Evening star., 1932-06-11

actual outrage" The special congress
sional committee appointed to deal with
the situation expressed belief that II
the city would not support Congress 1t
was high time to remove to some other
place.
State House Surrounded.
The soldiers came into town on June
20. a Friday, and their spokesmen said
they had no other object than to OBJ
, tain the money due them, and that
they thought they had better oppor-
tunity to gain a settlement by coming
to Congress than by waiting for Con-
gress to come to them.
On Saturday, June 81, the bonus
marchers. between $50 and 800 in all,
marched to the State House, where
Congress was in session, and surrounded
the building Another appeal was made
by Congress to the State authorities for
! protection. but without avail.
The soldiers attempted no violence,
1t appears, though they did use some
pretty harsh language, pointed muskets
at the windows Of the State House, and,
In the language of congressional COM
mittee, made "a disorderly and menac-
ing appearance"
James Madison in his notes Of the
affair said that no danger from pre-
meditated violence was anticipated, but
that "spirituous drink from the tippling
houses adjoining began to be literally
served out to the soldiers and might
lead to hasty exceSses."
Forced to Run Gantlet.
When Congress finally adjourned the
members were forced to run a gantlet
of the mutinous soldiers, who were, ac-
cording to Madison, "in some instances
offering a mock obstruction. permitting
the members to pass through their
ranks"
Congress reassembled in the evening,
while the barracks occupied by the SOL
dierS seethed, or, in the words Of Madi-
son, were in constant vibration" Con-
gress, having endeavored to preserve
the remaining remnants of its dignity.
decided to leave town. and finally as
sembled in Princeton eight days later.
The day after Congress left town the
Pennsylvania Executive Council decided
belatedly to call out guard. The lead
ers of the mutiny vanished and the
Lancaster contingent yielded and
marched back to Lancaster. where, as
result Of a court martial, two men
we're sentenced to death and four to
receive corporal punishment. All were
pardoned by Congress.
Agree on New Capital.
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania at
tempted to get Congress to return, but
the die had been cast. Congress, in
session in Princeton. agreed to set up
what is now the National Capital. The
session Of the year was completed in
Princeton. The next year Congress met
at Annapolis. then in Trenton, and
finally in New York.
In amusing and interesting comment
on the possibility of such a situation as
that presented by the present bonus
army is found in a report made to the
Twenty first Congress by the House
District Committee. The committee
quotes one Nathan Loughborough. as
follows:
If at any future time a portion OF
our citizens should become so disor-
derly as to molest the Congress while in
the exercise of their legislative duties
I think it probable that such descrip-
tion Of persons will be more likely to
be found in this District while Con-
gress has the sole jurisdiction over II
than under the government Of a State
where as I apprehend, the laws are
more strictly executed than they are
here"