Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-09-01


Taxing this joint resolution as the chairman
| says it is intended, the inquiry will be, by
what authority this Corporation occupies ana
uses that space for market purposes, and tnougn
tne rlght SO to occupy 1t might be readily pre-
sumed from the length OF time 1t has been SO
used, the authority OF this Corporation will, 1
think, on examination, be found to have ema-
mated from Congress itself.
The act OF Congress establishing "tempo.
rary and permanent seat OF government Of the
United States, July 16, 179O,) and an act to
amend the same, March 3, 1791,) authorized
the President of the United States to appoint
three Commissioners, any two of whom were
empowered, under the direction of the Presi-
dent, to survey and by proper metes and bounds
define and limit district of territory, and
with power to purchase or accept such quanti-
ty OF land on the eastern side OF the Potomac,
as the President should deem proper, for the
use Of the United States and according to such
plGn as the President shall approve, to provide
suitable buildings for the accommodation Of
Congress, for the President, and the public
Offices of the Government Of the United
States"
BY authority of these acts OF Congress, and
under the direction of the President and these
Commissioners Major Charles Peter PEnfant
erpment, and the proprietors of the soil, on the
29th Of June, 1871, executed deed conveying
all their lands to Thomas Bell, Of George, and
John NJ Cant, upon the special trusts to con-
yey all the said lands, or such part thereof as
may be thought necessary and proper, to be
laid out as Federal City, with such Streets
SQuareS, parcels, ana lois as uQe freSlQent OF
the United States to the Commissioners for the
time being appointed by virtue of the act Of
Congress entitled can act for establishing a
temporary and permanent seat OF Government
of the United States and their successors, for
the use of the United States forever. All the
said land, streets, and such Of the said squares,
parcels, and lots as the President shall deem
proper, tor the use OF the United States; and
that as to the residue of the said lots into which
the said lands shall have been laid off and
divided, that fair and equal division Of them
shall be made, one-half to the original proprie-
tors, the other molety "to be sold at such times
and on such terms and conditions as the Presi-
dent of the United States shall direct and the
produce of the sales Of said lots applied in the
first place to the payment in money for SO
much OF the land as might be appropriated to
the use OF the United States, at the rate of f25
per acre, not accounting streets as part thereof,
this being so paid, or in any other manner
satisfied" then the produce OF the same sales,
or what may remain thereof as afore said in
money or securities Of any kind, shall be paid,
assigned, transferred and delivered over to the
President for the time being grant Of money
to be applied tor the purposes and according to
the act OF Congress Aforesaid.
On the 10Th day of December, 1891, the Leg.
islature of Maryland passed an act "concern.
ing the Territory of Columbia and the City Of
Washington" subjecting the lands OF all other
as those conveyed by Motley Young and others
in trust to Besll and Cant.
These acts of Congress, the act Of the Legis-
lature of Maryland, with the deeds of trust
of authority under which the President and
Commissioners acted In laying out the city.
The plan OF Major rEnfant, with slight al
terations made by Mr.. EIlicott, was approved
by General Washington, and the division Of
lots between the Government and the pro-
prietors Of the soil as provided for in the deeds
Of trust made in accordance herewith.
In the original plan were many spaces re-
served to and for the use of the United States,
the object for which they were reserved and
the purposes to which they were to be devoted,
with the exception of those for the Capitol and
Presidents House, were not at that time indi-
Gated by any official act of either the President
or the CCmmis sSiOners.
The designation of the others was held under
advisement, and on the Both of June, 1894, the
Commis sioners directed their surveyor, Mr.
Nicholas King, sto lay out the market So uares,"
and on the 18th of October, in the same year,
in letter addressed to Dir. David Burns, a
proprietor Of ground in that neig eighborhood, they
say "the ground taken for public use about the
market square is not yet entirely ascertained,
Mr. johnson has directions to furnish you
with the quantity OF your ground appropriated
by the Commissioners for The market and about
Congress having authorized the Commits
siorfTs 10 borrow sum of money not exceed.
ing three hundred Thousand dollars to provide
snltt lie buildings fer its own, the accommoda-
Ion OF the Pres sident, and the public officers OF
he Government Of the United States, and all
tne lots vested in the Commissioners or the
trustees III any manner for the use of the United
States, then remaining unsold, except those ap-
proprtotFd 10 ppttlc use. being made chargeable
with the repay ment of this money, (act May
9th, 1885, rendered IL Necessary that such OF
the spaces as were intended and reserved for
public Use should be designated to except
them from the terms Of the act to prevent their
sale.
1t was not till then that General Washing.
ton gave definite shape to his we'll matured
reflection on the destinations of the portions OF
ground In the City Of Washington reserved to
and for the use Of the United States.
On the ID of March, 1897, Just two days be-
fore he vacated The Presidential chair, by vir-
tue Of the authority vested in him and the Com
mssioners by acts Of Congress and the deeds
Of trust, in order to except them from the terms
OF the act Of May 9th, 1895, and to prevent a
sale of them under this act, adopting the lam
guage OF that act and defining them severally
by metes and bounds, he appropriated seven
teen of those pieces or portions of ground so
reserved to and for the use of the United States,
as follows