CooMrvillMi Resources 
 Lig*Frecf» Type I 
 Ph 8Ju Bnfiered 
 
DUTH Congress, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. J Rkport 
 
 M S€ssl07i. S I No. 2318. 
 
 PAYMENT OF CERTAIN MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARY 
 LAND AND VIRGINIA. 
 
 FicBKrARY 23, 1909. — Ordered to be printed. 
 
 Mr. Miller, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following 
 
 ADVERSE REPORT. 
 
 [To accompany S. 5252.] 
 
 The Committee on Claims, having had under consideration Senate 
 bill 5'252, for the payment of certain moneys advanced by Maryland 
 and Viro-inia to the United States, submit the foliowino- report: 
 
 The committee recommend that the bill be adversely reported, and 
 as this is a matter of interest to the people of two States, Maryland 
 and Virginia, the committee think it proper that it should furnish the 
 House with a complete statement of the facts in the case so as to jus- 
 tify the House in approving- the report of the committee. 
 
 This claim is based upon the action taken by the States of Maryland 
 and Virginia prior to the establishment of the seat of Government at 
 its present location. It is shown by an act of the general assembly of 
 Virginia, passed December 3, 1789 (ISHenning, 33), that the establish- 
 ment of a *■• situation for the seat of the General Governraeiiit, central 
 and convenient to the citizens of the United States at large, having 
 due regard to population, extent of territory, and a free navigation 
 to the Atlantic Ocean through the Chesapeake Bay, as well as ready 
 comnmnication with our fellow-citizens on the western frontier, '"* en- 
 gaged the attention of the said general assembly, and on the 10th of 
 December that general assembly passed the following: 
 
 Resohi'd by the general ass^embly of Mrqwkt, That a copy of the foregoing act of the 
 third of December, seventeen hundred and eij-^hty-nine, be transmitted to the 
 general ap.«eml)ly of Maryland without delay, and that it be proposed to the said 
 assembly to unite with this legislature in an application to Congress that in caso 
 Congress shall deem it exjiedient to establish the permanent seat of government of 
 the United States on the banks of the Potomac so as to include the cession of either 
 State, or a part of the cession of both States, thi.s assembly will pass an act for 
 advancing a sum of money, not exceeding one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, 
 to the use of the General (government, to be applied in such manner as Congress 
 shall direct, toward erecting public buildings, the said assembly of INIarylau't on 
 their part advancing a sum not less than two-tifths of the sum advanced by this State 
 for the like purpose. 
 
vi^n 
 
 2 PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 
 
 The resolution of the general assembly of Virginia, of the date 
 December 10, 1789, was not acted upon by the general assembly of 
 Maryland until November, 1790, when the following action was taken: 
 
 Whereas by a resolution of the general assembly of Virginia, passed on the 10th 
 day of December, 1789, it was proposed to the general assembly of Maryland tliat 
 the general assembly of Virsiinia will pass an act for advancing a sum of money, not 
 less than one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, to the use of the General Gov- 
 ernment, and to be applied in such manner as Congress shall direct, toward erecting 
 public buildings, the assembly of Maryland on their part advancing a sum not less 
 than three-fifths of the sum advanced by the said general assembly of Virginia; 
 which resolut.on came so late to the last general assembly of Maryland that it could 
 not be acted upon, and was therefore referrtd to this present session; and 
 
 Whereas this general assembly doth highly approve of the object of said resolution, 
 and is desirous of doing everything required on the part of Maryland for carrying 
 the same into effect; on a second reading of said resolution, 
 
 Rexo'red, That this house doth accede to the proposition contained in said resolu- 
 tion of the assembly of Virginia, and will advance to the President of the United 
 States, for the purposes mentioned in said resolution, the sum of seventy-two thou- 
 sand dollars, payal)le to his order in three equal yearly payments. 
 
