Fayette James B. Westick, Francis Tyree, Charles Hugart, George P. Huddleston, Clement Vaughn, George Alderson, Clarkson Prince, Alfred Beckley, John Hill, James B. Muncy, Miles Manser, Henry Hull, Thomas B. Hamilton. A. Stockton, H. Hill, Thomas A. Lewis. On motion, the convention took a recess until 7 o'clock in the evening. EVENING SESSION. The convention was called to order at 7 o'clock. The following resolutions were adopted. Resolved, That the thanks of this convention be tendered to the president and secretaries for the faithful manner in which they have discharged their duties; also, to the citizens of Weston, for their hospitality, and to the trustees of the Methodist church, for the use of their house. In obedience to the act of congress, entitled "An act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," approved the 9th day of July 1846, the undersigned, the commissioners appointed under the said act to take the votes of the persons qualified by it to vote upon the question of accepting or rejecting its provisions, herewith transmit a statement of the result of the poll held by them in pursuance of the said act. We have the honour to be, At a meeting of the commissioners appointed to take the votes of the people of the county of Alexandria, as directed by the act, entitled "An act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," approved the 9th day of July 1846, it was Resolved, That George H. Smoot, Esq. do lay before the governor of Virginia a statement of the poll held in pursuance of the said act. GEO. W. P. CUSTIS, To WILLIAM SMITH, Esq. SIR, Governor of Virginia. WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 7, 1846. Agreeably to the provisions of the act of congress, approved July 9th, 1846, entitled "An act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," the duty devolves upon me to inform you that after the close of the late session of the congress of the United States, on the 17th day of August 1846, I duly appointed Robert Brockett, George W. P. Custis, G. W. D. Ramsay, James Roach and George H. Smoot, citizens of the town or county of Alexandria, and freeholders within the same as commissioners, who, being duly sworn to perform the duties imposed on them, as prescribed therein, did proceed within ten days after they were notified of their appointment, to fix upon the time, place and manner of taking the vote within the town of Alexandria, and gave due notice of the same; that on the first and second days of September instant, in conformity with the said notice, the said commissioners presiding, and deciding all questions arising in relation to the right of voting under the said act, the votes of the citizens qualified to vote were taken viva voce, and recorded in poll books duly kept; that on the 3d day of September instant, after the said polls were closed, the said commissioners transmitted to me a statement of the polls so held, upon oath and under their seals; and that a majority of the votes so given were cast in favour of accepting the provisions of the said act. The said act of congress is therefore in full force and effect, and I have, as president of the United States, made due proclamation of the fact. Nothing remains to effectuate the retrocession of the county of Alexandria to the state of Virginia, and to supersede the jurisdiction and laws, now existing in the said territory, but for the state of Virginia to provide by law for the extension of her jurisdiction and judicial system over the same. As a perpetual testimony of this important and interesting transaction, I transmit here with copies authenticated under the seal of the department of state, of the act of congress of July 9th, 1846, of my appointment of the five citizens and freeholders as commissioners, of their statement of the polls and communication thereof to me, and of my proclamation issued this day. These documents will furnish to the state of Virginia a complete record of the several acts required, and essential to the retrocession of the county and town of Alexandria to the commonwealth of Virginia. I have the honour to be, sir, Your excellency's ob't servant, JAMES K. POLK. LIST OF ACCOMPANYING PAPERS. 1. Authenticated copy of act of congress of July 9, 1846. 2. Authenticated copy of commission from the president of the United States to Robert Brockett and others. 3. Authenticated copy of oaths of office of said commissioners. 4. Authenticated copy of public notice given by said commissioners in two newspapers published in Alexandria. 5. Authenticated copy of letter to the president of the United States from Robert Brockett and others, transmitting the result of the poll held by them. 6. Authenticated copy of a resolution of said commissioners. 7. Authenticated copy of the result of the poll aforesaid, and other proceedings held by the said commissioners, as transmitted by them to the president of the United States by Robert Brockett, one of their number. 8. Authenticated copy of president's proclamation. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: I certify that the document hereunto attached is a true and complete copy of "an act to retrocede the county of Alexandria in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," carefully collated with the original roll, on file in this office. In testimony whereof, I, Nicholas P. Trist, acting secretary of state of the United States, have hereunto subscribed my name, and caused the seal of the department of state to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this seventh day of September, A. D. 1846, and of the independence of the United States of America the seventy-first. [Seal.] N. P. TRIST. An Act to retrocede the County of Alexandria in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia. Whereas, no more territory ought to be held under the exclusive 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 shewn that the portion of the District 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 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, That, with the assent of the people of the county and town of Alexandria, to be ascertained as hereinafter prescribed, all that portion of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by the state of Virginia, and all the rights and jurisdiction there with 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. 