The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-14
PERMANENT SEAT
OF GOVERNMENT
Question of Sectional Rivalry and
Political Equilibrium.
SPECTRE WOULD NOT DOWN.
D,s.,ss,ou Brought the Union &c
the Brink of DissoI"ti'" I" INC
Fi,s, Congress Held under
ths, Constitution
ny LAWRENCE MARSE


~
The centennial ceiep' 1 1.Is....,,,,a.,t -
or the Genera! Government 70
..iio '.. .. spa. az. Inc Potomac. WHICH
- ~ communicated on NcoieSuaA'
- - nm interest 10 everything "..ici
sr,atns 10 that historic incidehl. ~
.,i,ac,-S are dcvot4nE much OF the's SP',e
t.a,,.,i,,r1ions and editorial comments
~, ,bc subject. liu; one very lh'ei CO.
;nc,,ay the most interesting-aSPetl Va
,b, secretion of the permanent
.I.,,cc,, as rhe phrase then went H<tS
.,;,..,a eight consideration. Il refer to
The bitter sectional feeling ehse'iost W
a., tbe discussion of the subject IN Con
r.,ess II brought the more lse'lec1
I-n;o,-- 10 the brink of dissolution IN the
Very first Congress under the lohSti'u
INV prenonderancc of political power
was a bone of contention pe1"eeh .tie
northern and southern sections from 'iie
first hour OF the Congress OF me Soti-
federation in l.'i. 10 Tue o"'o e'N7
the civil war. in ISL
II is probable that ninc-tenths OF the
r,eonlc of the country. in particular the
Younger generation, who have come on
rba stage since the termination OF the
war between the States, believe that the
sectional agitation was brewed oE Tue
Abelitionists and Free-Soilers, beginning
with the Missouri Compromise. IN Nv
and leading on through the compromise
measures of 1850. ard the kansaS-NeOFas-
ka horrors. down to the John Brown tfas
,Sy at Iiarper-s Ferry. and the 1lnai
,.atas,ronhe of Fort Sumter and the civil
var Nothing could be farther from the
facts of history
The sectional Jealousy was seen IN the
selection Of the commissioning OIL
the armies of the Revolution. although
the resolution for the appointment o.
WASHINGTON was finally introduced oE
John Adams. notwithstanding that Johll
lIanock aspi:ed to the honor, as was
well understood at the time This sec
fiona, iealousv came prominently to the
front in she demand that Virginia
Should surrender TO the onl'eo
States the magnificent northwest
eru domain which she magnanl-
mously did by the ordinance OF 1885, ms
same jealousy showed its "hideous front
in the Cons ,itutional Convention OF 100.
In the first few days OF the session OF
that body the ViIulcnt manifestation OF
sectional antioathieS was such that WASH
inrton. who presided over the convention
called a member ia the chair. anu mace
an earnest and effective appeal to tbs
members for the exercise of cdlInneSs
and sobriety in their deliberations. Is
ali the blood shed in the achievement
Of our independence he exclaimed, ''tc
go for naugtr?' On but one other occa'
sion during the four-months debate. dc
ne vacate the chair to address the con-
vartion, But the spectre did not down
at his appeal for now and then durln=
the excited discussions OF the body Il
reappeared with the l1ersistency OF Bar
uuo-s ghost Notably did the Spectra
appariliorl put in appearance during
the debate on the basis of representation
whereby three-hfths of the slave ropula
ton were to he counted There We're
do moral or sentimental consideration
inrolved. The New England and north
ern members who opposed the admission
of the save reputation into the estiulaiio
of electoral votes d d not care one groa
about the moral question involved il
slavery. Their sole solcitude was for th
balance OF power between the sections
1t is interesting fact for the curiou!
8 dent Of American history to note how
that when section added q. State
70 the Union the other section hastenet
70 establish the equilibrium by introducin:
another State.
WITH REDOUBLED FURY.
This sectional jealousy which was con
spicuous during the government undo,
the Articles of Confederation" ana
which manifested its existence in man,
animated debates in the constitutional
Convention Of 1877. reappeared in retIou.
Iiitt lui IA the ulSfUSSiOOS OF the hrs
Congress under the Constitution Before
] come TO consider these debates in the
first Congress let me show the deep
rooted sentiment Of sectional rivalry anG
sectional antipathy by brief reference:
TO one or two subsequent events. Tht
most notable of these iealousies was
shown on The occasion Of The acquisition
of the Louisiana territory by Mr.. Jeffer-
son. in 1893 Upon the acquisition of this
!,
in a compact body. threatened TO secede
and form separate confederacy. The
ground OF this remonst-ance and threat
was frankly stated in a letter from one
Massachusetts statesman to another
George Cabot grandfather ! believe. OF
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge wrote 10
Colonel Timothy Pickering: .'Thc inf1l1-
cnoe of our part Of the Union must be
diminished by the acquisition of more