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as a hostage for it, which he understood to be the

case.

Mr. FITZSIMONS was sorry to hear a thing of that kind insinuated against so respectable a body. He trusted the gentleman had been misinformed, but should be glad to know his authority.

Mr. PARTRIDGE declared that a knowledge of this fact would have considerable influence on his conduct; therefore, he was desirous of knowing to what an extent it was a certainty.

Mr. BLAND would not charge the Senate with retaining the appropriation bill as a hostage; but he thought it of more importance than the bill they had now sent down, and wished it had been first acted upon.

[SEPTEMBER, 1789.

make. If Germantown was the proper place for the permanent residence of Congress, it was so near Philadelphia as to prove that that city would be the proper place for the temporary residence, and of course they ought to move there immedi ately, and order the next session to be held there; but both these questions were of too much mo ment to be fixed by a hasty vote of the House.

Mr. JACKSON had given his assent to the bill as it passed the House, after a fair opposition. He was satisfied his fellow-citizens would submit to what appeared to be the voice of their country; though they would have preferred the Potoma on account of its centrality and contiguity to the Western territory, yet he acceded to the Susque

Mr. SPEAKER informed the House that the ap-hanna; but this was no reason he should vote for propriation bill was sent only yesterday to the Senate.

Mr. STONE did not suspect the Senate of the conduct which had been intimated; but, nevertheless, he was in favor of the postponement.

Mr. LEE remarked that the great principles which this House had adopted, on full debate, were now thrown out of view; they had nothing to do with the amendment which the Senate had made. He could not, after this circumstance, bring himself to believe that the House would agree to the alteration, without discussing the other principles upon which it must be founded. And here the approaching termination of the session, and the quantity of unfinished business, presented to the mind a strong objection; either it could not be done at all, or done to great disadvantage. Beside, if it is laid over to the next session, the voice of the people may be better understood on this important question; when that was fully and fairly expressed, he flattered himself with an harmonious determination, to which all parties would submit without a single murmur.

Mr. SHERMAN thought the amendment of the Senate founded in wisdom, and upon true principles; the House had now nothing else before them. Indeed, they had just been spending an hour or two upon a very uninteresting subject respecting printers; he therefore trusted they would proceed to consider the amendment fully, and come in a proper time to a decision upon it.

Germantown. Who are those that say to us Germantown is the most proper spot that can be se lected? They are the representatives of the State sovereignties; where the large and small States are equally represented, the voice of the majority of the people is lost in the inequality of the poli tical branch of the Legislature. He could not but think an alteration in the sentiment of the House, on the ground, would excite serious alarm in the minds of the people; to avoid which co sequence he should agree to the postponement.

Mr. GERRY urged as a reason for postponement. that North Carolina and Rhode Island were out of the Union at present; and that, as there was a flattering expectation that at least one of those States would adopt the Constitution by the per session, it would be extremely desirable to bave their voice in determining this great question.

Mr. MADISON.-However different our sent ments with respect to the place most proper for the seat of the Federal Government, I presume we shall all agree that a right decision is of greal importance; and that a satisfactory decision is c equal moment to the happiness and tranquillity of the Union: that even the manner and circum stances under which such decision may take place, are worthy of serious consideration.

Now, sir, the amendment proposed by the Senate not only deserves the name of a new bill. but it proceeds on principles different from those which served for the basis of the bill sent up to Mr. WHITE Considered the amendment of the them from this House: hence, I presume, sir, it is Senate as totally changing the tenor of the bill, not only necessary to examine the merits of the and therefore it was like introducing a new sub-proposition, but to enter into a full and minute ject. Indeed, in all the long arguments which the question had drawn out, he believed this place had never been mentioned. The gentleman last up said there was no business before the House at present; but he would ask, if a business had never yet been before them, whether a member would be permitted to bring it forward at this late hour? He might be told that the act of the Senate carried greater weight in it than the motion of a member. But he would place against that weight the weight of the vote of this House, which on a former day agreed to fix the seat of Government on the banks of the Susquehanna; so that the question may be supposed to stand on independent ground.

But there was a collateral observation he would

investigation of those principles upon which it is founded: the proposition is new, and in some degree opposed to what has heretofore prevailed: the public mind has not yet been called to t consideration of it; nay, I believe it never yet h been contemplated by the inhabitants of any State: the eye of America should be indulged with an opportunity of viewing it before it be made their fixed abode. All the other places which have been mentioned as candidates for the seat of Government, on this occasion, have at di ferent times, and in different forms, been held to the public attention; two of them had not only employed the deliberation, but had obtained the favorable decision of the old Congress; now, after all this, to take up and adopt, in a moment, a rin

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SEPTEMBER, 1789.]

