Chapter XXXV. *to retrocede the County of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia.* July 9, 1846
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Chap. XXXV.— An Act *to retrocede the County of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia.* July 9, 1846. Whereas, no more territory ought to be held under the exclusivePreamble. legislation given to Congress over the District which is the seat of the General Government than may be necessary and proper for the purposes of such a seat; and whereas, experience hath shown that the portion of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia has not been, nor is ever likely to be, necessary for that purpose; and whereas, the State of Virginia, by an act passed on the third day of February, eighteen hundred and forty-six, entitled “An act accepting by the State of Virginia the County of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, when the same shall be receded by the Congress of the United States,” hath signified her willingness to take back the said territory ceded as aforesaid:
Therefore— *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, *Alexandria county retroceded to Virginia. That, with the assent 36of the people of the county and town of Alexandria, to be ascertained as hereinafter prescribed, all of that portion of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia, and all the rights and jurisdiction therewith ceded over the same, be, and the same are hereby, ceded and forever relinquished to the State of Virginia, in full and absolute right and jurisdiction, as well of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon.
Sec. 2. This act not to be construed so as to vest in Virginia any right of property in the custom-house & post office, &c. *And be it further enacted,* That nothing herein contained shall be construed to vest in the State of Virginia any right of property in the custom-house and post-office of the United States within the town of Alexandria, or in the soil of the territory hereby receded, so as to affect the rights of individuals or corporations therein, other-wise than as the same shall or may be transferred by such individuals or corporations to the State of Virginia.
Sec. 3. Existing laws and jurisdiction to continue until Virginia shall provide by law tor the extension of her jurisdiction, &c. *And be it further enacted,* That the jurisdiction and laws now existing in the said territory, ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia, as aforesaid, over the persons and property of individuals therein residing, shall not cease or determine until the State of Virginia shall hereafter provide, by law, for the extension of her jurisdiction and judicial system over the said territory hereby receded.
Sec. 4. Assent of the people of Alexandria town and county required. *And be it further enacted,* That this act shall not be in force until after the assent of the people of the county and town of Alexandria shall be given to it in the mode hereinafter provided. Immediately after the close of the present session of Congress, the President of the Manner of ascertaining the sense of the people of said town and county.United States shall appoint five commissioners, (any three of whom may act,) citizens of the said town or county of Alexandria, and freeholders within the same, who shall be sworn, before some justice of the peace in and for the said town or county, to discharge the duties hereby imposed upon them faithfully, impartially, and to the best of their ability.
These commissioners, or any of them, shall proceed, within ten days after they are notified of their appointment, to fix upon the time, place, and manner, of taking the vote within the town or county of Alexandria, and shall give notice of the same by advertisement in the newspapers of the said town. And on the day and at the place so appointed, every free white male citizen of the United States, who shall have resided in said county of Alexandria for six months preceding the time when he offers his vote, insane persons and paupers excepted, shall vote *viva voce* upon the question of accepting or rejecting the provisions of this act.
The said commissioners shall preside when this vote is taken, and decide all questions arising in relation to the right of voting under this act Within three days after this vote is taken as aforesaid, the said commissioners shall make out three statements of the result of this poll, upon oath, and under their seals. Of these, one shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, one to the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and one shall be deposited in the clerk’s office of the county court of Alexandria.
If a majority of the votes so given shall be cast against accepting the provisions of this act, then it shall be void and of no effect; but if a majority of the said votes should be in favor of accepting the provisions of this act, then this Proclamation to be made.Post, Appendix.act shall be in full force, and it shall be the duty of the President of the United States to inform the Governor of Virginia that this act is in full force and effect, and to make proclamation of the fact.
Sec. 5. Right of property in the court-house and jail to be conveyed to the Governor of Virginia for use of said town and county. *And be it further enacted,* That, in such case, the right of property in the half square in Alexandria on which stands the court-house, bounded by Columbus, Queen, and Princess Streets, and the half square on which stands the jail, bounded by Princess, St. Asaph, and Pitt Streets, shall be conveyed to the Governor of Virginia, and his successors, for the use of the county and corporation of Alexan-TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Ch. 36, 37. 1846.37dria forever; and the Solicitor of the Treasury of the United States is hereby authorized and required, in the name and on tire behalf of the United States, to make all the proper and necessary conveyances for that purpose. Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted,* That Congress will in no eventThe debt of the corporation of Alexandria not to be assumed by Congress. assume and pay the debt, or any part thereof, now due by the corporation of the city of Alexandria.
Approved, July 9, 1846.