Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-16
PLEA AT WHITE HOUSE
MADE BY HANNIS TAYLOR
Cites Argument Advanced When
Land Was Returned to Virginia.
QUOTES THE CONSTITUTION
Urges That Steps Be Taken to Re-
store to the Nation This Price
less Heritage as Washing
ton Designed tt

President Taft today promised in
fuential delegation of citizens that he
would give most careful consideration
to a request. presented by them. that
he order the Attorney General to bring
suit in the Supreme Court of the United
States TO test the constitutionality of the
act by which Congress retroceded to
Virginia the part of the original District
of Columbia now lying across the Po-
tomac river. in Alexandria county. Va.
The delegation was greatly impressed
with the close attention given by the
President to the presentation of the case
by Hannis Taylor, representing 1,1O
citizens living in that section. who pc
titioned the President to issue the nee
essary order TO the Attorney General.
The committee is hopeful that its visit
will prove successful, and that the long
discussed question of retrocession Will be
settled by the Supreme Court.
President Taft has had the whole SUBJ
ject under consideration number of
times during his administration. He has
often talked with Senators Martin and
Swanson and with Representative Carlin
of Virginia. but has deferred action from
time to time The residents of the terri
tory affected by the request have recently
pressed Hannis Taylor to do something
for their relief. Mr.. Taylor went to the
White House today. accompanied by DIR.
Taber johnson, John Joy Edison. DR.. P.
NJ. RiXey Judge \. B. Grunnwell and j.
Benjamin Mattingly.
Plea by Hannis Taylor.
In a brief speech Mr.. Taylor laid the
matter before the President He said:
This committee has been directed to
present to you this petition, signed by
more than 1.lUO residents and property
owners within the limits of the so-called
county of Alexandria, outside the city
of Alexandria, These petitioners believe
that the act of retrocesslon OF io4o'
which has deprived them, against their
wills. of the special dement's bestoweo Wy
the government of the District OF GO,
iumbia. is unconstitutional and void .And
yet the Supreme Court of the Cnitea
States has held that as nat1onaI cIti-
zens they have no right Whatever even
as taxpayers. to present TO the court
the unconstitutionality of that law.
"Tat court has held that the vaho-
fly of the act in question can oniI pe
tested in an original suit brought Dy Tue
United States against the state or VIZ
einia The bringing of that suit can
only be ordered by the President OF the
United States, whose duty IL Is 10 see
, that the laws of the United states are
faithfully executed through the entire
have defined il.
The Four-Party Contract.
"The cotemporaneous evidence puts the
fact beyond all question that the final
definition of district ten miles square as
the seat of our federal government was,
in special sense, the work of President
Washington, whose task involved the ac-
quisition of the title TO the area from
three sources-the state of Virginia, the
state of Maryland and the nineteen local
proprietors who owned their part OF the
heart of the city which underlies the
Capitol. the White House and the Treas
ury.
The real and only consideration NOV
ing To such grantors was the incidental
benefits To accrue to them from their
the act of July 16. 1,!D is hereby ac-
eepted for the permanent seat of the
government of the United States After
that quadrilateral contract had thus been
executed upon such consideration the
entire District, ten miles square, was for
nfty-six years governed by the laws and
Constitution of the United States. Then
two of the four parties to the Quadri-
lateral contract, without the consent Of
the other two, dismembered. by means
of the so-called retrocession act of 1876
the District as Washington had desig-
ed IL In that way nearly one-half of
|
the Jurisdiction of Virginia. which with
out the payment of any consideration
has since governed il under de factb
regime.
Quotes the Constitution.
These petitioners have requested me
10 study the matter and to advise them
as Ia the cons.itutionalty of the act in
question. After mature consideration
advised them that. in my humble judg
nent. IL Is null and void. because fla
grantly in conflict. first. with that part Of
section :. article l. which provides that
Congress shall have power Ito exercise
exclusive legislation in all cases what
ever over such district mot exceeding ten
miles squaTeb. by ceSsiOn of particu-
lar states and the acceptance of Con-
GreSs becomes the seat OF the govern
nent Of the United States; second. with
hat part of section IL. article |. which
provides that No state shall pass any
oQ of attainder, eX post facto law, or
law impairing the obligation of contract
I'm arriving at the conclusion thus
stated | was comforted and sustained by
The fact that two very eminent jurists
had travelled ALREADY over the same pa tn
and had reached the same result In
1915 Senator Hayward of North Caro-
Ina was chairman OF the Senate commit
tee of the District of Columbia and as
such he reported the bill in question with
he recommendation that il be rejected
and i'm the debate that followed he de-
nounced the act unconstitutional From
| he record We learn that Mr.. Hayward
L opposed the bill and in eloquent man.
! ner contended for the sacred immunity Of
The Constitution and the wise arrange
ments of the sages of the revolution
| Thirteen other senators joined Senator
| Hayward In his opposition. and In that
way the bill passed by a vote of 81 to H.
Ask Only That Suit Be Filed.
And yet. Mr.. President. comforted as
was by the demonstration, i say demon
stration of unconstitutionality made b,
Senator Hayward. 1 was more comfortet
still by your own golden words, spoken a
a public banquet early in your admins
tration, clearly indicating that your owr
mind had Travelled in the same direction
fssIt these petitioners do not desire to tn X,
advantage in any way of those expires
X ions upon your part. They ask you t