Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-15

w.. ,,., Tho permanent seat of the Government
Of the United States ought TO De az some "o"'
venient Mace on the cas-, bank oil Tue ousque
hannah, in the State of Pennsylvania. on 'ne
next day this resolution, AID that OIL INC -" "
Angus were adopted by the House; and, on
the l4ih of Septe nber bill was '''roau.Iu W
carry them into effect. In the course OF aeoa"'
Mr.. Madison said. az now verify believe !na'
if prophet had started up IN the virginia
Convention, and fore old the proceedings OF ."!s
day. ,ha, State would not now be parry 10 '"'s
Constitution" He insisted, that Inc eeh'e
of nonuls,ion would continually advance IN
southwestern direction, and that the fo'omac
would he muc more facile and effectual COM
munica,ion with the western country" than any
other After great deal Of warm discussion
nm the hin. and the various amendments when
were nrono,ed 10 il, i, was passed On the 2lst
! Of Sen,ember. by vote Of 81 to II; and, on
the estb. i, " as returned from ,he Senate, win
an amendment, striking on, all respecting the
Susuuehannah, and inserting clause n3ih8 Tue
permanen, seat Of Government al Germantown.
The House. on motion Of Mr.. Madison, ADDED
proviso. tina; nothing therein contained shou'd
be construed 10 affect the operation OF me Ia"s
of Pebnsyv ania within the said District OF zen
miles square, "unlil Congress otherwise pro
vide by law" when The bill passed 81 10 "a;
but, on lis bei.g returned 10 the senate, was
further amended, and then posi- ohed until me
next session"
On the lIth June, 1870, the House passed
resolu ion 10 hold the next session al baill'
more, bat the Senate postponed II. on me Isl
July, after grea, controversy, Inc SENATE oy
vote o: IA to -, passed bill iocatlne ,he
sea, of Government at this place; winch also
provided that Congress should hold lis session
at Philadelphia until the year 1900, ana NAV
then the Government should be removed TO-
and remain permanently at this place. ne
bill also provided, that Commissioners should
be appointed, who, under the direction OF the
President, were 10 deine the limits Of The Dis.
tre,, purchase lands on the East side OF the
river and erect buildings
On he 9th July, 1870, this bill was passeo
by the House Of Representatives, without a.
mendmeut. oy a vote Of 80 TO 80, and was APP
proved by the President on the 10Th oil The
same month.
| Thus ended controversy 10 regard 10 the
seat Of Government which had long and deep,
" agi,a,ed both he old and new Congress, and
the Republic,
On the 18th Of June, 1900, the public offices
were opened here, where Congress assembled
on the 22d Of November following when Pre-
sidenl Adams, in his speech a, the opening oil
Lhe session made The following impressive re-
| marks
! 81 congra tulate the people Of the United
States on the assembling Of Congress at the
permanent seal of their Government, and
congratulate you, gentlemen, on The prospect
of residence not to be changed. II is with
you, gentlemen, TO consider whether the loo al
powers over The District OF Columbia, voted
| by the Constitution in The Congress OF the
Unired Sta,es, shall be Immediately exercised.
If, in your opinion, This important trust ought
now 10 be executed, you cannot fail, while per-
| forming it, to take into view the future proba-
BILE situation Of the territory, Of the happiness
of which you are about TO provide. You will
onsider it as the Capital of great nation, ad-
| vancing, with unexampled rapidly, in arts, in
commerce, in wealth, and in population; and
possessing within itself these resources, which,
if mol thrown away, or lameniabIy mis- -direct-
ed, will secure to il long course ofprosperi.y
and self government"
To this, the house of Representatives replied,
tina, {" the final establishment Of the seat Of
The National Government, which has now taken
place in the District of Columbia, is an event
OF no small importance ia The political iransac>
lions OF our county A consideration OF those
powers which have been vested in Congress
over the District Of Columbia, will not escape
our attention nor shall we iorget, that, ia e4.
ercising these powers, regard must be had to
! those events which will necessarily attend the
Capital Of America"
The sequel Of his report will show how far
these views have been realized. Before pro-
ceeding further your committee Can not re-
frain from making few general remarks upon
the policy Of this measure, which seems to have
been matter Of so much joyful congratula
ton. During its pr' gress 10 final termina-
ton, the protection of Congress, and the per.
soDaI security VI its members, the pernnntni
location Of the General Government, and its
dignity, seemed to have swallowed up every
other consideration. The dangerous tendency,
in our political system, Of local central Gov.
eminent, like tina, provided for the District Of
Columbia, was not, as appears 10 your COM
mittee, duly considered.
By the Federal Constitution, new and un-
tried scheme Of Government was adopted. 1t
had been argued by the most liberal politi-
cal writer's il Europe. that Republican Cow
erment could not long endure, which embra.
ced great extent Of territory, variety Of soil