| Show 7 T When Then Congress C on res s F I i C Washington t-I t t t j li nth A Recent Decent Opening o of Congress JL c t a t t I I il iii The Capitol in 1800 if 1 Dy fly ELMO SCOTT WATSON WATSONS S Till time draws near for tor the final 1 of ot Ibo tho Seventy Seventy second se congress con con- A gress of ot the United States State to convene con on vene In Washington a It Is Interesting to call re-call that the thc American Amerlan con congress met for tor the first time In the present National Capital Just t jears ago ngo anti and there ther can lIn h be no more mort striking j evidence of ot the IIII 1111 growth tho and lid lr progress ss of ot this nation than a n comparison of or present diy day Washington 1 and the present structure which houses the Iet legislative III o part of ot our government with the new flew settlement of ot Washington and the uncompleted structure which was the b beginning beginning be be- ginning of or our National Capitol It will be remembered that the first Capital of ot the new nation which Into I came being as ns the result of or the Revolution wa was New V I York city II I There It was on April H 10 11 HliS ITS liS that the Ihl first congress convened nod and the two Iwo houses after t completing their organization by hy ele John of or New Hampshire as temporary prisident president pris pres h ident of ot the senate and A. A r I berg of ot Pennsylvania as I speaker of or th this the house met In Joint session to 10 count the eleCtoral votes k cast In the tho several stales stale's a few felt weeks before t and to 10 proclaim the Ih election of ot korge eorge t 6 Washington ns as President and John Adams liSi as liS r i j t Vice Ice Ir President 5 On July I 0 P. P ITI 1700 lino 0 congress IlI pissed passed an all II nut act t for tor establishing hlll hing u n permanent sent ot of tho federal t government and till this net lid provided for the th selection tion by the President of a district of or territory T. T ten tulles mills square 10 somewhere III IW II I 1 on the Potomac il river In the r region glon beginning nt at tho rho mouth month of or orthe the eastern brunch branch or river and extending ex IX tending many miles idles to 10 the lion northwest t The Pres President Pres- Pres President ident was authorized ed to tn appoint three commissioners commis IR loners to survey lInI and l the ell district tits dis t tact selected Bele and prior to 10 December they were required to provide In ht this III district diarist suitable suit Snit able buildings for the Ihl of ot congress congress con Ion t gress and of ot the President and for the tilt public offices of ot the government JO of ot tilt the United 1 State k For Tor the Ihl II purpose 1 of ot defraying the expenses of lit 1 t the purchase of lit the Ihl land and the tilt erection of lit the k buildings the th President was authorized and k f requested to accept grants of lit f money It was f further provided pro that Hint 1 em on 11 the first Monday of or December ITt lillO 1 the Ihl sent seat of ot government should ll l be bl removed from New Nets IW York rork to Philadelphia I where here It WI was to 10 remain nut until U r 1 son isoo f when It was to be hI transferred to the new Potomac Potomac Po Po- r tomac district In accordance with this act President Washington Wash Vash EC ington In III 1701 liH chose dwse ono one county In Mir Maryland land and one In Virginia with the Potomac lac rivert river t flowing for the till site of lit the new Na tit National a. a Capital which was to be ho known II ns as IhlI the Ihl I District of ot Columbia III II III hla At first this district wa way Willi s se e 1 t ten feu miles mills square rl or nr one hundred square miles nilles a I and contained of or land which life was tt ceded to the federal government by lIy the two states of or Virginia anti and ut P-ut In lS M IS-M O all nil the land ll on the Ihl western side of nt the Potomac was ceded 1 back to 10 Virginia Irginia an and l II ns as n rl result lIlt the 1 District of or Columbia since that time contains t only I G-I VI square miles As commissioners to survey IY lINInI and l Ilm- Ilm s- s It the Ihl district and to erect the Ihl suitable build buildings ings Inge Washington named Jen Ihn cn Thomas Johnson John son Ion who had been his bis Intimate friend during the Revolution Pr Dr I hl Stuart of or Virginia t and Daniel Carroll arroll a 1 member of ot that Illustrious 1 Maryland family faintly 11 1111 11 y The rhe commissioners decided 1 t that the tp federal city should t be bt e named the City It I. I t of ot In honor hOllor of ot the President lt end and the Ihl plan of ot the city was wall to tn be bl made h hj by MaJ Pierre Charles rharles l the young joung Trench French rA engineer and architect ct who ho had hall reconstructed d the buildings In III New tW York and 44 wed used by congress tJ In March li the th commissioners advertised In In the ne nt vipers apes of Philadelphia Boston am sad q ec yew few ew for I lat u lIt it they would give 1111 a II lot In thet the t city of ot 11 and W I rt to the th person who should hould produce to them the Ihl most approved approval plan for tor a 1 capitol to be he erected In the Ihl city of or i j. j SIxt n n 11 plans were submitted In response to th these advertisements but all 1111 were