Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-08-08
rHE FIRST coMPRoMIsE.


first Congress under the new Constitu'
ton assembled for its second session in
$780, among other perplexing topics
brought before il was that of finance
With this was complicated that Of the
debt that had accrued during the war.
This, which amounted to $4,000, 900
dollars at the close of the struggle for
independence, had, during the disas-
irons days of the "Confederacy," T"
swollen to 81, ,ooo. 900, of which nearly
twelve we're due in France, Holland
and Spain, and the rest at bone. Be-
sides this there were State debts.--
Massachusetts owed some 5000, 900,
South Carolina about the same, Vir-
pinia three and half, while other
States were indebted to a sufficient
amount to make the total about s5, ,000,-
600 of dollars.
Alexander Hamilton was then Secre-
tary of the Treasury. and among his
plans for restoring the credit OF the
country was the assumption of these
state debts by the Federal Government,
and the funding Of the whole with pro-
visions for the liquidation of the entire
amount Of national and State indebted
ness out of the national resources. A
principal object of the measure, al
though not the avowed one, was thus TO
make the 6nsncial interests Of the sew
ersl States SO far identical. and render
il the interest also Of capitalists TO sus-
tain the Government. The measure
was violently opposed. 1t was thought
to look towards q consolidation, the
ezalting Of the influence of the Govern
ment at the expense of the several
States, and its constitutionality was
doubted. 1t was thought besides, that
the measure favored the interests of
northern and eastern States more than
those Of the southern.
The contest was q warm and bitter
one. 1t was the beginning Of the Con-
gressional gladiatorship and intrigue
True to their favorite idea. some of the
southern States threatened to withdraw
from the Unionl On the 18th of April
the final vote was taken and decided in
the negative by vote Of two. Hamil
ton was intensely chagrined. He be-
lieved the measure highly important
and was grieved to see it wrecked on
the rock of sectionalism. 1t was deter
mined to introduce it again under new
form. But the opposition of the south
must in some way be conciliated. 1t
happened that the question of the final
location OF the national capital was just
then in debate. Congress at that time
held its sessions in New York; the
Presidents residence was there and all
the pubic Offices. The places proposed
as an ultimate location, were Philadel-
phia and Georgetown. 1t was settled
that to reconcile the southern States to
the assumption of the State debts,
vote should be taken to make Philadel
phia the capital for ten years. in the
meantime to have public buildings in
process OF erection at Georgetown, and
at the end OF that time to remove the
capital to that place.
With this understanding two Virginia
members agreed to change their vote.
The proposition to assume the debts OF
the States was introduced, modified by
naming a specified sum--twenty-on
and half millions. 1t was carried by
a close vote. The other measure was
then brought in. A territory ten miles
square was ceded BY the States of
Maryland and Virginia, subsequently
designated as the District of Columbia,
and it was decided that at the end Of
ten years, during which the seat Of
Government should be at Philadelphia,
it should remove TO the place selected
and prepared on the Potomac. This
was done, public buildings having in
the interval, been erected and the pres
ent city of Washington laid out.
This, then, was the first compromise.
1t was curious to observe how similar
the issues raised were to those which
have since divided north and south, and
how the same passions and the same
angry threats then burst forth which
have since made the Congress of the
Union battle field Of sections and par.
ties. Men talked even then of the in
compatibility Of the northern and south
ern interests; and threats to dissolve
the Union were heard south of the Po-
tomac, just as they have been ever
since.
Among the most remarkable incl
dents of the contest we have described.
was the wise, digni6ed and patriotic
rebuke which Washington from the
Presidential char administered TO the
spirit Of sectionalism. Writing to DR..
Stuart, of Virginia, tried friend, he
Gays, 81 am sorry such jealousies as
you speak Of should be gaining ground
and poisoning the minds of the south
ern people; but admit the fact which is
alledged as the cause of them, and
give it full scope, does it amount to
more than was known to every man OF
Information, before, at, and since the
adoption Of the Constitution? Was it
not always believed that there are some
points which pecuniarily interest the
eastern States? And did any one who
reads human nature, and especially the
character Of the eastern people, con.
ceive they would not pursue them
steadily by q combination of their
force? If these States are less tena.
cious of their interest, or il. while the
eastern move is q, solid phalanx 10 ef