The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-08-10
NATIONS CAPITAL.
TTenton's Narrow Escape
From Being the Seat
of Government.
BUT WASHINGTON OBJECTED
His Southern ssmpathies Weighed
Against New Jersey and the
Present Site was chosen.
BUT WASHINGTON OBJECTED

a committee of congressman were clothed
with authority to make ut the city OF
Washington for all time. The Southern
States fought hard against the scheme,
and General Washington, more than any
body else. was the cause of the defeat Of
the project. 1t is a chapter Of national
and local history that has been only
lightly treated On, and a subject of much
interest.
Within the last two years the Me-
chanfcs' National Bank has erected a
magnificent building on the corner OF
Warren and State streets. On this site
was originally the Blazing Star Tavern.
in the parlor of which once sat the Amer
lean Congress. On June Is, 1855, the
Legislature of New Jersey, led by the
agitation of its citizens, and knowing
h was desired on the part of Congress,
offered TO cede to the United States a dis
trict at least twenty miles square, and to
grant the sum of fSo.800 toward the erec-
ton of national buildings, and that was
conveyed to Congress in October OF that
year, when the selection Of a place for
a capital was to be considered.
Representative Gerry, Of Massachusetts,.
made a motion that buildings for the use
of Congress be erected as soon as prac-
ticable on the banks Of the Delaware,
near Trenton, or on the Potomac River,
near Georgetown. A committee of five
was appointed to view both sites ana to
report at a future meeting OF Congress.
The member from the Southern States
We're very much opposed to any site north
of the Mason and liz line. Petitions
poured In from their constituents, and the
day that the COMMITTEES was appointed a
motion was made to reconsider the pro-
~ceedings in order to fix some other place
that Shall be central, more favorable
to the Union. and shall approach nearer
to that Justice which is due the Southern
States. The Northern members voted
against the resolution. and 1t did not
pass.
The controversy as to the advisability
of the location at Trenton was then the
absorbing theme before the entire conn-
try. Madison wrote to Randolph on oc-
tober 10, 1873
'"TreDten was next proposed. on which
question the votes were divided by the
River Delaware. The vicinity of the Falls
is to become the future site Of the Fed
eral Government, unless a conversion of
some of the Eastern States can be ef-
fectea."
Congress adjourned from Trenton to
Annapolis, and in December the question
was again discussed. The subject contir1-
ued to be of interest ali during the year,
and in August, 1854, the New Jersey
Council received from John Cox and an
association of the citizens of New Jersey
and Pennsylvania a memorial praying
that ten miles square might be laid out
on the Delaware River for the use of the
Federal Government.
Congress resumed its meetings in Mo-
vernber, 1884. The fight for location was
continued. South Carolina moved for ad-
tournament The members from Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, New York and the
New England States fought The melton
hard and killed it. and then passed a reso-
luton voting sloe,eee for a building for the
use Of Congress. The ordinance was
passed on the 2Sd day of December, and
it read as follows:-
B it ordained by the United States
and Congress assembled, that the resolu-
ton OK the 2oth isust., respecting the erect
ing OF buildings for the use Of Congress,
pc carried into effect without delay; that
for this purpose three commissioners be
appointed, with full power, to lay out a
district not less than two nor exceeding
taree square miles on the banks of eitheg
side of the Delaware, not more than eight
miles above or below the lower falls. for
a federal town; and they be authorized
to purchase the soil or such part as they
Intervals; to enter into contracts for
erecting and completing In an elegant
manner a Federal house for the accom-
moaation Of Congress and one for the
use of the President, ana suitable paild-
lngs for the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.