Evening star., 1941-08-04
gress at the seat OF Government.
The use of this language is by no
means mere accident.

PTlOI 10 Ifle CTedJlOll VI iIle D1S-
trict of Columbia, no less than eight
cities, in four States, were capitals
of the United States; namely, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, York.
Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton and
New York. In no instance did the
Federal Government enjoy an un-
contested superiority at the seat
of Government. On* the contrary,
in each instance the Federal Gov
eminent was subjected to the whim
and caprice of local administrators.
Indeed, in 1888 Pennsylvania troops,
stationed at Lancaster, marched on
Philadelphia to threaten and
frighten Congress into passing in
creased Army pay legislation. fore
ing the Congress to flee to Princeton
for safety. This fragrant insult to
the national dignity was not forgot
ten by those who drafted the Con-
stitution.
when it is recalled that one of
the outstanding weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation was the
lack of exclusive Federal jurisdic-
ton at the seat of Government, and
that attempts to establish perma-
nent seat of government in the
States of New York and Pennsyl-
vania. after the adoption of the
Constitution, were unsuccessful be-
cause of the conflict of authority
between State and Nation, super
imposed on background of local
political intrigue, it will be seen that
the constitutional provision for ex-
elusive Federal jurisdiction over a
separate district was based upon
a bitter experience. Because of the
constant threat of political strife
and turmoil at the seat of Govern
ment, the District of Columbia was
carved out to be and to remain
neutral entity.
BY act of July Is, 1870 a. Stat.
L. 1907 Congress provided for dis
trict not exceeding 10 miles square
to be located on the Potomac Vir-
ginia had provided on December 3,
1889, for the cession of such pOr-
ton of the District as might be To-
Gated in that State. On January
"a, 1871, President Washington is
sued proclamation designating the
boundaries of the District. Mary
land provided for the cession of the
portion of the District in that State
by an act of December 10, 1871.
Had Two Municipalities.
The District was thus made up of
two municipalities, Georgetown and
Alexandria-and . Washington and
Alexandria Counties In 1912 q
Stat. L. 1851 the inhabitants of
Washington County were incorpo-
rated into the City of Washington,
headed by Mayor and a Council.
The Mayor of Washington was at
first appointed by the President, but
by the charter of May Is. 1920 g
Stat. L. 583), it was provided that
he should be elected.
I'm 1846 the Virginia portion of the
District was retroceded to Virginia
and the District was reduced to its
present limits.
Under the act of August 6. 1861
az Sat L. 320l, the municipalities
of Georgetown and Washington and
the County of Washington were
unified to limited extent by the
creation of the Metropolitan Police
District of the District of Columbia.
From 1902 to 1871 the cities of
Washington and Georgetown were
administered by mayor council
type of city government. From 1920
to 1871 these Offices were elective,
each municipality choosing its own
Mayor and members of Council with
full autonomy.
Territorial Government Set Up.
1.-The year 1871 brought a major
change when Congress set up a
municipal government for the Dis
trict,. patterned after that in the
territories. Washington and George
town charters were repealed and
the executive power was vested in
a Governor, appointed by the Presi-
dent by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. The legis-
lative power was vested in an
assembly consisting of a council of
II members appointed by the Presi-
dent, and House of Delegates of
% members elected by popular vote.
Under the so-called territorial
government the tax burden was
greatly increased, resulting in a
series of special assessments. So
much antagonism developed over
the expanded debt that Congress
was forced to make detailed inves-
tigation into the matter, eliminating
in the act of June 20, 1874 18
Stat. L. 116). which repealed all
provisions of the territorial govern
ment so-called. That act further
authorized the President to appoint
a commission of three persons to
administer the affairs of the Dis
trict, generally called the temporary
government. -Four years later the
act of June II, 1878 40 Stat. l.. 1922,
established the present Board OF
Commissioners of three members,
one to be an officer OF the Engineer
Corps of the Army. Changes have
of course been made from time TO
time. but the present government
is essentially that established In
1878.
The Issues.
Senate Joint Resolution 35 raises
two issues, namely; (a) National
representation for the District, and
(b) autonomy for the District.
After extensive hearings, your
committee unanimously concluded
that national representation for the
District is both unwise and unSound.
1t would be contrary to the best in
terests of the United States, as well
as detrimental to the citizens of the
District. That there should be no
conflict of authority between Nation
and State at the seat of Govern
ment is admitted, manifest and i'm
perative. Although the pending
resolution is in no sense self-ex-
ecuting in this regard (merely au-
thorizing the Congress to provide
national representation for the Dis