The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-04
THE OLD DISTRICT LINES.
History of the Change In the south
cru boundaries

The retrocession Of portion OF the Dis
triet of Columbia in 1916 was said by some
of its opponents to be the entering wedge
Of the dissolution of the Union. which was
attempted thirteen years later. and it is
notable that the first OF that wars TRACE
dies in this vicinity. the death OF ELS
worth and Jackson. probably never would
have occurred IL the Virginia side of the
District of Columbia had been retained
ton of Memorial Bridge seems to be
blended with the return of portion Of
the seeded territory, sketch of the for
nation and dissolution OF the District of
Columbia is timely.
The District of Columbia was created
by George Washington. Its location had
been the result of log-rolling. but its
shape and character was his own design.
and he was the agent OF the United States
to carry it into effect.
1t is an especially notable fact that the
first District of Columbia as designed by
Washington included Georgetown and the
site of the city of Washington, and that
part OF Virginia which il is now proposed
to restore: but left out all south of the
Eastern Branch and also the town OF Alex
andria and its immediate vicinity.
Four lines OF experiment. the southern
most some distance south Of the present
lines, having been set out, so that under no
circumstances could the territory exceed
ten miles square, President Washington
in a proclamation from Philadelphia on
the oath of January, 1871, said:
And the said four lines Of experiment being so
run, I do hereby declare and make known, that
all that part within the said four lines OF ex-
pertinent which shall be within the State of Mary
land, and above the Eastern Branch and all that
part within the four lines OF experiment
which shall be within the Commonwealth Of Viz
ginia, and above a line TO be from the point
of land forming the upper capes OF the mouth OF
the Eastern Branch due southwest and no more,
is now fixed upon and directed to be surveyed,
defined, limited, and located for a part Of the
said district accepted by the said act OF Congress
for the permanent seat OF Government OF the
United States.
A short time afterward another procla-
nation was made by General Washington,
which, instead of starting the District OF
Columbia at an imaginary point. fixed its
beginning "at Jones' Point, being an upper
cape Of Hunting Creek. in Virginia" and
then established the lines OF the District
OF Columbia as they existed until 1916,
when Congress and the Legislature of
Virginia enacted that the Virginia portion
of the District of Columbia should be re-
troceded to that Commonwealth, IL ma
jority of the voters OF Alexandria city and
county should approve. In September
1916, the vote was taken, the polls in the
county being established at Balls Cross
Roads, now Ballston, and the polls in
the city at the courthouse on Columbus
Street. The inhabitants of Alexandria
county were. with few exceptions. OPP
posed to the retroeession. while the vo-
tiers of the city OF Alexandria were gen.
orally in its favor.
The polls were kept open for two lays
and the party in favor of retrocession vas
extremely active. The banks led the
movement because Congress had refused
them charters and they expected to be
incorporated with the Virginia banks,
which was afterward done. At the close
of the two days. the vote stood For re-
procession. 763; against. 800. 1t took only
a short time to effect the severance of AL
exandria from the District and its incor-
poration into the Commonwealth of Vilr-
ginia. The detailed vote was: County of
Alexandria. for retrocession 90; against
dria. for retrocession. 734: against, 116;
majority for retrocession. SIS.
On the 9TH OF September 1876. President
James X. Polk issued a proclamation. in
which. after stating the result of the two
days vote. he says:
Now therefore, I do hereby make proclamation
Of the result Of poll. and do call on all and
several the persons to whom IL may concern to
take notice that the act is in hull force and effect
Now, therefore, / do hereby make proc
lamation OF the result of a poll. and do
call on all and severally the persons to
whom It may concern to take notice that
the act is in full force and effect
1t was at once assumed that Alexandria
city and county had become part OF the
State of Virginia. but no provision for ex-
the laws of that Commonwealth
to the retroceded territory was made until
the session OF the Legislature OF Virginia,
which began on the following December
To that General Assembly. number OF
citizens OF Alexandria county protested that
the act of retrocession was unconstitutional
and void. and delegation of citizens OF the
District of Columbia made like protest.
up resolutions which had passed
the city council of Washington.
No further contest over the right of
Virginia to control Alexandria was made
for over twenty-five years. At the conclu-
sion OF the civil war some suggestion was
made that the Virginia side Of the District
could be reclaimed but nothing was done
A few years ago, however, Mr.. Phillips, a
native of Alexandria county. refused TO
pay taxes to Sheriff Payne. on the ground
that the State of Virginia had no right
10 levy taxes in Alexandria county. An in
junction was applied for in the Supreme
Court of the District OF Columbia. and the
Ease of Phillips VS.. Payne went upon its
the late Westel Willoughby being
the counsel for Mr.. Phillips. The SUI
Dreme Court of the District gave a decision
pro forma against Nr. Phillips. and an ap-.
peal was taken to the Supreme Court OF
The United States. There Judge Willough-
by made the contention that the act of re-
recession was unconstitutional and that 1t |
vas also invalid. because Congress had |
made its operation dependent upon a vote /
If the freeholders of Alexandria. town and 4
county The State of Virginia by its at
orney general. appeared and Insisted that 4
he question at issue was one which could |
,e raised by no private citizen, but that the |
plaintiff in the case must be either State |
,r the United States. The Supreme Court /
sustained this contention, and the case OF /
Philips VS.. Payne was dismissed.
The present proposal is, that. in order to
lfford proper approaches to the proposed
Memorial Bridge. that section of Alexan-
lria county north of Four Mile Run,
which, in fact. corresponds with the por-
ion of Virginia selected in the first proc
amation OF President Washington, shall 4
re given over for the District OF Columbia.
IN this way the District would have a
boundary about the same as
{ had in the early part of the year 1871.
AZ first it WIS believed that ninety-nine
-oters and Iandholders out of one hundred
IL that portion of Alexandria county Iro-
losed to be coded. were in favor OF the