M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-06-03
District OF COlumbia-Why Es-
IisheI.

14NAl. W . ~. QpONSs VI II Hihi"i ~
a recent speech in the Federal uouse
lof Representatives thus recites the
history of the establishment OF the
seat Of government at Washington,
! II will be new perhaps to sumo OF our
Ireaders:
At the close of the war OF the Rev
lolution, when our arms were trium-
lphaut, when the power Of Britain. was
loverthrown, and victory had perched
Iuron our banner, the army which
achieved this glorious triumph was
left in a state Of destitutiOn. The time
had come when that army was to be
disbanded, and the veteran citizen
soldier returned to his long neglected
home. But he was without pay
without a cent of money in his
pocket-.tar away from his home;
all tattered and torn--all wearied and
worn-he was to be disbauded and
turned loose upon the world, without
even a settlement of his accounts. He
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 discomfort prevailed, and
there was danger Of general mutiny.
| Never was the address of Gen. Wash
ington put to severer trial, but he firm
Ily essayed the task, and his efforts
were crowned with success. The spirit
of patriotism was diffuscd through
the army as an emanation from
his soul. Order was restored, the
army dispersed, the liberties Of
America established upon a lasting
foundation.
At Lancaster, Pennsylvania, there
was a canton OF raw recruits, who re-
fused to be appeNsed, and who refused
to submit to be disbanded, by the
terms which were rendered indispen.
sable by the actual poverty ofthe Gov.
eminent. And venting their rage and
vowing vengeance, they took up the
line of march for Philadelphia, where
the Continental Congress was in ses
sion. Their approach was known a
Philadelphia. Congress called upor
the corporate authorities to provide
the means ofresstance and protection
The corporate authorities referred the
question to the State authorities, and
pending the delay which intervened
the mutlneers had reached the city,
! The house in which the sessions were
held Vas surrounded by the enrageC
soldiery. TIE passways were blocka
ded with fixed bayo@ets, and a demand
was made on the Councll, who assem-
b!ed in the same house, that TIC &C
counts should be settled in twenty
minutes; and this message was accom-
| panied with the threat that, unless
their demands were satisfied, the sol
diers would be turned loose, with arms
in their hands, free from all the re-
straints Of law.
BY some means, Of which | am not
distinctly informed, the members ef-
tected their escape; and, before they
dispersed in confusion, they agreed to
assemble at Princeton, and for some
time their future sessions were held
there. After this mortifying outrage
and hagrant insult, Congress resolved
that it was necessary to establish the
seat Of Government in a locality and
under circumstances where they might
exert a power and authority adequate
to their own protection without de-
pendence on municipal or State pro
lection; and this determination seems
very generally to have settled down
in the publicmind. Atan early stage
Of the proceedings of the Federal con
vention which framed the Constitution
Of the United States, q resolution was
adopted instructing the committee to
insert a clause insuring an adequate
Authority in the Federal Government
for all the purposes Of self.protection,
whichresuted in the clause now found
in the Constitution establishingan ex-
elusive jurisdiction within the Dis
trict.