Evening star., 1915-03-29

:, mere old age, are often said to he
born, to grow to maturity, and to die nke
oersons. In certain aspects OF theif
material development and decay they re-
senble persons. II the analogy might DC
carried further. and human emouonS oe
,scr,hed TO personified cities, washington
end,,p a tongue could give utterance to
voful autobiography.
1,,,s r.c,taI of grievances would find
b.p,nnins in events which occurred pre-
vious to the city's birth. While oFdl-
nar,Iy neither individuals nor municipal
cornoratons can complain of fll-treat-
rnent At a time when they had no ex-
,.,an.s the cap,tal on the Potomac may
nsrhaps be excused for indulg1ng IN a
feeble. preliminary vail over the diIncul-
tfes which 1t experienced In peluE W.
at all. And this privilege shouid pc
granted the more Ieaol.y IN s,r,Is yig~ can M be be
traced to their sources in events oi 'ie
The location Of the National Capital
was a subject OF content1on oet~ sss
north and south and between several ,n. on.
ferent states of these sections: me M
claimants OF the honor Of providing the
uermanent seat Of government were n.aue
l,nyielding in their demands by state
nride and state jealousy. and sectional
animosities added to the bitterness OF
the controversy. The subject was
fruitful source of wrangling IN the eon
zress assembled under the articles oi
Confederation. This BODY met IN SOME
cording as convenience suggested or ne
cess.ty compelled. and from time to time
II named a permanent location on ~
reverse its decision when the SUBJECT was
next discussed. The proposed site on tie
Potomac. supported by many southern
members. was rejected more than once.
In 11Ss a location on the Delaware was
preferred to one on the Potomac. ara III
11s+ a commission was appoihteI 70 seieee
a site upon the former river. rms selec-
tiou was not made. however. and the con-
tention was bequeathed to the tirst CON
yress meeting under the Cohs'l.u.ioii; u;
The wrangle soon became more Iea,eo
than ever before. The claims of Phlla-
iIeIphia. Germantown. Havre de Grace.
W-rieht's Ferry on the SusqueEanna, ana
9, location on the Potomac were most
strongly urged
ON Septemoer =. 11sa the House. by
,.nte of II 10 1a passed a resolution hN-
ing the permanent seat of government on
the Susauehanna. an action which arous-
ed the bitterest feelings among !he south-
ern members and caused Mr Mao son 10
affirm his belief that if a prophet hao
started up in the Virgin a convention and
fo-eto,d the proceeding virginia would
not hare been Il party 70 the CONSTITUTION.
The Senate inserted Germantown, instead
~ n site on the SusqUehanna- as the seat
II government The House CO ncided IN
IA amendment and the Capitol would
nertaps be now standing n Germantown
lad not an amendment. af7ectn ng the 10
~atioB in no respect carried the OIL oack
20 the Senate, where it failed TO receive
consideration during the remainder OF
tte session In the next year tbs phase
uf the wrangle was ended The persist
o.,s.y of Mr. Madison and other southern
members carried the day. but bargain
votes. The bill for the assumption of the
state debts by the national government.
which was also orig ginally supported by
minority. was passed in conjunction win
. bill to locate the capital on the Potomac
isy a '.Iog-roll ng'' arrangement between
Hamilton and Jefferson. In July. 1I9O.
tne House by vote Of 30 to - and the
Senate. by a vote OF IA to IL. decided IN
favor Of the Potomac After ten years OF
preparation for the event. during which
Wash ngton, board of commits
.Ioners contended against obstinacy
and avarice in some Of the orig
NAL proprtetors of the soil, and work
on several public buildings was begun.
Washington. as the national capital, came
INTO being From its cradle II was sur
rounded by enemies eager for its life.
President Wash ngton was taunteo IN
sordid motives in causing the capital
10 be placed near his estates on the Po-
tion was settled was denounced as fraud
uient and corrupt. and each disappointed
and incensed claimant of the capital pr:ze
in this legislative lottery awaited
fortune Of a new drawing by strangling
the successful competitor.
The first grievance, then, Of washing
ton-the city controlled exclusively by
Congress. the ward Of the nation-is that
from its tenderest years its nerves have
been unstrung. its growth retarded and
It's constitution undermined by q well
founded terror. due to
The Attempts Upon It's Life
and the threats of sudden and violent
destruction made from time TO time by
It's guardian. Like the hero Of Great
Expectations" the capital was brought
up by hand" and It's guardian was
day in 1900 when the archives of gov
crnmsnt were brought from Philadelphia
10 seven largo boxes and four or ftve
mailer ones" and an army Of hfty-four
ONCE holders swelled tho population of
tenpts TO remove the seat Of government.
and such removal would have meant, OF
course. the death of Washington. An
Engifshnan named Weld. who visited the
future capital in 17ps says: 'Notwith-
standing all that has been done at the
city and the large sums Of money which
have been expended, there are numbers of
people IN the United States living to the
north Of the Potomac. particularly In
Philadelphia. who are still very adverse
- The removal OF the seat Of government
tliitser. and are doing all in their pow
er 70 check the progress Of tho build
inGs IN tho city and TO prevent the Con-
greeo from meeting there at the appoint
ID time" Those who had thus opposed
ths removal to Washington were the
anna Who now endeayored to effect q sec
ond removal. and who. as part OF their
dftton which would serve ae an argument
in favor Of the change. AZ a sample OF
tho attacks upon the infant capital, hear
q new ''Crfto'' In his Letters on the Seat
Of Government" published IN 1907: I'm
the meantime. be It known to the good
psopls Of the Union. from New Hamp-
shire to Georgia 0or I may presume,
without fear Of contradiction. that nine
ty-ufne- humid redths Of the youth Of the
United States grow up to manhood with
out ever having seen the capital OF their
country). that the national bAntling call
ed the city Of Washington remains. after
tan years Of expansive fostering. rick
ETY. infant. unable to 20 alone. Nature
Will not be forced. A sickly child canno,
be dressed and handled into a healthy
constitution. This embryo Of the state
viii always be a disappointment to IL
psrsnts. q discredit to the fond opinions
OF its worthy godfsthers and godmothers
and IN eyesore TO all It's relations to the re-
hottest degree of consanguinity." Critic;
advice. IN conclusion. Is TO remove the
seat Of government to Philadeiphia, the
very focus of foreign and domestic In
telligenee." Crito's method of using as
An argument in favor of death the sickly
condition Of the nations "bantling.
caused by harsh treatment and made.
n1ate support by its constitutional protec-
IA