The Washington critic., 1889-03-07
THE FOURTH OF MARCH.
Some of the Interesting Events Tn
Are Recalled by the Day.

THE FOURTH OF MARCH.
Some of the Interesting Events That
Are Recalled by the Day.
William Penn, whom tho citizens Of this
commonwealth hold I'm peculiar honor as
the founder Of the state, inherited from his
father a claim against the English Grown
for f16,O00 In settlement of which debt
Charles ii gave his creditor grant of
Pennsylvania on March 4, 1881. The
royal grant made Penn, In his thirty-sey-
enth year the sovereign OF q new State and
master of the soil. The consent Of the
frecmen of the colony was necessary 10 the
enactment Of laws, which were subject 10
the royal veto, and the colony was liable
to taxes levied by Parliament
Withinthe limits OF Pennsylvania earlier
settlements had been established, the mem
bers OF which Penn invited TO live free un-
der laws of their own making. During
1852 twenty y-three ships sailed for Pennsyl-
vania and on December OF thai year the
first Assembly met, consisting OF seventy
two members, being twelve delegates from
each county.
When the cityof New York was fixed
upon as the Federal Capital, number of
wealthy citizens contributed 800, 900 for the
renovation of Federal Hail. On the morn
ing Of March 4, the day fixed upon for the
assembling of Congress, 1t was arranged
that cannon should be fired and bells rung
at sunrise and sunset. Great disappoint-
eight Senators and thirteen Representatives
were present on the appointed day. On
March II a circular letter was issued urging
the attendance Of congressman. The lax
habits of the old Continental Congress, at
the sessions of which there was no regular
attendance, were largely due to the want
of regular lines of stages and the difficulty
of transit, especially at this season OF the
year, when the roads were impossible and
the rise of the rivers caused floods.
The New York newspapers Of the day
published many articles urging these
causes of delay and drawing much consola-
tlon from the discussion. On March 30
thirty members OF the House, Just a
quorum, were in the city. As Virginia
and Massachusetts, had the President aud
Vice-Prcsfdent II was decided that Penn
sylvania should have the Speaker of the
House, to which Frederick A. Muhlenberg,
v,ooi,hv s,,oo,. roen.r 30 pb,,odaI,h,o
was accordingly elected. 1t was April @
before the Senate obtained quorum and
the Presidential votes were opened, show
ing the election OF Washington as Presi-
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