Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-09
If We Ever Vote
1t Must Be Here
TO the Editor Of The Star:

II N1uol OC ll(1C
TO the Editor Of The Star:
The controversy over the right OF citi-
zens of the District OF Columbia to par
ticipate in the political affairs OF their
Government is almost as old as the
Union of the States itself. Several bills
providing various forms of suffrage
have been introduced recently, among
them being one sponsored by Senator
McCaran, on which hearings have not
yet been completed
In opening the hearings on his bills
last month, Senator McCarran made the
following statements:
It is my judgment ION a subject
which have never carried out to a
full study. will say that the people
who lived In the District of Columbia
at the time 1t was formed out of the
State of Maryland did not lose their
right OF suffrage in the State of
Maryland. It Is immature ex-
preston on my part; but there may
be much more to 1t than the mere
expression, that If the matter of the
right of suffrage of the people now in
the District of Columbia were tested
in the courts 1t is highly probable that
the courts would hold that those who
live In the District, in the Maryland
side Of the District, have q right of
suffrage in the State of Maryland.
They would thereby have the right to
vote for the Senators and Congress-
men of the State of Maryland, and
would have the right, having suffrage
in the State of Maryland, to vote
for the presidential electors for the
State of Maryland.
y
Senator McCarrans statements ad-
vance novel proposition.
When it was decided to set up a per-
manent seat of Government on the banks
OF the Potomac, the question arose as to
what territory should be included there
In. The newly formed Federal Govern
ment did not possess the land needed. To
meet the situation the General Assem-
bly, Of Maryland passed an act December
%, 17S8, ceding and authorizing and d.
recting its members in Congress to effect
the cession, on behalf Of the State, any
area In the State, not exceeding 10 miles
square, which the Congress might fix
upon and accept for the permanent seat
OF Government of the United States.
December 3, 1889, the State of Virginia
passed an act ceding to the Federal Gov
eminent an equal area south of the Po-
tomac. affixing certain conditions to the
grant.
The boundaries of the District re-
manned as originally fixed until 1s4e.
when the District area in Virginia was
retroceded to Virginia.
The political status that the new and
permanent seat Of Government was to
nave had been prescribed by Section 8.
Article I of the Constitution and it
would have been difficult to have con-
1erred upon Congress a broader grant
Of power.
Notwithstanding the constitutional
provision, nearly every President from
Washington's day down to the middle
OF the 10th century manifested their
interest In the well-being of the citizens
OF the District, and the privileges. which
as a matter of justice, should be accorded
them.
The proposition enunciated bv Sena-
tor McCarran to the effect that the peo-
pie domiciled in the District may legally
nave q right to vote In the State Of
Maryland, seems to be very far-fetched
In my opinion. District residents have
been accorded at various times at least
limited amount Of suffrage with re-
spect to their local affairs But aside
from the privilege Of limited suffrage.
the grant by the State of Maryland was
an absolute cession by which the area
coded was permanently severed from
that State.
From the very beginning 1t was ac-
knowledged that the District occupied
unique status. That status was the
subject OF comment by Madison in his
paper No. AZ Of the Federalist. Presi-
dent Tyler called 1t the "only anomaly
IN our system Of Government of the
legislative body being elected by others
than those for whose advantage they
are TO legislate," and President Bu-
chanan said that unlike the people of
the States, they can appeal to no gov
eminent except that of the Union"
To hold that the people domiciled in
the District still have right to vote
IN the State Of Maryland would be
tantamount to holding that the people
domiciled in that portion of Virginia
which became the State of Kentucky
would still have the right to choose to
vote in the State of Virginia II the laws
OF the latter State were more favorable
to them, or that the inhabitants of the
Louisiana Territory coded by France
or OF Florida coded by Spain, afterward
maintained their right to participate
IN the political affairs of the ceding
nations.
1t would be an anomaly indeed if citi-
zens OF the District could vote to help
elect q Governor Of Maryland who would
have no say in the administration of
that territory, or for a Congressman
whose duties 1t is, among others, to rep
resent the constituents of his district
Then, too, under the apportionment
provision the increase caused by the
voting OF District residents in Mary.
land would call for one or more addi-
tional Congressman. Whom would he
represent in Congress? United States
citizenship does not confer the right
to vote in State. That right is de-
pendent upon meeting certain qualifica-
lions. One OF those qualifications which
exists In every State is that of domi-
Gle. A person can vote only in the
State In which he is domiciled, and one