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place, never before contemplated, is risking an improper and a dissatisfactory decision.

Mr. STONE reminded the House of the majority there was in selecting the Susquehanna, which be conceived to be the second best spot in the United States; and how much greater that majority would have been than 31 to 17, if no other question had been involved in the bill: he could hardly suppose such a change of sentiment would take place without argument, as was necessary in order to get the Senate's amendment adopted, which, he understood, was carried by a small majority indeed.

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amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill for the establishing the seat of Government of the United States.

SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

Mr. SHERMAN.-In our deliberations on this occasion, we should have an eye to the general accommodation of the Union, and the best way of defraying the expense. The place fixed upon by the Senate, he presumed, was known to the members generally; hence they were able to judge of its eligibility at the first view; it certainly possessed some advantages over the other situation; Mr. WHITE would just add one observation, and he believed it was as central, if not more so which was respecting the enormous price of land than the Susquehanna, as it respected the present in the vicinity of Philadelphia; and how impru-inhabitants; the air, the soil, in that neighbordent it would be for Congress to subject them-hood, were quite as agreeable as the other. But selves to an exorbitant demand of this nature, there was an access by water, from every part of by fixing upon the precise spot where this Federal town should be.

The question was now taken on postponing the consideration of the amendment proposed by the Senate, until the next session; and the yeas and nays being called, were:

the United States, which furnished a very great convenience; but besides this, those who came from the Southern States had generally an inland navigation, with a short distance to come by land from the head of the Elk; so the citizens of the Eastern States, in like manner, would be accommodated by coming through the Sound, and crossing to Amboy, on which route they would have but about seventy miles land carriage; a distance nearly equal with the other. He admitted that Germantown was not quite so near to the WestNAYS-Messrs. Ames, Benson, Boudinot, Cadwala- ern territory as the Susquehanna was; but he der, Clymer, Fitzsimons, Floyd, Foster, Gilman, Good-contemplated a very distant day before it would hue, Grout, Hartley, Hathorn, Heister, Lawrence, Leonard, Livermore, Muhlenberg, Partridge, Van Renselaer, Scott, Sherman, Sylvester, Sinnickson, Thatcher, Trumbull, Vining, Wadsworth, and Wynkoop-29.

YEAS-Messrs. Baldwin, Bland, Brown, Burke, Carroll, Coles, Contee, Gale, Gerry, Griffin, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Matthews, Moore, Page, Parker, Schureman, Seney, Smith, of Maryland, Smith, of South Carolina, Stone, Sumter, Tucker, and White-25.

So it was determined in the negative.

A Message from the President of the United States was received, enclosing a letter from the Governor of Rhode Island, written at the request and in behalf of the General Assembly of that State; which being read, was ordered to lie on the table. And then the House adjourned.

MONDAY, September 28.

DAY OF THANKSGIVING. A message from the Senate informed the House that they had agreed to the resolution desiring the President of the United States to recommend a day of general thanksgiving; also, to the resolution desiring him to transmit to the Executives of the several States of the Union, and also to the Executives of the States of Rhode Island and North Carolina, copies of the amendments agreed to by Congress, to the Constitution of the United States. They have also come to a resolution appointing a committee to join with such committee as this House shall appoint, to wait upon the President of the United States, and notify him of the proposed recess of Congress.

Whereupon, the House ordered that a committee be appointed to join with the committee of the Senate, for the purpose expressed in the last resolution; and named Messrs. VINING, LEE, and GILMAN, accordingly.

The House then proceeded to consider the

be settled, and much longer before the inhabitants would have frequent occasion of travelling to the seat of Government. Added to the advantages he had mentioned, there were good buildings, and convenience for arsenals and ship yards, with abundance of artificers on the spot; these considerations, taken together, induced him to think it best to concur with the Senate.

With respect to the change which the Senate has proposed in the mode of obtaining the money requisite to defray the expense of raising the public buildings, he thought it a prudent alteration, considering the present situation of the Treasury; the Senate, no doubt, considered this circumstance, as well as that the State of Pennsylvania would be benefited by this selection, beyond her equal proportion; and that she ought, therefore, to contribute something for the advantage it procured her.

Mr. SMITH thought the honorable gentleman rather inconsistent in his argument to-day. If he recollected right, the gentleman had formerly urged in favor of the Susquehanna, that it was not accessible by vessels from sea; and now he recommends this quality as an advantage in favor of the Delaware. The gentleman admits that this position is not quite so near the Western Territory as the one chosen by the House; but then he thinks no inconvenience will arise, inasmuch as it will be some years before it is peopled: but how does this comport with the principle laid down by an almost unanimous vote of the House? At the beginning of this business, we declared that a due regard should be had to the Western Territory; he now tells us, as an argument in favor of

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[SEPTEMBER, 1789.

but reasonable to meet them, and adopt their proposition.

