A por- tion of the country, originally ten miles square, which was ceded to the United States by the states of Virginia and Mary- land, over which the national government has exclusive jurisdiction. Under the constitution, congress is authorized to "exercise exclusive jurisdiction in all cases whatso- ever, over such district, not exceeding ten miles square, as may, by cession of particular states and the acceptance of congress, become the seat of gov- ernment of the United States." In pursuance of this authority, the states of Maryland and Virginia ceded to the United States a small territory on the banks of the Potomac, and congress, by the act of July 16, 1790, acceptel the same, for the permanent seat of the government of the United States. By the act of July 11, 1846, congress retroceded the county of Alexandria, part of the District of Colum- bia, to the state of Virginia. The seat of government was removed from Phila- delphia to the district in December, 1800. As it ex- ists at present, it constitutes but one county, called the county of Washington. By act of Congress of Feb. 21, 1871, a territorial government was created for the district; 16 Stat. L. 419; which was not a mere municipality in its restricted sense, but was held to be placed upon the same footing with that of the states or territories within the limits of the act 7 D. C. 165. This government was, however, abolished by act of June 20, 1874, U. S. Rev. Stat. 1 Supp. 22; and a tempo- rary government by commissioners was thereby created, which existed until by act of June 11, 1878, id. 178, provision was made for the continuance of the District "as a municipal corporation" and its control by the federal government through these commissioners, two of whom are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and the other is an engineer officer of the army to be detailed for that service by the President. It is a municipal corporation having a right to sue and be sued, and is subject to the ordinary rules that govern the law of procedure between private persons. The sovereign power is lodged in the government of the United States, and not in the corporation of the District; 182 U. 8. 1. Congress is its local legislature; 116 id. 404; and exercises over it full and entire jurisdic- tion both of a political and municipal nature; 147 id. 282, 300; and it may legislate with respect to people and property therein as may the legislature of a state over any of its subordinate municipalities; 97 id. 687, 690. The District of Columbia and the territorial dis- tricts of the United States are not states within the meaning of the constitution and of the Judiciary Act, so as to enable a citizen thereof to sue a citizen of one of the states in the federal courts; 2 Cra. 445; 1 Wheat. 91; R. M. T. Charlt. 874. Kent says: "How- ever extraordinary it might seem to be, that the courts of the United States, which were open to aliens, and to the citizens of every state, should be closed upon the inhabitants of those districts (terri- tories and the District of Columbia), on the con- struction that they were not citizens of a state, yet as the court observed, this was a subject for legis- lative, and not for judicial consideration." 1 Com. 849. It might be suggested as a consideration not here adverted to, that the theory on which this right of suing in federal courts is based is possible preju- dice to the rights of a citizen of another state or an alien in the state court. In the District of Columbia and territories this would not apply, as their courts are created by the federal government. For the judiciary of the district, see UNITED STATES