The portion of the District of Columbia…
September 1846 CE
From 1840 to 1846, Alexandrians had petitioned Congress and the Virginian legislature to approve retrocession.
On February 2, 1846, the Virginia General Assembly had agreed to accept the retrocession of Alexandria if Congress approved.[
Following additional lobbying by Alexandrians, the 29th Congress passed legislation on July 9, 1846, to return all the District's territory south of the Potomac River to the Commonwealth of Virginia, pursuant to a referendum; President James K. Polk signed the legislation the next day.
A referendum on retrocession is held on September 1–2, 1846. The residents of the city of Alexandria vote in favor of the retrocession, 763 to 222; however, the residents of Alexandria County vote against retrocession 106 to 29.
Despite the objections of those living in Alexandria County, President Polk certifies the referendum and issued a proclamation of transfer on September 7, 1846.
The Virginia legislature, however, does not immediately accept the retrocession offer.
Virginia legislators are concerned that the people of Alexandria County had not been properly included in the retrocession proceedings.
After months of debate, the Virginia General Assembly will vote to formally accept the retrocession legislation on March 13, 1847.
Confirming the fears of pro-slavery Alexandrians, the Compromise of 1850 will outlaw the slave trade in the District, although not slavery itself.
At the start of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln will attempt to have the Virginia portion re-annexed over security concerns, but this idea will be rejected by the Senate.
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