National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1792-01-02 00:00:00, page 2

The following description is annexed to the
plan of the city of Washington in the
diftnEl oj Columbia, as sent to Congress
by the Prejdent Jome days ago.
Plan of the tity intended for the per
manent feat of the Government oi
the United States, projected agreea
bly to the direction of the Irefident oi
the United States, in pursuance of ar
AG: of Congress, pasTed on the i6tl
July, 1790, " establishing the perma
nent feat on the banks of the Potow
mack"—By Peter Charles L' En
fant.
\Obfervations explanatory of the plan.']
I. ' J positions for the differenl
A grand edifices, and for the seve
ral grand squares or areas of differenl
shapes as they are laid down, were firfl
determined on the moll advantageous
ground, commanding the most exten
live profpetls, and the better iulceptiblf
of such improvements as the variou:
interests of the several objects may re
quire.
11. Lines or avenues of direst com
munication have been devised to con
ne£l the and moll diflant obje£l
with the principals, and to preferv<
through the whole a reciprocity of fig'i
at the fame time. Attention has beer
paid to the passing of those leading a
venues over the most favorable grounc
for profpeftand convenience.
111. North and south lines, interfeft
ed by others running due east and wef
make the distribution of the city intc
llreets, squares, &c. and those lines have
been so combined as to meet at certair
given points with those divergent ave
nues, so as to form on the spaces " firl
determined," the different squares, oi
areas, whichare all proportional in mag
nitude to the number oi avenues leadins
to them.
Breadth of the streets.
Every grand transverse avenue, anc
every principal divergent one, such a
the communication from the President'
house to the Congress house, &c. an
160 feet in breadth, and thus divided
10 feet for pavement on each feet
fide, is 2<
30 -i" gravel walk, planted with
trees on each fide, 6c
80 i the middle for carriage way 8c
16c
The other streets are of the following
dimensions, viz.
Those leading to the public build- feet
ings or markets, 13c
Others, 1 ' 1C
J 9 C
In order to execute the above plan
Mr. Ellicott drew a true meridian lin:
by celestial observation, which passe:
through the area intended for the Con
gress house; this line he crossed by ano
ther due east and weft, and which palfei
through the fame area. These line:
were accurately mcafured, and made the
bases on which the whole plan was
executed. He ran all the lines by z
transit instrument, and determined the
acute angles by actual measurement.
and left nothing to the uncertainty oi
the compass.
[References.]
A. The equestrian figure of George
Washington, a monument voted in 1783
by the late Continental Congress.
B. An historic column—also inten
ded for a mile or itinerary column, from
whose llation (at a mile from the federal
house) all distances of places through
the continent are to be calculated.
C. A naval itinerary column, propo
sed to be erected to celebrate the firfl
rife of a navy, and to stand a ready mo
nument to consecrate its progress anc
atchievements.
D. A church intended for nationa'
purposes, such as public prayer, thanks
givings, funeral orations, &c.and affign
<ed to the special ule of no particulai
fefclor denomination, but equally open
to all. It will likewise be a proper
shelter for such monuments as were vo
ted by the late Continental Congress,
for those heroes who fell in the cause
of liberty, and for such others as may
hereafter be decreed by the voice of a
grateful nation.
E. E. E. E. E. Five grand foun
tains, attended with a constant spout
-of water.
N. B. There are within the limits ol
the city 25 good springs of excellent
■water, abundantly supplied in the driest
leafon of the year.
i". F. A grand caff ade, forme dos thl
A'atcr of the sources of the Tiber.
G. G. Public walk, being a square of
icoo feet, through which carriages may
ifcend to the upper square of the federal
"louse..
H. A grand avenue 400 feet inbreadth,
md about a mile in length, bordered
with gardens ending in a slope from the
r.oufes on each fide ; this avenue leads
'.o the monument A. and connects the
Congress garden with the
I. Prelidcnt's park and the
K. Well improved- field, being a
partof the walk from the President's
rioufe of about 1800 feet in breadth, and
hree fourths of a mile in length. Eve
ry lot deep coloured, t-ed with green
slots, defignatcs some of the situations
«vhich command the moll agreeable
jrofpects, and which are bed calculated
or spacious bouses and gardens, such
is may accommodate foreign minifteis,
&c.
L. Around this square, and all along
he
M. Avenue from the two bridges to
he federal house, the pavements in
:ach fide will pass under an arched
inderwhofe cover fliops will be m, 1
:onvenicntly and agreeably fituat', .
his street is 160 feet in breadth, anr
nile long.
The fifteen squares coloured yelk- ,
ire proposed to be divided among ' e
everal states, in the Union, for each; ,f
hem to improve, or subscribe a 1
idditional to the value of the land | ;r
hat purpose, and the improver,s
■ound the squares to be completed 1 a
imited time.
