Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02

was made in October, 1888, by Elbrdge
Gerry of Massachusetts,, who moved that
buildings for the use of Congress should be
erected on or near the banks of the Della
ware or Potomac. This resolution became
law, but only lasted six months, when it
was repealed; however, at the next session
of Congress, in October, 1884, at Trenton
the subject was again brought up and ad-
vanced still further by the appointment OF
three commissioners to lay out district on
either bank of the Delaware.
Wright's Ferry was the next place pro-
posed, and Congress passed resolution
fixing the permanent seat of government
there as soon as the necessary buildings
could be erected.
This resolution did not accord with the
views of the southern members, who used
all their eioquence to defeat the measure,
Madison going so far as to declare that had
Virginia foreseen this she would never have
entered the Union, and so the contest
waxed hot and strong. The effect of pecu-
MARY arguments was next tried. In De-
cember, 1889, Virginia passed an act offer
ing a tract of ten miles square of her terri
tory on the banks of the Potomac for the
federal city and the sum OF $4,000 for the
erection of the buildings.
The Maryland legislature, about the same
time, offered ten miles square on the oppo-
site side of the river and $4,000 for the
erection of the buildings. These efforts
created great excitement and the site for
the national capital became political is
sue. New Jersey now came forward with
an offer to provide suitable buildings at
Trenton; Baltimore promised to erect every
edifice needed, and the people of New York
and Philadelphia pointed out their gener-
osity in having furnished gratuitously "ele-
CANT and convenient accommodations"
while Congress was held in their respective
cities.
Jefferson and Hamilton.
1t is said while affairs were in this
tumultuous state Alexander Hamilton,
then Secretary of the Treasury and leader
of the northern element, during a call at
the Presidents met Thomas Jefferson,
Secretary of State, and a ruling spirit
among his southern colleagues.
They at once began to discuss the all
absorbing topic. Hamilton expressed fears
of the dissolution of the Union, saying the
eastern states openly threatened secession,
and so embittered were the northern and
southern members they would not meet to
transact business.
Jefferson thought matters might be
ranged, and invited Hamilton to dine with
him the next day and discuss the subject
with two or three friends.
Mr.. Jefferson in his account does not give
the names of the other friends invited to the
dinner, but they settled this affair of state
between them, and the result was the ma
TONS capital on the banks of the Potomac.
The location finally decided upon. the lay
ing out of the city was left to the personal
supervision of the President.
Gen. Washington had great difficulty in
getting the land owners of the neighbor-
hood to agree in the selection of g site for
the proposed city, each one urging his
claims to the exclusion of the others
Speaking of this difficulty in his diary of
March 20, 1871, he wrote: Finding the
interests of the land owners about George
town and those obout zCarrolIsburg much
at variance, and that their fears and jeal-
ousies of each other were counteracting the
public purposes and might prove injurious
to its best interests, while, If properly man
aged they might be subservient to it, / re-
questeG them to meet me at o'clock this
afternoon, which they accordingly did"
The success of this conference Is given
in the entry of March 80: 1.-THE parties to
whom addressed myself yesterday evening
having taken the matter into consideration
saw the propriety of my observations and
that while they were contending for the
shadow they might lose the substance and
therefore mutually agreed and entered into
articles to surrender for public purposes
one-half of the land they severally possessed
within bounds which were designated as
necessary for the city to stand. This busi-
ness being thus happily finished and some
directions being given to the commission
ers, the surveyor and engineer with respect
TO the laying out of the district, surveying
the grounds for the city and forming them
into lots, left Georgetown, dined at Alex