00000607 |
Previous | 607 of 684 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
564 HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
June, 1783, when congress was driven from Philadelphia by the mutiny of a
part of the Pennsylvania line, for the purpose of compelling congress to make
good their arrears of pay. In this emergency, a committee was appointed,
Avith Alexander Hamilton at its head, to ask the executive of Pennsylvania
for assistance; but they reported that the Philadelphia militia could not be
depended on for protection, and that congress Avas at the mercy of the mutineers.
When this report was made, Messrs. Ward, Mercer and others, "being much displeased, signified if the city Avould not support congress, it was high time to
remove to some other place." After discussing the situation with General St.
Clair, congress, on the next day, adjourned to Princeton. This adjournment
made the establishment of a federal capital a necessity, and it continued to be
made the subject of discussion down to its final adoption, in 1790. On October
7, 1783, Mr. Gerry introduced a resolution that buildings for the use of congress be erected on or near the banks of the DelaAvare or Potomac, provided
that a suitable place could be obtained for a federal town, and that the right of
soil and an exclusive jurisdiction be vested in the United States. This statute
was repealed on the 26th of April, 1784, and on the 30th of October following,
Avhile congress was sitting at Trenton, they appointed three commissioners to
lay out a district on either bank of the Delaware, " not more than eight miles
above or below the falls." They were authorized to purchase soil, erect and
complete, in an "elegant manner," a Federal house, President's house, houses
for the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, War, Marine and Treasury; but oAving
to the resistance of the southern members, no appropriation to carry out the
provisions of the Act was made, and the law was never carried into execution.
On the 13th of January, 1785, an effort Avas made to substitute the Potomac,
but failed. On the 10th of May, 1787, Mr. Lee, of Virginia, offered a resolution " for erecting the necessary public buildings for the accommodation of
congress, at Georgetown, on the Potomac River," Avhich was lost. The neAv
Constitution, of 1787, declared,1 that congress shall have poAver to exercise
exclusive legislation over such a district, not exceeding ten miles square, as
may, by the cession of States, become the seat of gOATernment. No action was
had under this provison of the Constitution until December 23d, 1788, when
the General Assembly of Maryland passed " an Act to cede to congress a district of ten miles square, in this State, for the seat of the government of the
United States." By this Act it was enacted " by the General Assembly of
Maryland, that the representatives of this State in the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, appointed to assemble at New York
on the first Wednesday of March next, be, and they are hereby authorized and
required, on behalf of this State, to cede to the Congress of the United States
any district in this State, not exceeding ten miles square, Avhich the congress
may fix upon and acccept for the seat of government of the United States."
On the 27th of December, Virginia passed a similar resolution, but no action
Avas taken by congress upon the measure until the 5th of September, 1789,
1 Article I., section 8.
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000607 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 564 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. June, 1783, when congress was driven from Philadelphia by the mutiny of a part of the Pennsylvania line, for the purpose of compelling congress to make good their arrears of pay. In this emergency, a committee was appointed, Avith Alexander Hamilton at its head, to ask the executive of Pennsylvania for assistance; but they reported that the Philadelphia militia could not be depended on for protection, and that congress Avas at the mercy of the mutineers. When this report was made, Messrs. Ward, Mercer and others, "being much displeased, signified if the city Avould not support congress, it was high time to remove to some other place." After discussing the situation with General St. Clair, congress, on the next day, adjourned to Princeton. This adjournment made the establishment of a federal capital a necessity, and it continued to be made the subject of discussion down to its final adoption, in 1790. On October 7, 1783, Mr. Gerry introduced a resolution that buildings for the use of congress be erected on or near the banks of the DelaAvare or Potomac, provided that a suitable place could be obtained for a federal town, and that the right of soil and an exclusive jurisdiction be vested in the United States. This statute was repealed on the 26th of April, 1784, and on the 30th of October following, Avhile congress was sitting at Trenton, they appointed three commissioners to lay out a district on either bank of the Delaware, " not more than eight miles above or below the falls." They were authorized to purchase soil, erect and complete, in an "elegant manner," a Federal house, President's house, houses for the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, War, Marine and Treasury; but oAving to the resistance of the southern members, no appropriation to carry out the provisions of the Act was made, and the law was never carried into execution. On the 13th of January, 1785, an effort Avas made to substitute the Potomac, but failed. On the 10th of May, 1787, Mr. Lee, of Virginia, offered a resolution " for erecting the necessary public buildings for the accommodation of congress, at Georgetown, on the Potomac River," Avhich was lost. The neAv Constitution, of 1787, declared,1 that congress shall have poAver to exercise exclusive legislation over such a district, not exceeding ten miles square, as may, by the cession of States, become the seat of gOATernment. No action was had under this provison of the Constitution until December 23d, 1788, when the General Assembly of Maryland passed " an Act to cede to congress a district of ten miles square, in this State, for the seat of the government of the United States." By this Act it was enacted " by the General Assembly of Maryland, that the representatives of this State in the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, appointed to assemble at New York on the first Wednesday of March next, be, and they are hereby authorized and required, on behalf of this State, to cede to the Congress of the United States any district in this State, not exceeding ten miles square, Avhich the congress may fix upon and acccept for the seat of government of the United States." On the 27th of December, Virginia passed a similar resolution, but no action Avas taken by congress upon the measure until the 5th of September, 1789, 1 Article I., section 8. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| G |
|
| H |
|
| M |
|
| T |
|
| U |
|
