Evening star., 1921-11-04
0LD CITIES PASSED;
ASSERTS JOHNSON
Representative Quotes Law
Relating to Washington
and Georgetown.

The "City Of Washington" and the
"City of Georgetown" have no legal
existence, according to Representa-
tive Ben johnson, for eight years
chairman of the House District COM
mittee. and now a member of the
subcommittee on District appropria-
tions, who has made careful research
Of the records relative to the con-
troversy regarding the proper ad-
dresses to be used in referring to
this community.
Several articles in The Star re-
Gently. tending to show that this city
still has q legal existence as "the City
OF Washington" were discussed by
Representative Johnson. who observ-
ed. however, that the question is
mot extremely important"
Challenges Contention.
Representative johnson challenged.
in his interview, particularly the
contention OF one writer who very re-
Gently quoted from the act Of February
21, 1871. But the quotation onsist-
ed OF only part Of q sentence" said
Representative Johnson. Had he
quoted the whole sentence his argu-
ment would have been destroyed.
THE part OF the sentence quoted by
him reads as follows: That portion
OF said District included within the
present limits Of the city of Wash
ington shall continue to be known
portion Of said District included
within the limits Of the City Of
Georgetown shall continue to be
known as the city Of Georgetown
"The quotation commenced after q
semi-colon and ended with semi
n1aine0 huifh the NMrnoaea for which
these cities were to be continued to
be called Washington and Georgetown.
respectively. left undisclosed to the
reader OF the article, that purpose being
to empower the legislative assembly Of
the District Of Columbia. created by
the act Of February 81. 1871. to levy a
special tax upon property within each
OF these old jurisdictions to pay their
then existing indebtedness. instead Of
having their respective indebtedness
District Of Columbia-a greater part Of
which never was In the boundaries Of
the two cities.
Creation Of District,
so much Of the act as relates to the
question" was quoted by Representative
Johnson as follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House OF Representatives of the
United States of America, in CONGRESS
assembled. That all that part OF the
territory Of the United States includ-
ed within the limits of the District Of
Columbia be. and the same Is hereby,
created into government by the
name of the District OF Columbia. by
which name it Is hereby constituted
poses, and may contract and be con-
tracted with. sue and be sued. plead
and be impleaded. have a seal, and
exercise all other powers of a munich
pal corporation not inconsistent with
the Constitution and laws of the
this act That the charters
Of the cities Of Washington and
Georgetown shall be repealed on and
after the first day OF June, AID.
eighteen hundred and seventy-one,
and all offices of said corporations
OF the District Of Columbia and all
offices connected Herewith shall be
abolished on and after said first day
Of June. AID. eighteen hundred and
seventy-one: but all laws and ordi-
nances of said cities. respectively, and
Of said levy court: not inconsistent
with this act. shall remain in full
force until modified or repealed by
Congress or the legislative assembly
Of said District; that portion of said
District included within the present
limits Of the city Of Washington shall
continue to be known as the city of
Washington: and that portion Of said
District included within the limits of
the city of Georgetown shall continue
to be known as the city Of George
town: and the legislative assembly
shall have power to levy a special tax
upon property. except the property Of
the government Of the United States,
within the city Of Washington for
the payment Of the debts Of said city !:
and upon property, except the
property Of the government Of
the United States. within the limits Of
the city of Georgetown for the pay
ment Of the debts Of said city. and
upon property, except the property Of