Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-10-03
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1914.
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON, D. c.
Capitals of The United States.

capital of the United States, but such
is not the case. At one time the changes
in seat of government were frequent.
Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore.
Lancaster, Pa. York. Pa, Princeton. ~
j., Trenton, N. j. and Annapolis, Md,
have been at one time the capital of
the United States. After the cluse of
the war for independence there began
discussion OF the need for determining
on a city. CT site, tor the permanent
capital of the of the republic. and New
York, Kingston, N. Y: Newport, k.
l.. Germantown. Pa. Annapolis, Tren
ton. Baltimore, Williamsburg, Va, and
and a number OF other cities were
active candidates for the honor and
profit OF being the permanent capital
of the United States.
Then, when it had been determined
not to locate the seat of government
in city already in the list. but to
select site and create a national cap
ital, the claims Of many localities were
represented to Congress and pressed
UPON its attention. The late Ainsworth
K. Spotford, long librarian Of congress,
in a little study entitled THE Coming
of the White Man and the Founding of
the National Capital" wrote that
"When the first Congress under the
Congress Constitution met at New York
in 1889 that BODY was embarrassed by
the claims of many cities ana the offers
of various states to provide a parman-
ent seat of government.
Trenton, Philadelphia. Carlisle,
Germantown. Lancaster. York. Harris
burg, Reading, Wilmington. and Bait
imore were all eager to receive the new
government with open arms. The de
bates IN the in the House of Represent
atives-.for none OF those in The Senate
were reported-were long and some
what acrimonious. Suffice It to say
that after many loca tions had been sue
cessfully defeated Germantown, Pa.
having been once selected but reconsid-
cred the site of the Potomac was
carried July 9. 1890. by a majority of
only two votes in the Senate and three
votes in the House. Tbose votes. more
over. could not have been obtained had
not North Carolina not come into the
Union before the decision. casting
her vote for the southern location
In an address in 1900 in Connection
with the ceremonies commemorative of
the centennial of the establishment OF
the seat of government at Washington.
Representative Serene Z. Payne said
that New York and Philadelphia had
each in turn furnished a temporary
seat of government for the federation
OF states. Each had offered to donate
suitable grounds and buildings for the
federal house an OTTER OF no little
consequence in view of our bankrupt
Treasury
Other cities, baltimore, Lancaster.
York. Princeton. Trenton and Anna
polls. tad furnished temporary
refuge to the Continental Congress IN
the varying vIcissitudes OF the war,
and each had its clam on the grateful
patriotism of our people, Eact of these
cities had EXTENDED hospitable wei
come. and quie&ly matured plans to
give the Congress permanent abiding
place.
After the close of the war, and as
early as 1888. the discussion the place
for the permanent seat of government
began. The people tired OF a rowing
capital. and, indeed all necessity tor
TINS had ceased; there was no longer
danger OF the capture OF our lawmak ers
in any part of the states.
From September. l774, to December,
l776. the Continental Congress and the
Congress of the United States sat at
Philadelphia. From December 1916. TO
March. l777. it sat at Baltimore, and
Mara 4,l777, 1t was back at Phiadel-
ohia. In September. TIT. the cap