The center ofeacn square will adin.t
statues, columns, obelisks, or any o
her ornaments, such as the different
fotps may choose to erect, to perpetuate
lot only the memory of such individu
als whofc councils or military atchie!v
nents were conspicuous in giving lilier
y and independence to this c-ountry ;
jut those whose ufefulnefs hath ren
dered them worthy of imitation : to in
cite the youth of succeeding generations
o tread in the paths of those sages 01
lieroeswhom their country hath thought 1
proper to celebrate.
The lituation of those squares is ft dftv
that they are the molt advantageously
md reciprocally fe£%£fim each oijcr v
and as equally duTributed over the
whole city diftrift, and conne&ed by
[ pacious avenues round the grand fede
ral improvements, and as contiguous
to them, and at the fame time as equally
distant from each other as circumflances
would admit. The settlements roiind
these squares must soon become con
lefted.
The mode of taking pofleffion of, and
Improving the whole diftritl at firft,
null: leave to posterity a grand idea of
:he patriotic interest which promoted
it.
The small spaces coloured red, are
ntended for the use of all religious
denominations, on which they are to
:reft places of worship, and are propo
ed to be allotted to them in the manner
is those coloured yellow are to the
iifferent states in the Union ; but 10
>urying- grounds will be admitted wi h
n the limitsof the city, an appropriati in
>eing intended for that purpose witn
>uti
N. B. There are a number of squares,
>r areas, unappropriated, and in fituati
>ns proper for colleges and academies.
>f which every society, whose objctl is :
lational, may be accommodated. j
Every house within the city will
land square on the streets, and every;
ot on the divergent avenues will run'
quare with their fronts on the most a-j
:ute angle, will not measure less than 'i
36 feet, and may well be above 140
cet.
Some of the streets running north and
outh, and east and weft, are about 1200
soles, and the transverse Itreets abojt!
1300 poles.
Latitude of Congress house, 38. 53. N.
ong. o. o.
X. Tiber Creek. The water of this i
:reek is intended to be conveyed on the
nigh ground were the Congress house
[lands, and after watering that part of
:he city, its overplus will fall from un
der the hafe of the edifice, and in a cas
cade of 2a feet in height, and 50-m
breadth, into -the -fefervoir below,
thence to run in three falls through the
gardens into the grand canal.
The perpendicular height of the
ground where the Congress hoiue'
stands, is above the tide of Tiber creek
78 feet,
Perpendicular height of the wed
branch above the tide in Tiber creek
115 feet, 7 inches and t v., eighths.
This branch and that of the '1 ber i:
intended to be conveyed to the Preii
dent's house.
From the entrance of the river Po
towmack up to the second, the depth ol
water is from 5 1-3 to 4 fathomr—the
deepest all along the shore where
wharves are marked.
PHILADELP H I A.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
Wednesday, December 28.
A memorial was read from the Legis
lature of New-Hampshire, rc'prefentin?
the inequality and injustice of the ah
for the alfumption of the slate debts, and
praying redress for the injuries fullain
;d thereby in the said flate—Referrec
.0 the Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr. Otis delivered a message from the
Senate, that they had passed the bill,
lent to them by the House for concur
rence, tor carrying into effett a contrafi
3Ct.ween the United States and the slate
Df Pennsylvania, for the purchase o:
ands bordering on Lake Erie.
A petition was read from Williarr
Bailey, late a major in the flying camp
praying compenlation for services ren
dered &c.—ordered to lie on the table.
A petition of Ebenezer Cowel, for re
million of money advanced to him, dur
_ng the war, on account of a contrafi
or gunsmiths work—Referred to a pri
vate committee,
A petition of James Watson, praying
ndemnification for loss of certificate:
ind paper money, deltroyed by fire—
deferred to the Secretary of the
ury.
A message was received from the Pre
ident by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, ac
companied with the copy of a letter re
.eived from the Attorney General of the
.Jnited States, complaining of certaii:
lifficulties in the execution of his of
ice.
The House tbon resumed the confd
■ration ot the amendment reported b)
he committee of the whole House tc
he Poll-office Bill—After some discus
:ion, the amendments were, in part
agreed to, and others disagreed to. The
privilege ofJranking letters was agreec
obe continued to the members of both
Eioufcs, and conferred on the Sccre
ary of the Senate, the Clerk of ths
louse of Representatives and some othei
officers. An amendment was also agrcec
o, fubjefting newspapers convoyed ir
the ma:l to a poflage of one cent for ar
hundred miles, and a cent and an hal.
for any greater diflance—and that the
Post-masters of Portsmouth (N.IL) Bos
ton, Providence, New-York, Philadel
phia, Baltimore, Annapolis, and Charles
ton, (S. C.) be authorised to fend letter:
to the houses of the persons, to whoa
addressed, and to charge for such con
veyance, one cent on each letter, in ad
dition to the poflage.
Thursday, December 29.
