The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-12

moYal of the Seat of Government OF the
United States to the District of Columbia
gives peculiar interest TO the chapter on
the District of Columbia contained in Geo
logical Survey Bulletin No. III. This bull
letin was recently prepared by Henry Can
nett and gives an account of the bounda-
ries of the United States and Of the sew
eral States and Territories. with an cut
line of the history Of all important
changes Of territory
On September ). 1774, the Continental
Congress met at Philadelphia. Two years
later they adjourned to Baltimore. During
the Revolution and subsequent to the
treaty CT peace they met il various places.
After the close of the war much debate
took place in regard to the location of Z
permanent seat Of the Government of the
United States Several States made propo-
sitions to Congress- Offering to eede Ger
tain lands for 81 purpose, but no deter
mination OF the location was made by Con-
gress until 1889
On December %, 1888. the State of
Maryland passed the following act:
BE it enacted by the General Assembly
OF Maryland, That the Representatives OF
this State in the House CT Representatives
Of the Congress of the United States, ap-
pointed 10 assemble at New York, on the
first Wednesday OF March next, be, and
they are hereby authorized and required
or behalf of this State to cede to the Con-
gress of the United States any district IN
this State not exceeding ten miles square,
which the Congress may tx upon and &C
cept for the sea of Government OF the
United States.
On December :, 1889, the State Of Vir-
giDia passed similar act of which the fol-
lowing is an extract;
Be it therefore enacted by the Gen
eral Assembly, That a tract Of country
not exceeding ten miles square or any
lesser quantity, TO be located within the
limits of the State and in any part thereof
as Congress may by law direct, shall. be.
and the same is hereby, forever ceded and
relinquished to the Congress and Gov
eminent CT the United States in full and
absolute right and exclusive jurisd c,ion,
as well Of said soil as of persons re-
siding or to reside thereon. pursuant 10
the tenor and effect OF the Eighth section
of the First Article OF the Constitution
Of the Government CT the United s ates-
After long discussion, Congress in 1873,
in view OF the foregoing CessiOns of
Maryland and Virginia, passed the fol-
lowing act:
An act for establishing the temporary
and permanent seat Of Government of
the United States, approved july 10. 1890
Section !. Be it enacted by the Senate
ted States, in Congress assembled, That
district of territory not exceeding ten
miles square. to be located as hereafter
directed on the river Potowmac, at some
place between the mouth of the Easi ern
Branch and Cennoyocheque, be- and the
same is hereby, accepted for the peTma-
aent seat OF Government Of the United
States: Provided, nevertheless, that The
operation OF the laws CT The States wit h
in such district shall not be affected By
this acceptance until the time fixed fer
tha removal of the Government thsrsto,
and until Congress shall by law otherwise
provide.
Sec. 2 And be it further enacted That
the President Of the United States be au-
thorized TO appoint, and by supplying va
cancies happening from refusaIs TO act or
other causes. to keep in appointment as
long as may be necessary, three Comm.s-
sioners who or any two of whom shall
under the direction of the Pres den sur
Vey. and Dy proper metes and b CunGs de-
fine and limit district of territory IN
der the limitations above mentioned; and
the district so defined limited and il
Gated, shall be deemed the district &C
copied By this act for the permanent seat
Of the Government OF the United States.
Sec. 3. And be il enacted, That the said
Commissioners, or any two Of them shall
have power to purchase or accept such
quantity Of land on the eastern side Of
the said river within the said district as
the President shall deem proper f5r the
use of the United States, and according
TO such plans as the President SHALL ap-
prove. The said Commissioners or any
two of them, shall prior to the first Mon
day in December, in the year 1SGO, pro-
vide suitable buildings for the accommo-
datiCn of Congress and Of the President.
and for the public Offices of the Govern
ment of the United States.
Sec. + And be II enacted, That for de-
fraying the expenses of such purchases and
buildings, the President of the United
States be authorized and requested to &C
cept grants Of money
Sec 5. And be il enacted That prior TO
the irst Monday in December next all Of
fees attached to the seat OF Government of
the United States shall be removed TO- and
IN II the first Monday in December in
the year 1900 shall remain at the
city of Philadelphia, in the State Of Perm
syivania, at which place the session Of Con-
gress next ensuing the present shall be
held.
Sec 6. And be it enacted, That on the
first Monday in December in the year 1900
the seat of the Government OF the United
States shall, by virtue Of this act, be trans
ferred to the district and place aforesaid
And all ofaces attached to the seat Of said
Government shall accordingly be removed
thereto by their respective holders. and
shall. after the said day, cease TO be ex-
eTeised elsewhere, and that the necessary
expenses Of removal shall be betrayed out
Of the duties On imposts and tonnage. Of
which a sufficient sum is hereby appro-
priated"
In the following year the foregoing act
was amended il order to include portion
Of the Anaeostia River eastern Branch).
and the town Of Alexandria, within the
limits of the District
The following is the act of amendment:
An act TO amend An Act for establish
ing the temporary and permanent seat of
Government OF the United States APPROX
ed March s, 1871.
Be 1t enacted, etc, That so much Of the
act entitled An Act for establishing the
temporary and permanent seat Of Govern
ment Of the United States as requires that
the whole OF the district Of territory not ex-
ceedfng ten miles square to be located on
the River Potowmac for the permanent seat
OF Government Of the United States. shall
be located above the mouth OF the Eastern
Branch, be, and Is hereby, repealed, and
that II shall be lawful for the President to
make any part Of the territory below said
limit and above the mouth Of Hunting
Creek part of The said district so as to
include convenient part Of the Eastern
Branch and Of the lands lying OF the lower
aide thereof; and also the town of Alex
andria. and the territory so to he Included
shah form a part Of the district not ex-
eeeding ten miles square for the perma-
nent seat OF the Government of the United
States in ike manner. and 70 all inteats