6'l2 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



superior healthiness of Washing- 

 ton to tliose cities. In European 

 cities, tiie annual dcatlis are, one 

 to 28, making a vast difference in 

 favour of Washington. 



Population. — The population 

 of the district of Columbia, at 

 the last census (1810,) amounted 

 to 24,023 — now, in all pi'obabi- 

 lity, 30,000. The city contained 

 8,208, Georgetown 4,948, and 

 Alexandria 7,227 ; ^Vashington 

 county 2,31.'), and Alexandria 

 county 1,325 inhabitants. 



Commerce. — Its commercial 

 importance has, perhaps, never 

 been duly appreciated. From its 

 central situation, surrounded by 

 a rich, fertile, and flourishing 

 country, commanding the most 

 extensive internal resources, it 

 must soon become one of the 

 richest commercial territories in 

 the United States. In 1813, it 

 exported, in dimiestic productions 

 and manufactures, to the amount 

 of 1,387,(X)0 dollars; thus sui- 

 passing in exports alone, both 

 Connecticut and Vermont ; and 

 in 1803 it paid in duties on im- 

 ports 143,000 dollars. Its lising 

 ])rosperity is marked and percep- 

 tible ; and though it has been op- 

 posed by all the violence of pre- 

 judice, and all the obstacles of 

 conflicting interests, it has risen 

 with great rapidity, and promises 

 to be of vast political and com- 

 mercial importiuice to the United 

 States. Its natural advantages 

 are calculated to promote that ob- 

 ject : Situated on the great post- 

 road from the northern to the 

 southern extremities of the Uni- 

 ted States, andalmost equi-distant 

 from the Atlantic on the one side 

 and the Ohio on the other, whicli 

 yield it every facility of naviga- 



tion, and open to it all the trade 

 of the west, it is impossible that 

 it can avoid becoming the most 

 wealthy and eligible territory in 

 the Union. 



Manui'actukes." Its manufac- 

 tures are in a flounshing condi- 

 tion, and are daily increasing in 

 variety and capital. 



Constitution and Laws. — 

 By the constitution of the United 

 States the national legislature have 

 the power to exercise exclusive le- 

 gislation over this territcn-y, and 

 to enact such laws in relation to 

 it, as may be deemed necessary 

 and proper. Whether Govern- 

 ment could assume this right, 

 consistently with the nature and 

 principles of our political institu- 

 tions, and thus exclude a large 

 population from the privileges of 

 freemen, we shall not now pause 

 to examine. It is, however, cer- 

 txiin, we are for many years des- 

 tined to be deprived of the right 

 of suffrage ; a privilege so much 

 and so highly prized by our coun- 

 trymen. 



The laws of Virginia and Mary- 

 land, prior to the year 1800, are 

 still in force in the district, ex- 

 cepting such as have been repeal- 

 ed or modified by the national le- 

 gislature, who have exclusive ju- 

 risdiction over it. Congress 

 have, however, lately passed a 

 law authorizing the Judges of the 

 Circuit Court, in conjunction 

 with the Attorney General of the 

 United Stiites, to form a code of 

 laws for its government, which 

 we trust will obviate all those 

 difliculties hitherto experienced 

 from the various and conflicting 

 statutes of the adjacent States, 

 and from the inconvenient organ- 

 ization of the District Courts. 



Washingtok 



