Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-04-12

No RETRoCEssION.-Se Hoar.
from the Senate committee 90 judiciary
Yesterday evening presented an ad'
verse report on the bill directing inc
Attorney General to bring suit to de-
tsrmine the constitutionslity OF the re-
PROCESSION of that portion Of the origi-
nsl District of Columbia which was
ceded by the State Of Virginia. 10 bis
report Senator Hosr cites the fact that
the act OF retrocession was passed by
Congress In 1916, and that 1t was &C.
ceItsd by Virginia. These authorities
were. he says, entirely capable OF act
ing in the matter, as the question in-
volved is political and not judicial.
The consequences of the suggested
change would, it is stated, be very
serious. and the committee, from ell
points OF view, concludes that 1t would
not be expedient for Congress TO act In
the matter.
The retrocession question which for
MANY years has been brought to the
front periodically by some restless and
visionary people has thus received its
nuietus and the incident may now be
rec arded as closed-for the present at
least. The introduction OF the retire
oession bill 10 Congress last wipt9r
thought forth the usual discussion 10
this city, but the mattsr was soon for
gotten. While the discussion was on
some spoke about the matter with 40
air of seriousness and others treated the
whole subject ss q joke. The petltion
for annexation presented IN Ooh-
gress 10 1890 bore the sgustures
NJ some prominent business men and
excellent citizens, many having joined
the great majority since that year. II
nd the names OF democrats, reph0-
lioans. ex confederate end colored peo-
nle The GsZstte In its Washington
latter the day the petition was present
ed said: This remarkable petition was
presented by Mr.. Edmunds OF Vermont
one OF the most ultra aud proscTiptlve
republlcaus In the senate, the man VINO
said the statute prohibiting ex-Confed
crates from holding positions in the
Uoited States army should stand to
show which side was right" The press
of the State made comments. TIE
Alexandria correspondent OF Rich'
mond paper summed up the case as fol-
Laws: MANY OF the signers say they
were mistaken ss to the wording oil the
paper. Very few, other than some
land SPECTATORS and the like, desire tC
90 back to the District. There is squad
bling enough over district Appropriation
now W thout Alexandria coming In u
hear the brunt of it. This quiet ant
oongenisl old town gets along vel
enough by herself, and is always con
tentedly satisfied and conservative II
her every nature" Every word 0
which ia as true now as 1t was the da.
twas penned. The paper alluded to SAL
editorisly, commenting on this letter
1.-THE idea that taxes would be lower
and that Alexandria would OBTAIN gres
benefits for government appropriation
for public works and Improvement
seems to be at the bottom OF the move
mrpt. 10 ahort it seemed to be the prln
oiDal. or rather the policy OF the oil
dag and an appropriation, the otJec
being rather the appropriation than 10
FAC. It is evident enough that Cor
orsss vii, not even contemplate favor
able action upon the petition. Th
universal OPINION III JUN houeee
Congress Is that the District OF Celuu
h,s ia now large enough for all prac'
cal purposes, and that the Potoma
liver should be the boundry line b
tween virginia and the District"
Another Redmond paper In reierln
70 the petition said: at contains u
names of many we'll known men, OF
ths grass will grow over their graves
ali probability before AlexsndfiS oonl
ty Is again made 9 part OF the Dlstrl
Of Columbia Certainly there WI
some lit lie prophecy In that. Mar
gentlemen who signed the petition
1890 would not do so today. Msny
our stsuuchest citizens regret tnst u
matter was again reventilated, tor
wss generally believed that with u
exception Of the unfavorsble cor
ments which are always made concerl
log Alexsndriaus when such papers o.
presented In Congress, the effort woul
amount to nothing, and a few GENT
men 10 this city will understand IL
when they elect to take pinch Of snr
the whole community need not be .,
l.