The Nevada Democrat., 1859-03-02
THE NATIONAL CApIrAL.

On the 4th of January the U. S. Senate va
Gated their old Chamber, and removed to the
new Capitol From the eloquent address Of Vice
President Breckenridge. delivered on the Oeca-
sion, We make the following extract:
Senators have been charged by the COM
mittee to whom you confded the arrangements
of this day. with the duty of expressing some of
the reflections that naturally occur in taking
final leave Of q chamber which has SO long been
occupied by the Senate. In the progress of our
country and the growth of the representation,
this room has become too contracted for the
representatives of the States now existing and
soon to exist and accordingly You are about
to exchange it for a hall affording accommOda-
tions adequate to the present and future. The
occasion suggests many interesting reminiscen-
ces, and it may be agreeable in the first place
TO occupy few minutes with q short account of
the various places at which Congress has as
sembled, of the struggles which preceded the
permanent location Of the seat Of government
and Of the circumstances under which 1t was
finally established on the banks of the Potomac.
The Congress of the Revolution was some
times fugitive, holding its sessions, as the
chances of war required, at Philadelphia, Bal
timore, Lancaster, Annapolis and Yorktown.
During the period between the conclusion of
peace and the commencement of the present
BONtIuututs IL AuCb Nv l. AmSSSOh1 RhhopOhoy
Trenton, and New York.
After the idea of a permanent Union had
been executed in part by the adoption Of the
Articles Of Confederation, the question present
ed itself of fixing seat of government, and this
Immediately called forth intense interest and
rivalry.
That the place should be central, having re-
gard to the population and territory of the Con-
federacy, was the only point common to the
| nfa oil EfnAo
were offered, debated, and rejected, sometimes
with Incorporate warmth. At length, on the
7th of October, 1888, the Congress being at
Princeton-whither they had been driven from
Philadelphia, by the insults of body Of armed
men-it was resolved that building for the
use of Congress be erected near the falls Of the
Delaware. This was soon after modified by re-
curing suitable buildings to be also erected
near the falls of the Potomac, that the residence
of Congress might alternate between those
places. But the question was not allowed to
rest, and al length, after frequent and warm de-
bates, 1t was resolved that the residence of Con-
gress should continue at one place and COM
missiOners were appointed with full power TO
lay out a district for federal town near the
falls of the Delaware. And in the meantime
Congress assembled alternately at Trenton and
Annapolis; but the representatives of other
States were unremitting In exertions for their
respective localities.
On the 23d OF December, 1884, II was resOlv
ed to remove to the city of New York, and TO
remain there until the building on the Della
ware should be completed; and accordingly,
on the llth of January, 1885, the Congress met
at New York, where they continued to hold
their sessions until the Confederation gave
place to the Constitution.
The commissioners to lay out q federal town
on the Delaware reported their proceedings to
Congress, but no further steps were taken to
carry the resolution into effect
When the bonds of union were drawn closer
by the organization of the new government un-
der the Constitution on the Sd Of March, 1889,
the subject was revived and discussed with
greater warmth than before 1t was conceded
on all sides that the residence Of Congress
should continue at one place, and the prospect
of stability in the government invested the
question with a deeper interest.
Some members proposed New York as being
superior to any place tiey knew for the or
derly and decent behaviour OF its Inhabitants"
To this it was answered that it was not desira-
BILE that the political capital should be In com
merca metropolis. Others ridiculed the idea
of building palaces in the woods. Mr.. Gerry,
of Massachusetts,, thought it highly unreasona-
BILE to fix the seat of government in such pO-
sition as to have nine States Of the thirteen to
the northWard of the place while the South
Carolinians objected to Philadelphia on ac-
count of the number of Quakers who, they
said. continually annoyed the Southern mem
bers with schemes Of emancipation.
In the midst of these disputes the House of
Representatives resolved: "That the perma-
nent seat OF government ought to be at some
convenient place on the banks Of the Susque-
hanna" On the introduction Of a bill to give
effect to this resolution, much feeling was ex-
hibited, especially by the Southern members.
Mr.. Madison thought if the proceeding of that
dav had been foreseen by Virginia, that State
might not have become party to the Constitu-
tion. The question was allowed by every mem
Der to be matter Of great Importance. Mr..
Scott said the future tranquility and well-belng
of the United States depended as much on this
as on any question that ever had or could come
before Congress. And Mr. tlsner AmeS re-
marked that every principle of pride and honor
and even of patriotism, were engaged For
time any agreement appeared to be impossible;
but the good genius of our system finally pre-
vailed. and on the 10th of July, 1890, an act
was passed containing the following clause
0That district Of territory not exceeding
ten miles square, to be located as hereafter dl-
rected, on the river Potomac, at some place be- |
tween the mouths Of the Eastern Branch and
Conogocheague, be, and the same IS hereby ac-
cepted, for the permanent seat OF the govern
ment Of the United State"
The same act provided that Congress should |
hold its sessions at Philadelphia until the fret
Monday in November, 1890, when the govern
ment should remove to the district selected on
the Potomac. Thus was settled a question
which had produced much sectional feeling be.
tween the States. But all difficulties were not
vet surmounted for Congress, either from IN
difference or the want of money, failed to make
adequate appropriations for the erection OF pub
lie buildings, and the commissioners were oIIen
reduced to great straits to maintain the pro-
rregs of the work. Finding it impossible to
borrow money in Europe, or to obtain it from
Congress, Washington, in December 1895, made
a personal appeal to the Legislature Of Mary.
land, which was responded to by an advance OF
800. 900 /; but in so deplorable condition was
the credit of the federal government, that ihe
State required as a guaranty Of payment the
pledge of the private credit of the commission