The National tribune., 1900-02-01


Complete next November. since Mrs. Ad-
ans brought order out of chaos IN the
White House. and it was so well arranged
that a levee was possible Jan. Il, lool'
On first entering the White House, she
writes to her daughter of the discomforts
of their new abode; but all was changed by
January.
On the day following Mrs. Adams s
letter, Nov. %, President Adams, with the
Houses of Congress in Joint session, pre-
sided over by Thomas Jefferson, gave
the annual address.
He said in part: Il congratulate the peo-
pie of the United States, on the assembling
of Congress at the permanent seat OF Gov
eminent. I congratulate you, gentlemen,
on the prospect of a residence not to be
changed. Although there is cause to ap-
prehend that accommodations are not now
SO complete as might be hoped, yet there
is great reason to believe that this incon-
venience will cease with the present ses-
SION"
In speaking of the navy, he said: ''The
present Navy Of the United States, called
suddenly into existence bya great national
exigency, has raised us in our own esteem,
and by the protection afforded to our COM
merce, effected to the extent Of our expecta-
tions the objects for which it was created"
In 1898 the Navy Department was for
mally created, and Benjamin Stoddard was
appointed the first Secretary.
The depredations of France upon our
commerce, and the conduct of the Barbary
powers was the cause of Congress authorlz-
ing an increase in the navy, and the Presi-
dent was empowered to use it for defense
against the French.
1t was reasonably expected that for all
time the Capitol was to be fixture in
Washington. Only the north wing was
completed, which the Senate occupied.
The Library and the Court Room, also,
were completed, but the south wing was
little more than an inclosue, some 20 feet
high. Within was an oval brick building,
occupied by the House of Representatives
and called ''the oven" When the oven was
pulled down, that the construction could
go on of the south wing, the Members were
transferred to the library of the north wing,
the books being removed to an adjacent
committee room.
So uncomfortable were the members that
an amendment actually passed the Senate
to transfer Congress to the other end of
Pennsylvania Avenue, and establish it
permanently in the Presidents mansion.
Hines, in his recollections, says he lived
to see two attempts made by Congress to
remove the seat of Government. The ma
jority favored a removal, but when the
question faced them they could not agree
on a location This condition of things
called forth caricature by a Scotchman
by the name of Mcdonald. The Member
who made the motion to move the Capital
was named Wright. He was represented
as STOPPING, the Capitol on his back, and
Members standing around, each pointing
in different direction which way he ought
to go. One was placarded as saying:
Wright you are wrong" Another was
Offering his wheelbarow.
The poor Scotchman was arrested by or
der of Congress, but was released by order
OF President Jefferson.
1t would keep Congress busy to-day il it
undertook to arrest all the caricaturists.
Architects disagreed; one after another
was dropped and others would take the
place, but the Capitol