Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-01-28
BEDFORD. PA. FRIDAY, JANUARY s2S 1859.

minutes with short account of the various
places at which Congress has assembled, of the
struggles which proceeded the permanent To-
cation Of the seat Of government, and Of tue
circumstances under which 1t was finally estab-
lished on the banks Of The Potomac.
Tue Congress of the Revolution was some-
times fugitive, holding its sessions, as the
chances of war required, at Philadelphia, Bal
| tiniore, Lancaster, Annspolis. aud York
| During the period between the conclusion Of
peace aud The commencement Of the present
government it met at Princeton, Anaapolis,
Trenton, and N. York
After the idea Of a permanent Union had
! been executed in part BY the adoption of the
Articles Of Confederation, the question pre-
sented itself Of fixing seat of government.
and this Immediately called forth intense inter
est and rivalry.
That the place should be central, having re-
gard to the population and territory of the
Confederacy, vas the only point common to the
centenlipg parties. Propositions Of all kinds
were offered, debated, and rejected, sometimes
With Incorporate warmth At length, Gu the
| 7th Of October, 1888, the Congress being III
/ Princeton whittier they bad been driven from
| Philadslphia, Is the insults of body Of armed
men Il was resolved that a building for the
use of Congress be erected hear the falls Of
the Delaware. This was soon after modified,
by requiring suitable buildings to be also e9ec-
ted near the talls of the Potomac, that the re-
sidence os Congress might alternate between
those two places. Bu. tho question was not
allowed TO rest, aud at lSRgth, after frequent
and warm debates, it Was resolved that the re-
sldence of Congress sh)uld continue at one
place, ard commissioners we're appointed with
full power to lay out district TOR federal
town near the falls Of The Delaware And, in
the neantine, Congress assembled alternately
/ At Trenton, and Annapolis; but the represen-
tatiyes Of other States were unremitting in ex-
/ ertions for their respective localities.
Or tho 23l Of Dccenber, 1854, i; was re-
solved to remove to the City Of New York, aud
! to remain there until tLe building GU tie Dela-
ware SHOULD be completed /; aud, accordingly,
on the llth Of January, 1855, The Congress
met ~ New York, where they continusd Is bold
their session until The Confederation gave place
I to the Constitution.
Ths commissioners 10 lay cut federal town
on the Delaware, reported 'be,r proceedings to
Congress but no further steps we're taken to
carry the revolution into effect
When the bonds Of upioG were drawn closer
by the org4niz 4tion Of the new government un-
der lie Constitution On the 3 q March, 1880,
the subject was revived and discussed wi h
greater warmth than before it 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 deeper interest.
Some members proposed New York as being
'superior to any place they knew for the or
da-ly and daoant hob,rtor AZ tic ;nL
To this ii was answered that it was not desira-
bic that she political capital should be in conl-
nlercial metropolis. Others ridiculed the idea
of building palaces ia the woods. Mr.. Gerry,
of Massachusetts, thought it highly unreasona-
bic to tx tbs seat Of government in such po-
sitien as to have nine States of the thirteen to
the northward Of TIE piece; while the South
Carolinians objected TO Philadelphia on account
of the number Of Quakers, who, they said, con-
tinually annoyed the Southern members with
schemes of emancipation.
10 the midst of these disputes the House OF
Representatives resolved: s'That the permanent
seat Of government ought to be at some couve-
nient place on the banks of the Susquehanna. -
On the introduction of bill to give effect 10
this resolution, much feeling was exhibited, es-
pecially by the Southern members. Mr Matii-
son thought If the proceedings of that day had
been ioreseen by Virginia, that State might not
have become party to the Constitution The
question was allowed by every member 10 te
matter Of great Importance. Mr.. Scott said
the future tranquility and WELL being of the u.
States depended as much on this as any aues-
ton that ever had or could come before Com
gress. And Mr.. Fisher Ames remarked that
every principle Of pride and honor, and even of
patriotism, were engaged. For time any
agreement appeared impossible, but the good
genius of our system fually prevailed, and on
the 10th of July, 1890, an act was passed con-
tanning the following clause:
''That a district of territory NOT exceeding
ten miles square, to be located as hereafter di-
rected, on the river Potomac, at some place be-
tween the mouths of the Eastern Brauch and
Conogocbeaguo, be, and tile satno is hereby,
accepted, for the permanent seat of the gov
ernment of the U. States"
The same act provided that Congress should
hold its sessions at Philadelphia until the first
Monday in November, 1900, when the govern
ment should remove 10 the district selected on
the Potomac. Thus Was settled a question which
had produced much sectional feeling between
the States. But all difficulties were not vet
surmounred; for Congress, either from indiffer-
ence or the want of money, failed TO make adj
equaie appropriations for the erection of public
buildings, and the commissioners were often re-
ducea Ia great. straits TO main;aih the progress
Of the work. Finding it impossible tg borrow
money in Europe, OF to obtain il from Congress,
Washington, in December, l796, made per
sonal appeal to the Legislature of Maryland,
Which was responded 70 by aa advance of
100000; but in So deploratie a condition vas
the credit OF tue federal government, that the
State required as q guaranty of payment the
pledge OF tho private credit Of the commission
ers.