, denied the right of
Sheriff Charles w, Payne to collect taxes
on his land. He alleged that the act OF
| retrocession was unconstitutional. and that
Congress- could not delegate its power and
make one of Its own acts depend for its
| operation on the voters OF Alexandria. The
| question was SrHnie4 by the estOrney gem
| eral ofiVirgif4a on one side and Judge
Westsl Wnloukhby Dn TIE :gtfsr
peraons could n4ise The question which Mr..
Phillips had brought before that tribunal.
It was question Of sovereiknty; which
could be raised only ~ the United States
or by the state q uirsinia. % that the