Mr. WHITE had not been present when the question was discussed in this House; but he observed, from the minutes, and other publications, that the great contest lay between the Susquehanna and the Potomac: he understood that the interest of the whole was consulted in the choice the House had made: he was so far inclined to pay a deference to the opinion of this House, as to acquiesce in their decisions, although his own

the Senate's amendment, that we should have no regard to it at all. He thinks the change made in the manner of obtaining the money favorable; but what advantage will accrue to the United States from Pennsylvania's granting 100,000 dollars, when Congress will have to purchase the land on which they are to sit down? Land in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, he had been told, was worth 40 or 50 pounds an acre. The 100,000 dollars, given by Pennsylvania, would not go far in a purchase at this rate. He thought the Government would have a better bargain in buy-sentiments were in favor of the more southern ing cheap lands on the Susquehanna; or perhaps they might have been got there for nothing. He thought this alteration unfavorable to the Public Treasury, which could illy supply such a demand upon it.

and western position: but he could never think that great national principles would induce them to stop short of the place which they had approved.

Mr. MADISON contended that the amendment But he had an objection which would go proposed by the Senate was a departure from against fixing in the neighborhood of any large every principle adopted by the House; but he city. The Federal town would, in such case, be would not trouble them with a recapitulation of no more than a suburb. Could any one expect arguments, which he feared would be unavailing; Germantown to rival Philadelphia? No, it would he wished, however, that the House would probe swallowed up by it. The public ministers, and vide against one inconvenience, which was, to all the officers of Government, who could afford prevent the district in Pennsylvania, chosen by it, would reside in Philadelphia; for they are Congress, from being deprived for a time of the generally found to prefer a large, handsome, well- benefit of the laws. This, he apprehended, would built city to a small village. Now, he would sub-be the case, unless Congress made provision for mit whether it was consistent with the dignity of the operation of the laws of Pennsylvania, in the the nation to place themselves in such a situation. act by which they accepted of the cession of that Beside, the State of Pennsylvania had fixed boun- State; for the State relinquished the right of ledaries, into which they would not admit Con- gislation from the moment that Congress acceptgress; should the House, then, to show their de-ed of the district. The propriety of this proposi ference and respect to her, go precisely to those boundaries, and say they are content? Why, if Germantown is central, do we not say we will go to Philadelphia? that city would undoubtedly afford better accommodation, and could be but five miles short of the centre. No, we are not to go there, because the State of Pennsylvania has proscribed us; we must go to the very line she has marked out for us, and accept her cession upon her own terms. It would be more consistent with the dignity of Congress to select the place, and wait where we are well accommodated, till the State shall consent to give it.

He hoped the large majority which had agreed to the Susquehanna would continue firm, and not suffer a dereliction of the object they had so ably supported.

Mr. SHERMAN begged leave to answer a few words of the gentleman. He was charged with inconsistency, because he had said the Susquehanna was safe from vessels of war; but this was not an objection, in his mind, to any place; he only mentioned it to obviate the objection in the minds of those who entertained it: for his part, he did not fear the effects of an invasion, because he believed and trusted that many years would pass away before the United States were involved again in war. The gentleman might also remember that the Eastern members always thought the Susquehanna south and westward of the true centre, but were content to go that far for the sake of accommodation; but now that the Senate had agreed with them in that opinion, he thought it

tion was so apparent, that he had not a doubt but
the House would consent to it. He then moved
the following proviso: "And provided, that noth-
ing herein contained shall be construed to affect
the operation of the laws of Pennsylvania, within
shall otherwise provide by law."
the district ceded and accepted, until Congress

Mr. LIVERMORE objected to this motion; be cause he supposed there was no necessity for it.

The question was then taken, do the House agree to the amendment? and decided in the affirmative. The yeas and nays being demanded,

are as follows:

simons, Floyd, Foster, Gerry, Gilman, Goodhue, Grout, YEAS-Messrs. Ames, Cadwalader, Clymer, Fitz Hartley, Hathorn, Heister, Huntington, Lawrence, Leonard, Livermore, Muhlenburg, Partridge, Van Rensselear, Schureman, Scott, Sherman, Sylvester, Sinnickson, Thatcher, Trumbull, Vining, Wadsworth, and Wynkoop-31.

NAYS-Messrs. Baldwin, Bland, Boudinot, Brown Burke, Carroll, Coles, Contee, Gale, Griffin, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Matthews, Moore, Page, Parker, Seney, Smith, of Maryland, Smith of South Carolina, Stone, Sumter, Tucker, and White-24.

Mr. WHITE reported that the committee of the House had conferred with the committee of the Senate, on the subject of writs issuing in the name of the President; but had come to no agreement.

