Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-01-29


that every principle of pride and honor. and
even OF patriotism, were engaged. For time
any agreement II. )eared to be impossible:
hut the good genius of cur system finally pre-
vailed, and on the 2Sth of June, 1850. an net
was passed containing the following clause:
- That district of territory on the river
Potomac, at somo place between the mouths
oi the eastern branch and the Connogochea-
que, be, and the same is hereby, accented,
for the permanent scat of the Government of
the United States"
The same act provided that Congress
should hold its sessions Mt Philadelphia un-
til tho first Monday in November, 1900 when
the Government should remove to the dis
trict selected on tho Potomac. Thus was
settled question which had produced much
sectional feeling between the States. But
all difhcultIcs were not yet surmounted; for
Congress, citlIer from indifference or the
want of money. failed to make adequate an
preparations for the erection of public build
ings, and the commissioners were often re-
duced tn great straits to maintain the pro-
gress of tic work. Finding it impossible to
borrow money in Europe, or to obtain it from
Congress, Washington, in December. 179C,
made II personal appeal to the Legislature of
Maryland, which was responded to bv an
advance OF Sl0O.OO0; but in so deploraLle u
condition was the credit of the Federal Gov
ernment that the State required, as guar
an'ec OF payment, the pledge of the private
credit of the commissioners
From the beginning, Washington had adj
Nocated the present seat of Government Its
establishment here was due, in n large meas
urc, to his influence; it was his wisdom and
prudence that computed disputes and settled
conflicting titles; and it was chiefly through
ms personal influence that the funds were
provided to prepare the buildings for the re-
ccntion of the President and Congress-.
| The wings OF the Capitol having been suf
ficlcntly prepared, the Government removed
to this District on the 18th of November.
lS00 or as Mr.. Wolcott expressed it, left
the comforts of Philadelphia to 90 to the
long name. III the woods on the Potomac"
L VIII not pause to describe the appearance.
Mt that day, of the place where the city was
to he. Sotomporary accounts represent it as
dcsoIate in the extreme, with it's long, uno-
rcned avenues and streets, its deep morasscs
and Its vast area covered with trees instead
nt houses. 1t is enough to say that WASH
ingt"n projected the whole plan upon scale
OF centuries, and that time enough remains
to M the measure of his great conception.
The Senate continued to occupy the North
wing, and the House of Representatives the
South wing of tho Capitol until the Oath of
August, 1914. when the British army enter
&C! ca the city and burned the public buildings.
Inns occurred during the recess, and the
l'rcsldent Immediately convened the Con.
gress. Both Houses met in n brick building
known as Blodgets Hotel. which occupied a
part ot the square now covered by the Gen
eral Post Oficc. But the accommodations
IN that house being quite insufficient, num-
Der OF public spirited citizens erected a more
commodious building, on Capitol Hill and
rendered it to Congress- the offer was accep-
teu, ana both Houses continued to occupy it
until the wings of the new Capitol were COM
pleted. This building yet stands on the
North Eastern corner of the Capitol Square,
ana has since been occasionally occupied bv
persons employed in different branches of
| the public service.
On the 9th OF December, 1910, the Sc
nate assembled for the first time in this
Chamber, which has been the threatre of
their deliberations for more than thirty
nine years, and now the strifes and unccr-
talntles OF the past are finished, we see
around us on every side the proofs of sta
bility and improvement; this capital is
worthy of the Republic; noble public bull
dings meet the view ON every hand; trca-
sures OF science and the arts begin to accu-
mulate. AS this hourishing city enlarges
it testifies to the wisdom and forecast that
dictated the plan of it. Future genera
tions will not be disturbed with questions
concerning the centre Of nonnlation or of
territory, since the steamboat, the railroad
and the telegraph have made communica-
tlon almost instantaneous The spot is sa-
cred by thousand memories, which are
so many pledges that the city of Washing
ton, founded by lin and bearing his rev
cred name, with its beautiful site, bounded
nj IefI IIra Al 4 Il