The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-05
A SCHEME THAT FAILED.


Leap from the History of the Selection
Of the site for the National Capital.
Trenton, N. j., Dec. S.--New Jersey
has reason to take pride in the repre-
sentation that the state will make next
| Wednesday in the centennial celebra-
ton Of the establishment OF the nation
al capital at Washington. Governor
voorhees, has named special staff to
participate In this event, and In hon.
oring 1t he will participate in a cere-
mony that might have been held with
in his own state had 1t not been for the
uncertain turns Of politics.
1t is not generally known that Tren-
ton, besides being the temporary ma
| tlonal capital for some time, was the
site selected for the permanent nation
al reservation and capital. The selec-
ton Of the site precipltated the first
sectional fight this country ever expe-
rienced, and 1t divided the patriots in
congress so widely that 1t looked for
some months as If the newly made UNI
ion of states would fall apart and that
I there would be antagonistic republics
on each side of the Mason and Dixon
line Washington feared secession.
and so declared. The first legislative
bargain Of congress was forced
through, and because Of 1t Trenton lost
the national capital The land specu-
lators and traders that sprang up went
into bankruptcy. and all that is left as
a reminder of them is Federal City"
small settlement near Trenton, which
consists Of blacksmith shop and four
houses, bearing the name that the land
boomers gave 1t when congressional
commissioners were casting about for
the site of the national reservation I'M
der the act Of congress This story of
how New Jersey missed having the
coming celebration of next Wednesday
Is chapter Of state and national his
tory. 1t reveals the existence of the
underlying strata of discord that so
long disturbed the American govern
ment and society.
After the Revolutionary war began
congress and the United States govern
ment were living a gypsy existence
wandering from place to place, to keep
out Of the way of the pursuing RED
Coats" They found some security in
New Jersey because it was between
New York and Philadelphia, and con-
siderable of the time was spent in
Trenton. There were few small tav-
erns there, but the citizens were hospit-
able and placed their beds at the dispo-
sal of the members of the homeless
government. The Blazing Star was the |
big hotel of the little city, and here
congress did it's business. 1t has not !
as a reminded of those early /
days The Mechanics National bank |
stands on the site. The people began
to clamor for congress to settle some
where and establish permanent bust |
ness basis. In June, 1888, congress an
nounced that 1t would open bids for a
location, and would settle down in the
state that would offer the best advan-
tages. Trenton bonifaces and trades
men We're convinced that a national |
capiIat was a good thing, and the whole |
town became a hustling board of trade.
The idea pleased the New Jersey legis- F,
lature, and before the other states were
fairly awake it declared by resolution
that the state would cede a reservation
twenty miles square to the national |
government and contribute subsidy |
az ninety thousand dollars In specie,
which was a large sum of money, con-
sidering the size of the treasury. The
congressman claimed the cap
tal by right, and declared it should not
go above the Mason and Dixon line.
At that time there were seven hundred
slaves in the small domain
then known as the United States. The
population was 100000. The Puritan
spirit that prevailed in the New Eng
land states caused some severe stric-
lures to be made on the southern slave
owners, which the southerners resent
3D. The Delaware river became the di-
viding line The New England states,
New York and New Jersey Joined to-
gether and stood by Jew Jersey in the
claim for the national capital. Penn