rejected tier c rose they the did not meet t the require require- ments meats Then Stephen 11 n 1 n a trench French architect architect archi archi- of New W Work York ork submitted H II plan which met lilt with treat great favor and It seemed that he wan stout bout to he be awarded the worl wont Hut But In the meantime William Thornton a talented tal tal- living In New NewYork ew York who had bad a powerful I friend In III the Ihl person of ot Thomas tt Jefferson then secretary of or state drew up an 1111 elaborate plan for the Capitol and ond submitted It to Jef t who nho u laid It before Washington I T J Thomas Jefferson ef with 1111 ua emit enthusiastic The lime President resl InI dent thought It admirable le and said It combined grandeur simplicity and c 1011 lie III Ile wrote llItO to tu the till commissioners 1111 requesting t theta them to adopt 1 H pi piss in In III preference IIII ace to but hut charged barged them to tn do It with wilh delicacy Immediately Im- Im mt mediately the commissioners hill nil sinners iii Informed to toof of lit the Ihl change null 11 upon open hi Iris his c of ot Thornton's Thorntons plan plus t the hI declared that tint Thornton had hall stolen the 1111 Idea from his bis Ilal- Ilal lates late's original oIl designs The rime re rl result lIlt was tens it an 1111 acrimonious dispute bett between be be- tt tWI tween the th t two Iwo vo then men which la lasted laste-d IIII for several se months but hilt In III t the hi end euti the nc lie opt and plan awarded lt 1 him hint the first premium s As a U sort of ot consolation oll tin II prize they gave ja n II premium of or 20 O and l appointed auP ap au pl P pointed 1 Ii him IIII ns liS one 1111 of ot the till architects of ot the tho l Cap III ap- itol with nn nil annual it salary of ot IMI As supervising architect for the rho Capitol a 1 tal- tal cat 01 young joung 1111 Irl Irishman hman mined James Mohan in plan for tor the Ihl Presidents hou house housu e had already already al III ready been accepted I was teas appointed and It was decided 1 to OilS const construct rue t the Capitol of or Vi Virginia sandstone instead of or If bride brick ns liS was first 11 proposed proposed pro pro- posed tad and the stone was ay obtained 1 from front a It quarry quarry ry on Oil creek On September 18 IS 18 li the cornerstone of ot the till Capitol wal laid 1111 and 1 from noun that time on min the work of ot construction was carl ear ear- 1111 on energetically In III the meantime lOn congress was meeting In III Philadelphia had had hall made nn all of ot T for the Ihl necessary expense 1 of ot the I of or the Ihl go giver to 10 Washington a Ri lIl June l oo all nil the Ihl records papers furniture furni furni- tune ture etc Ilc of ot the Ihl federal departments were 10 on nn packet sloops nt lit Philadelphia and nl d for the new nw lIt city on the hanks banks of or the Potomac Till The ils and clerks numbering num num- ben bering rig In at nil 1111 l not more than two hundred went to Washington In stage coaches ar- ar after a I Ion loo tiring bring journey of or nearly n a nw w week eek Mrs Sirs Adams the Ihl wile wife Irl of nt the Vice ICI President has hils left us liS n a record of or her adventures adventure's on that tint trip She hl sa says After fter leaving 1111 we WI d 1 about for tor two hours without finding n II guide or a U path Woods are Ire all you jou can cnn see St from the time you jou leave lea Baltimore until you reach the Ill I'll city which Is so only In nam name Here and there Is 19 a small hut hilt without a n glass Ilass win dow dos Interspersed among the forests through which you jou travel for tor milts miles without string se n II human being heing After enjoying time the luxury of uhf life In III New IW York and Philadelphia most t of ot the government go om- om looked l with dismay upon this wilderness city It 1 set 11 In a n almost almo t equal to the tho great bog as liS one of ot them described the new Capital It was Willi as In hum such an environment as ns this that the Ihl Sixth congress began n Its second session on November 17 11 the first session held heM In to Inthe the new Capital The rhe north In wing of or the Capitol In III which the Ihl t s i was held was In a n nry very ry Incomplete incomplete In in- complete condition and both bolh houses were wro crowded Into 1111 narrow I badly arranged quarters On the Iho opening lIa day clay President John Johll dams Adams appeared before a 1 joint session of the two houses bouses and made madl the following Impressive address ad od dress I 1 congratulate the tilt p people of ut the United States on the assembling of ot congress at tho the permanent sent of ot their government ro and I 1 cone congratulate ron con i you OU gentlemen on fin the prospect of tit a n residence not to b bt be chan changed eti Although there Is must Cause to apprehend l that accommodations mire are not now so 10 complete as might bo ho wl wished yet there Is gre great at reason to 10 believe belloe that thaI this Inconvenience Incon will cease with the present session It 1 It t would be III the till representatives of or Ihl this nation to 10 assemble for tor the first fust time In Inthis inthis this solemn without looking up lip to the Supreme l' l of the Ihl universe 1181 and Imploring hI his