To Thomas Jefferson from Daniel Carroll, 12 December 1791
From Daniel Carroll
George Town Decr. 12th. 1791
Sir
I do myself the honor of transmitting herewith, a copy of the Act, passed last Saturday, by the General Assembly, entitled an Act concerning the Territory of Columbia and the City of Washington. It is not from a certified copy. I believe however correct. The Bill propos’d that the Willfull shou’d be under the same circumstances with the Minors &ca. but it was thought proper in that case to proceed by condemnation as in the Law. This was the most essential alteration.—I am Sir with great respect yr most obt. & Hble Sert.,
Danl. Carroll
P.S. The Law passd finally on Saturday, but time wou’d not allow to gett a Copy with the last endorsement by the Clerk.
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 16 Dec. 1791 and so recorded in SJL.
The act ceding territory in Maryland for the District of Columbia acknowledged the agreements whereby certain people had already given land for the purpose, but because others had not reached similar agreements, “from imbecility and other causes,” provided for the legal condemnation of the land within the district of “minors, persons absent out of the state, married women, or persons non compis mentis, or lands the property of this state” (Votes and Proceedings of the House of Delegates of the State of Maryland, 10 Dec. 1791, p. 81, and Votes and Proceedings of the Senate of the State of Maryland, 10 Dec. 1791, p. 26, in Jenkins, Records; text of act is in Laws of Maryland, Chap. xlv, in same; see also , i, 170–1).