Evening star., 1946-09-08
.HE retrocession of Alexandria
County, District of Colum-
bia, to Virginia, territory
= nrhich includes TO-DAY all of

WHICH lIlCluuSS GOudy dii VI
Arlington County, the greater part
of the present independent city OF
Alexandria and Falls Church, 100
years ago yesterday. is an epochai
event in connection with the life of
the Nations Capital.
The act of Congress- providing for
a site for establishing the tempo
rary and permanent seat of the
Government of the United States"
which was not to exceed 10 miles
square, to be located on the River
Potomac, some place between the
mouths of the Eastern Branch and
the Connogocheague," was approved
July 16, 1890 But this, of course,
did not include any part of Virginia,
which, it would seem, was contrary
to President Washington's desire.
And so, on January "a, 1871, we find
the President writing to Congress:
Gentlemen: In execution of the
powers with which Congress were
pleased to invest me by their act
entitled, An act for establishing
the temporary and permanent seat
of the Government of the United
States I have not by this
first act given to the said territory
the whole extent of which it is
susceptible in the direction Of the
river; because I thought it impor-
tant that Congress should have an
opportunity of considering whether
by an amendatory law they would
authorize the location of the residue
at the lower end of the present To-
cation so as to comprehend the
Eastern Branch itself and some of
the country on its lower side in the
State of Maryland, and the town of
Alexandria in Virginia; if, however,
they should think that the Federal
territory should be bounded by the
water edge of the Eastern Branch,
the location of the residue will be
made at the upper end Of what Is
now directed. 4" ="
The result of the Presidents
request was the passage by Con-
gress of an amendatory act, ap-
proved March 3, 1871, repeating SO
much of the original Residence Act
"as requires that the whole Of the
district or territory, not exceeding
10 miles square shall be located
above the mouth of the Eastern
Branch" and making it lawful "for
the President to make any part of
the territory below the said limit,
and above the mouth of Hunting
Greek, a part of the said district, SO
rs to include a convenient part of
the Eastern Branch, and of the
lands on the lower side thereof,
and also the town of Alexandria"
Virginia Passes Act
Cedins Territory
The Amendatory Act of March
;, 1871, paved the way for the in
clusion of what was then Alexandria.
and what is now Arlington County.
Virginia, anxious to have the Cap
ital located within its own boun-
diaries, and in anticipation of this,
had already, by its General Assem-
bly,, passed the act of December 3,
1889, for the cession Of 10 miles
square or any lesser quantity of
territory for the permanent seat of
the General Government, and an
earlier and more liberal tender was
made June %, 1888.
Naturally, President Washington
was desirous to have Alexandria
made a part of the new Capital City,
to which he was more than a neigh
Dor or visitor, and in many respects
he was actually a fellow-townsman.
So closely was he tied up with
the place that his recollections could
well have included the village of
Belhaven, founded some time be-
tween 1892 and 1746, and which
superseded the earlier settlement
Of Hunting Greek Warehouse.
The first Presidents personal
contact with Alexandria began at an
early date, when he made frequent
horseback trips to this busy settle
ment, then one of the principal
tobacco ports in the Colonies.
Washinston's Ties