blessing May this territory be bl the lie residence of or virture vim vir- ture and I In III this city that piety and virtue that wisdom and that constancy arid and self lIt government self which h adorned the great character whose name It bears bellIs h be he forever held In veneration Here 1111 and throughout through through- out our country tray may simple manners milliners pure morals and ond true religion flourish forever I It Is with you gentlemen to consider whether er Ir the local powers over o the District or Columbia Colum bin bia vested by Ih the Constitution in the congress of or the I United II It Ill I'll States I shill shall be he Immediately ex If It In n your jour opinion pinion this Important tru trust t ought now be bl executed you cannot tall fall while hilI performing It It t to take tale into view the future fu tu- e tore ture probable uble situation of or the Ihl territory for tor th the happiness of ot which you jou are 1111 about to provide 1 You Vu will consider it as liS the capital of ot n 1 great nation tI nil advancing with unexampled rapidity t tin y r In III arts In III commerce In III we-alth we and In III population tion and possessing within Itself those ener ner energies files gies Irs and rl resources resource's which If It not thrown away or lamentably misdirected will twill s secure cure to It a 0 along long course of prosperity mind self self I government This first session of congress In the new CliP Cap was destined to 10 witness some of ot the mos most t exciting e scenes scours in III the history of or the th nation Although Although Al AI I- I though the Ihl Federalists hind had n a small majority 1 In III n congress It was evident that the Ihl political control con COli i- i trot of ot the country which they IhlY had had since sine e constitutional nal government went Into effe ct wa a S ta fast act t slipping away from them Adams Adams' rigor rigorous OilS ohms enforcement of ot the alien and sedition laws law s hud bud driven n ninny many foreign foreign born born citizens Into Inlo the till therl e rl riming Democratic Republican party lall Then too there were other ether fuses causes for bitterness which I marke-d marke till the doom of ot the once nil powerful all-powerful powerful Ted Ted- ls who hall had 1 been 1111 In control of ot the government government govern ment of nt the new nation continuously ly for eleven eleve s years ears The lime Presidential of ot 1 IS fiat 04 MI tt wa was ts n nn nil n exciting one olle with John lohn Adams ns liS the 1111 Federalist Federal 1 1 I it t candidate for reelection election running with h ti Charles Cotesworth y llly ns IIi Vice President t t. t Opposed to tl them on the till Democratic n II ticket was teas Thomas Jefferson then Vice Tice President Ire Pres s- s dent ident for rr President Pre and Aaron alon for tor Vie Vice Ire se e President The lime election e rl resulted d In III n a victory for tor th the s Democratic Republicans 1111 who Ill I'll received i 72 lie ele-c ele c votes to the th 1 G Ca The fhe oust Constitution i at nl Unit that time provided l for each ench thul lIal elector to tn vote vole for t two vo without ut designating which h vas wal to In lie Ill I resident Pre ii mm d which lIlt to I. I be Vice lel President Tile person Irson r re receiving III the highest number of lit votes oIls was as to be b e President and the next st highest t I Vice Pre t. t Iy By nn nil amendment nl to tn the Ihl Constitution In ISO 1001 t the electors are now how required to In vote separate ly Iy fur for President and Tice Ice When hea the till eloe votes vote's were tit e ll t It w was wa ny found that the crafty Clarty political nl manipulation 1 i of ot Aaron Burr Furr had resulted d In III n II fie tie vote Lute for himself him his m. m self and letTerson both hoth In be-In higher than thuu th the e vote for So u the election was as thrown n Into Inlo the 11 house house- of ot representatives Amid th the e greatest excitement e the Ihl t house houI begun began all to billot t for tor n a President on 11 1501 There we lr I re 1 1 members from ruin 10 HJ states min and 1 em each b state loll ha hal bad II one lime vote with whit Ith the th majority of ot the rho states necessary nece s sary spry for tor a II choice The lime hou house sat with close closed d doors and sad balloting went on nil continuous oat I dot day v ant and night On in the first t ballot eight states voted vote fur for le Jef f f ferson und mind six Ix for tor Burr Two states Vermont nt tt and were dividend and could not lint Ia cu cast r t a II vote veto no Ballot lint after ballot wits wan taken with no nu change In the result Fin illy on nil February 1 j 1 17 Ii n break came and Jefferson was elected Pres s s- s dent ident h by the votes of ot ten states Matts tuning During the balloting the Ille excitement In III t the he ne country was Intense Charges of or all kinds tIe Hew w thick and nad fast tast It was charged II by the Demo Demo- 10 Republicans that the Federalists ls we were pre re ro voting toting for to tn prevent an election lint until til tl after March 4 when they would usurp time the of- of r- r o lire flee of or if president h by ilia making kin lu Justice lIl Mar Ma ir- ir r shall hall of ot the th Supreme o court ourt President thus e es- es s |
