A territory situated on the Potomac river, and being theseat of government of the United States . It was originally ten miles square, and wascomposed of portions of Maryland and Virginia ceded by those states to the UnitedStates; but in 1846 the tract coming from Virginia was retroeeded. Legally it is neither astate nor a territory, but is made subject, by the constitution , to the exclusive jurisdictionof congress.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
