Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-03
WHEN LANCASTER WAS THE CAPITAL
Intcres.InS Extracts From the Minutes of
tic Federal Congress-

In tie Investigations, by the Lancaste,
lyceum, oi the place in this city at which
Concress met in 1117, when it was "on
the wing" the association has been large
ly aided in examinations made at Wash
ingtou, at tho instance Of Mr.. r. J. Hous.
ton, by his brother, Mr.. Samuel Z. Hous-
ton, WHO ". ties that he can only find the
appended notes marked "a" "B" and
&C." and certain minutes Of the congress
ionai proceedings. They show that the
court house was use! IS an Office by two
committees ol the state Assembly and that
the United States treasury was located
there for u time. Egie, IL his history Of
the state .iveS a wood cut of the Lancas-
ter court house at that :me, but does not
refer to it in the body Of the book. Nari-
Gus ii5.o.cs:l works examined by Mr..
Houston ihrGw go light on the subject.
Mr. Elw. Mcpherson thinks it was the
old court house, hu, rccollects no author
ity for this belief TIE court house at
York then tie capital Of Franklin coun-
ty) was the place i'll which Congress met
there and most likely when it sat here it
met iu the Lancaster court house of that
day.
Prom tho Cong: ca.iGIiai Minutes.
Extracts from Proceeding, Of Continental
Congress, at philtd"!pilia. Oh MDnGay, Sep
tembcr -, III
Z" Hcyolycd, That il Congress- shall be
obliged to remove frum Philadelphia,
Lancaster bc the place where they Shall
meet"
Also the iollowin", ;.sIc day:
''EcsolUcd That tine papers be put undci
the caro- of Mr.. Clark, and that he be en-
powered, upon Congress rcI:.Dving to Ian
caster, to procure Wagons sufficient for
conveying them :hithc:, and apply To
General Dici.en.on, Or amy Gtller officer
commanding troops in the service Of the
United States who IS hereby directed to
furnish, IA guard TO conduct the said papers
safely t. Lancaster"
On the 18Th OF September, l717, Con
grcss Adjourned in phila;lcirnia to meet
the next day -. the siinc place at 10
o'clock, but between Tic hear uf adjourn
mcnt uu the 18th aid Tie time Of
mectin,. the licXt day. information WIS rc-
Ceivcd by the p..siC.cnt, which prevented
a meeting there, is ".!t DE seen bya note
cntcrcd in ti!2 Journal, but without date,
as follows
"Duliag tic aijvu;:lMlcIt ;hc president
received y letter iicIn Col. Hamilton, one
of Gen. Washin.tu,i'S aids, which intimat-
cd til" necessity al removing ;kc Congress
immediately from Philadelphia where
upon the members left the city and agree
ably to the yCSolrc Of the 1itl: repaired to
Lancaster.
This note follows the Proceedings If
tho 18th, in 'ni!adclrhia, and prcccd:a
those of the 2.th in Lancaster. but by
,j,I, Ill,
when written, It does not state. /. evi
deptly refers to the night of the 18th, OF
morning OF Tie i9:h, as the time the
members left 70: Lancaster. leaving until
the 21th to reach Lancaster.
Following are the proceedings i'll Ian
caster complete. Short hand writer's were
not around in rliCsc days, So that only the
items uf Importance appear i'll proceed
ingS.
LANCASTER, Saturday, sept. =, lsU.
"Congrcss convened
a letter of the 10Th from Gru1. Gates
at the nights above Bchman's one Of the
10th from Col dist ut Christiana Bridge
one OF the 10Th from Col. Gibson at Alex
ardria and one OF the 23d from General
Washington ut po:tS2rovc were read. y
letter from Briy. General Conway; one
from Col. G. Morgan at Fort Pitt with
several papers cii2lon'fi. ana leCtcr from
the Baron dc halb to Col. II. Ii. Lee were
read. Ordered. That they be referred 20
the board of War.
"A letter of the 10th from J. Trumbuli
was read. Ordered that it be referred to
the board of TrcaS"ry
Resolved That the board of War bc
directed to cooperate with Gen'l Wash
ington in devisng and carrying INTO exc
cutiOn cffectuai measures for supplying
the army with iiIc-.riaS, Shoes, blankets,
stockings provisions; ;.!, other neccssaIies'
aud that in executing thi; business the
Collectors bc confined As much us circum
stances will admit to prisons of dtsn6ecteG
and cGuirocal character.
"Rcsulved Tia. t.lo treasury board
direct the Treasurer with all his papers,
forms, &c, to repair 70 the town of York in
Pennsylvania.
adjourned to York Town there to
meet on Tuesday next at 10 o'clock A.
NJ
g. 'YoEk, Tuesday, Sept. 80, l''I.
Congress convened
" Without considering any business ad-
lOurned until to mnryow at 10 O'Clock n.
M
..i.''