The written message received yeflcr
day from the Prelielent. together witl.
the Attorney General's letter therein
referred to, was ordered to be referred
to the committee for considering the At
torney General's report on the Judicia
ry lyftem.
The petitions of Adam Gib'nart and
William Langley were read, praying
compensation for services in the army
during the war—Referred to the Secre
tary at War.
The petition of James Rumfey wa;
ordered to be referred to the committee
for promoting the progress of the ufe
ful arts.
The House then proceeded to the fur
ther confederation of the bill for ella
blifiling a Poft-office and Post-roads, to
gether with the amendments.
Several other amendments beingmade
and agreed to, and others disagreed to,
the further consideration of the Bill was
ptrflponed till to-morrow.
Friday, December go.
Several petitions were read, praying
relief for services rendered, &c. in the
army of the United States during the
iati war—Referred to the Secrefary at
U ar.
A petition of Abraham Darlirigtan,
praying paytnent for impressed property
: or the use of the armv, during the war—
Referred to the Secretary of the.'JTreafury.
Mr. Bourne, from the committcetfor
mrolled bills, reported the bill for " car
i ving into etteft a contract between the
United States and Pennfylvarna," and
:hat they had found it truly inrolled—
H'hereupon the Speaker signed the bill,
»nd the Clerk was ordered to acquaint
:he Senate therewith.
A memorial was read from Mr. John
-hurchman, requeuing government to
Datronize him in undertaking a voyage
0 Baffin s bay,for making dilcoveries to
.infirm his new theory of the variation
>f the magnetic needle—Laid on the
able.
A mefTage was received from the Pre
ident bv Mr. Lear, with a copy of the
, itification, by the commonwealth of
Virginia, of the articles of amendment
iropofed by Congress to the Conftitu
iou of the United States; and a copy
if a letter accompanying the fame from
:he governor of Virginia.
A petition was read from fundrv in
habitants of Northumberland countv. in
Pennsylvania, praying the repeal of so
much of the act. palled at the la ft session,
aying a duty on spirits distilled within
.he United States, as refpefts the duty
Dn spirits distilled from materials the
jrowth of the UnitedStates—Ordered tD
lie on the table.
The lioufe then, in committee of the
.vhole, took into conlideration the bill
or extending the time limited for the
_ettlement of the accounts of the United
States with the individual states—aster
"ome time spent therein,! the committee
rose and reported the billl with an addi
tional feftion, for increasing the salary
sf the chief clerk in the commissioner's
office," so as to be equal so the salary of
he principal clerk in the Auditor's of
ice—which was agreed to by the House,
md the bill ordered to be engroifed for
\ third reading, on Monday next.
The House proceeded to conlider the
report of the committee, refpefting the
obtaining from the Treasury annual and
regular statements of the receipts and
;xpenditures of all public monies, and
:he due examination of such llatements.
One of the refoluiions reported by
he committee was adopted, viz. Tliat
t shall be the duty of the Secretary of
he Treasury to lay before the House on
he third Monday of October, if the
1 louse be then in session, or if not, with
n the hrfl week of the session, a regular
tatemeat of receipts and expenditures
Or the preceding year.—Adjourned.
[From a late French Paper.]
Present State of Affairs in ROME.
I HE Pope, who is, like many other
overeigns, a merv slave to the caprici
>us jealousy of his court, at present may
)e compared to nothing so aptly as a
nud turtle, who upon any alarm of dan
ger, contrasts all his parts within the
hell, and lies snug till the danger is o
/er. The Holy Father now pays the
nod scrupulous attention to the pro
reedings of other powers, keeps his eyes
vide open, hears every thing, and fays
ittle or nothing. Every paper, howe
. er, that is puhlifhed under his authori
y, diicovers his deep chagrin at the near
srofpeft of eccleliaflical influence in po
itical afFairs being banished from Eu
ope. That other world, upon which
le has for so many ages fixed his engines
or his own emolument, seems to be dif
tppearing, and the mod uninformed of
lis fubjefts begin to fufpeft that neither
lis palfports to Paradise nor his bills
Irawn upon the house of St. Peter, will
ie duly honoured. It is generally be
ieved by the vulgar people of Rome,
for, nearly 15 centuries have elapsed
incc there existed in reality a Raman,
itoplt] that, from the present coarse of
:vents, the consummation of all tilings is 4
it hand. To confirm this idea, the Re
flations and other unintelligible books
ire continually quoted by some ; while
Jthers support an opinion somewhat
different, from the oracles of the Abbe
Joachim. This holy perlon has care
fully (luiied the prophecies of Mala
chi, and infers from thence that after
the derr.ife of the present Pope, Pius the
lixth (whose fruitlefs journey to Vien
na has got him the nick name of the
Apojlokcal Pilgrim) there will only ap
pear sixteen more.and then the last judg
ment will come. He averages the reign