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 postoffice 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, otherwise than as the same shall or may be transferred by such individuals or corporations to the state of Virginia. SEC. 3. 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. 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 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 favour of accepting the provisions of this act, then this 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. And be it further enacted, That in such case the right of property in the half square in Alexandria on which stands the courthouse, 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 Alexandria forever; and the solicitor of the treasury of the United States is hereby authorized and required, in the name and on 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 event, assume and pay the debt, or any part thereof, now due by the corporation of the City of Alexandria. JOHN W. DAVIS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. President of the Senate. Approved July 9th, 1846. JAMES K. POLK. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : DEPARTMENT OF STATE. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: I certify that the annexed is a true copy of the record, in the department of state, of a commission granted to the persons therein named, on the 17th day of August 1846. In testimony whereof, I, Nicholas P. Trist, acting secretary of state of the United States, have here [Seal.] unto subscribed my name, and caused the seal of the department of state to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this seventh day of September, A. D. 1846, and of the independence of the United States of America the seventy-first. N. P. TRIST. JAMES K. POLK, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: To all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know ye, that reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity and ability of Robert Brockett, George W. P. Custis, George H. Smoot, George W. D. Ramsay and James Roach, citizens of the town or county of Alexandria and freeholders within the same, I do appoint them to be commissioners, (any three of whom may act,) under an act of the congress of the said United States, approved the 9th day of July 1846, entitled “an act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," and do authorize and empower them to execute and fulfil the duties of that appointment, as therein prescribed, and to have and to hold the same, with all the powers thereunto appertaining; unto them and each of them, until said duties shall have been so executed and fulfilled, according to the true intent and meaning of said act. In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the seventeenth day of August, in the year of our By the President: JAMES K. POLK. JAMES BUCHANAN, Secretary of State. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: DEPARTMENT OF STATE. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: I certify that the papers hereunto attached are true and complete copies, carefully collated with the originals on file in this office. In testimony whereof, I, Nicholas P. Trist, acting secretary of state of the United States, have hereunto subscribed my name and caused the seal of the department of state to be [Seal.] affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this 7th day of September, A. D. 1846, and of the independence of the United States of America, the seventy-first. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: N. P. TRIST. ALEXANDRIA COUNTY, to wit: To all whom it may concern: Be it known, that Robert Brockett, George W. P. Custis, James Roach and G. W. D. Ramsay, commissioners appointed by James K. Polk, president of the United States of America, in conformity with the act of congress, "An act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," approved the 9th day of July 1846, as appears by their commission, bearing date the 17th day of August 1846, this day appeared before me, Joseph Eaches, a justice of the peace in and for the county of Alexandria aforesaid, and were, in due form of law, by and before me, sworn to discharge the duties imposed upon them by said act, faithfully, impartially and to the best of their ability. Given under my hand and seal in the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, this 19th day of August 1846. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA : ALEXANDRIA COUNTY, to wit: JOS. EACHES, [Seal.] To all whom it may concern: Be it known, that George H. Smoot, commissioner, appointed by James K. Polk, president of the United States, in conformity with the act of congress, "An act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the state of Virginia," approved the 9th July 1846, as appears by his commission, bearing date the 18th August 1846, this day appeared before me, Charles M'Knight, a justice of the peace, in and for the county of Alexandria aforesaid, and was in due form of law, by and before me sworn to discharge the duties imposed upon him by said act faithfully, impartially and to the best of his ability. Given under my hand and seal, in the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, this 22d day of August, in the year 1846. CHAS. M'KNIGHT, [L. S.] From the "Alexandria Gazette and Virginia Advertiser," of 26th August 1846. PUBLIC NOTICE.-The undersigned, appointed commissioners by the president of the United States, under authority of an act of congress, approved the 9th of July 1846, entitled "an act to retrocede the county of |