Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-07-09
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA--WHY
ESTABLISHED.


Hon. w. o. Goode. of Virginia, in a
recent speech in the Federal House Of
Representative. thus recites the history
ernment at Washington. 1t will be new,
perhaps. to some Of our readers:
Al the close Of the war Of the Revolu.
tion when our arms wcre triumphant
when the power of Britain WAS o,e,hrown
and victory had perched upon our ban
ners. the army which achieved this glori.
GUS triumph was left in a state Of destitu-
ton. The time had come when that ar
my was to be disbanded, and the veteran
citizen soldier return to his long neglec>
ted home. But hu was without PAT
without u cent of money in his pocket
far away from his home; all tattered and
torn-all wearied ard worn-he was to
be disbanded and turned loose upon the
world. without even settlement Of ac-
counts. lie knew not what allowance
would be made for him by the country
whose enemies he had conquered. and
whose liberty he had achieved. Great
and extensive disconreut prevailed, and
there was danger Of a general mutiny.-
Never was the address OF Genered Wash.
ington put to severer trial; but he firmly
essayed the task, and his efforts were
crowned with success. The spirit Of patri.
otism was diHused hrougE the army. as an
emana,ion from his soul. Order was re-.
stored. the army dispersed, the liberties
OF America established upon a lasting
foundation.
At Lancaster. Pennsylvania. there was
a canton of raw recruits. who refused to
= 4 H. 4 L :.
to be diSbanded, by the terms which were
rendered Indispensable by the actual pow
erty of Government. And venting their
rage. aud vowing veugence. they took up
the line Of march for PhilAdelphin. where
The Continental Congress was in session.
Their approach was known at PhiIadel>
phia. Congress called on the corporate
authorities To provide the means Of reSis.
tancc and protection. The corporate au
thorilies referred the question 10 the State
authorities. aud, pending the delay which
inter ened. the mulineers had reached
the city. The house in which the session
were held was surrounded by the enraged
soildery. The passways were blocked
with fixed bayonets. and a demand WAS
made on the Council. who assembled in
the same house. that the accounts should
be settled in twenty minutes; and this
mrssage was accompanied with the threat
that, unless their demands were satisfied,
the soldiers would be turned loose, with
the arms 10 their hands, free from all the
restraint Of law.
By some means of which | am not dis
tinctly informed. the members effected
their escape; and before they dispersed
in confusion, they agreed to re assemble
at Princeton, and for some time their flu
ture sessions were held there. After this
mortifying outrage and tlagraut insult,
Congress resolved that it was necessary
to establish the seat Of government in q
locality aud under circumstances where
they might exert a power aud authority
adequate to their own protection; and this
determination seems very generally to
have settled down in the public mind
AT an early state of the proceedings Of
the Federal Convention which framed
the Constitution of the United States, a
resolution was adopted instructiug the
committee to insert clause insuring an
adequate authority in the Federal Gov.
ernment for all the purposes of self pro-
lection, which resulted in the clause now
found in the Constitution establishing an
exclusive jurisdiction within this district