A message from the Senate was then received with the Process bill, to which an amendment was proposed by the Senate. The House then proceeded to consider the said amendment; and

SEPTEMBER, 1789.]

Messages from the President.

a motion being made to recede from their amendment, so far as to agree to the amendments of the said amendment proposed by the Senate, the yeas and nays being required, were:

YEAS-Messrs. Ames, Baldwin, Benson, Cadwalader, Carroll, Clymer, Fitzsimons, Foster, Gale, Gilman, Goodhue, Hartley, Lawrence, Lee, Leonard, Livermore, Partridge, Schureman, Scott, Sherman, Sylvester, Sinnickson, Smith, of Maryland, Thatcher, Trumbull, and Wadsworth-25.

NAYS-Messrs. Bland, Boudinot, Brown, Burke, Coles, Contee, Floyd, Gerry, Griffin, Grout, Heister, Jackson, Madison, Moore, Muhlenberg, Parker, Page, Seney, Smith, of South Carolina, Stone, Sumter, Tucker, and White-25.

The votes being equal, it lay with the SPEAKER to decide, which he did in the affirmative.

A message was received from the Senate, with the Invalids, and the Appropriation bills, to which sundry amendments were proposed: the House immediately considered and agreed to the same. A message from the Senate was received, with the bill to explain and amend the act for registering and clearing vessels, with amendments; these amendments were agreed to by the House.

A further message was received, informing that the Senate had postponed the consideration of the amendment of the House to the act for establishing the seat of Government of the United States. Adjourned until this evening.

EODEM DIE.

A message was received from the Senate, informing the House that they had passed the act to recognise and adapt to the Constitution of the United States, the establishment of the troops raised under resolves of the old Congress, with amendments; which amendments were agreed to by the House; but when the last one was under consideration for striking out all that respected the number of the militia to be called into service for the defence of the frontiers, from the States of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Georgia, and to insert a clause instead thereof, empowering the President to call out the militia generally, for the purpose of protecting the frontiers against the hostile invasion of the Indians, it was moved that the House disagree to the amendment of the Senate; and the yeas and nays being required,

were:

YEAS-Messrs. Benson, Carroll, Clymer, Foster, Gilman, Lawrence, Lee, Madison, Partridge, Sherman, Sylvester, Smith, of Maryland, Stone, Thatcher, Trumbull, and Wadsworth-16.

NAYS-Messrs. Ames, Baldwin, Bland, Boudinot, Burke, Cadwalader, Coles, Contee, Fitzsimons, Floyd, Gerry, Heister, Jackson, Leonard, Livermore, Matthews, Moore, Muhlenberg, Van Rensselaer, Schureman, Scott, Seney, Sinnickson, Sumter, Tucker, and White-25.

A number of engrossed bills, and the proposed amendments to the Constitution, were brought in,

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passed, and signed: after which the House adjourned.

TUESDAY, September 29.

The two following Messages were received from the PRESIDENT:

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

His Most Christian Majesty, by a letter dated the 7th of June last, addressed to the President and members of the General Congress of the United States of North America, announces the much lamented death of his son the Dauphin. The generous conduct of the French monarch and nation towards this country, renders every event that may affect his or their prosperity, interesting to us; and I shall take care to assure him of the sensibility with which the United States participate in the affliction which a loss so much to be regretted must have occasioned both to him and them.

GEO. WASHINGTON.

UNITED STATES, Sept. 29, 1789. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :

mittee of both Houses of Congress, that they had Having yesterday been informed, by a joint com

agreed to a recess, to commence this day, and to continue until the first Monday in January next, I take the earliest opportunity of acquainting you that, considering how long and laborious this session has been, and the reasons which, I presume, have produced this resolution, it does not appear to me expedient to recommend any measures to their consideration at preGEO. WASHINGTON.

sent.

UNITED STATES, Sept. 29, 1789.

On motion of Mr. GERRY, it was ordered, that it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House, at the end of each session, to send a printed copy of the Journals thereof, respectively, to the Supreme Executive, and each branch of the Legislature of every State.

A message was received from the Senate, with the resolution respecting John White; the bill for the establishment of troops; also a bill for allowing the Baron de Glaubeck the pay of a captain, to which they requested the concurrence of the House; this bill was thereupon read a first and second time, engrossed, and read a third time, enrolled and signed, and transmitted to the Senate.

And then it was ordered that a message be sent to the Senate, to inform them that this House, having completed the business before them, are now about to proceed to close the present session, by an adjournment on their part, agreeably to the order of the 26th instant; and that the Clerk of this House do go with the said message.

The Clerk accordingly went with the said message, and being returned,

The SPEAKER adjourned the House until the first Monday in January next.

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