 That preamble and resolution from the general asseml)ly of Mary- 
 land was communicated to the general asseml^ly of Virginia, and on the 
 24th of December, 1790, the following act was passed: 
 
 Whereas the general assembly of Maryland have acceded to a proposition of the 
 general assembly of this Commonwealth contained in their resolution of the tenth 
 day of December, seventeen hundred and eighty-nine, concerning an advance of 
 money to the General Government to be applied toward erecting public buildings at 
 the permanent seat of the Government of the United States, should the Congress 
 deem it expedient to fix it on the bank of the Potomac; and whereas Congress has 
 passed an act for establishing the said seat of Government on the Potomac: 
 
 Jk it tnarted bij the gericral assemtdii, That one hundred and twenty thousand dollars 
 shall be advanced by this Commonwealth to the General Government, payal)le in 
 three equal yearly payments, and to be applied toward erecting public buildings at 
 the permanent seat of the (Government of the United States on the bank of the Poto- 
 mac; and the auditor of public accounts is hereby directed to issue his warrants on 
 the treasurer to the amount of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, payaV)lein 
 the manner hereinbi^ore directed, to the order of the President of the United States. 
 (See 13 Henning, 125.) 
 
 If this were all there was to be considered in connection with the 
 location of the capital it might be inferred that the States of Mary- 
 land and Virginia intended the amounts of money respectively fur- 
 nished by them, to wit, $72,000 and $120,000, to 'be a loan to the 
 Government of the United States for the purpose described in the 
 acts of their respective assemblies; but in order that the proper mean- 
 ing of the language in said acts might be presented to the House the 
 committee have thoroughly investigated all of the conditions existing 
 at the time said action was taken, and present herewith as fully as 
 possible the events of that period. 
 
 Maryland, by an act of its general assembly passed December 23, 
 
 1788, directed its representatives in the House of Representatives of 
 the Congress of the United States to cede to the Congress of the United 
 States any district in said State, not exceeding 10 miles sqitare, which 
 the Congress might fix upon and accept for the site of government; 
 and Virginia by an act of its general assembly of date December 3, 
 
 1789, ceded a like tract of any lesser quantity of Virginia territory 
 for the same purpose. 
 
 AJJ ACT For establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States. 
 
 Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 
 (ff America in Congress assembled, That a district of territory, not exceeding ten miles 
 
 D. at n. 
 
PAYMPJNT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 6 
 
 square, to be located as liereafter direc-ted on the river Potomac, at some place 
 between the mouths of the Eastern Branch and the Conocochcagiie, be, and the 
 same is lierehv, accepted for tlie permanent seat of the Uoverninent of the United 
 States: Prondtd iiev>'rtlit'U'iis, Tliat tlie ojieration of the laws of the State within such 
 district shall not be affected by this acceptance, until the time lixed for the removal 
 of the (iovernment thereto, and until Con^ire^s shall otherwi>e by law provide. 
 
 Skc. 2. Atid heit further cnndeil, That the President of the United States be autlior- 
 ized to appoint, and by snpi)lyin^' vacancies happening; from n fii.-als to act or other 
 causes, to keep in appointment as lonji: as may he necessary three comndssioners, 
 who, or any two of whom, shall, under the direction of the President, survey, and 
 by proper metes and liounds define and linut a district of territory, under the linn- 
 tations above mentioned; and the district so defined, limited, and located shall be 
 deemed the district accepted by this act for the permanent seat of the Ciovernment 
 of the United States. 
 
 Sec. ;1 And be it (further) enacted. That the said comndssioners, or any two of 
 them, shall have power to purchase or acicept such quantity of land on the eastern 
 side of the said river, within the said district, as the President shall deem proper for 
 the use of the United, States, and, accordinji to such plans as the President shall 
 approve, the said commissioners, or any two of them, shall, prior to the first Monday 
 in Decend^er in the year one thousaiKfeight hundred, provide suitable buildings for 
 the accommodation "of (Jongress and of the President and for the jtublic offices of 
 the Government of the United States. 
 
 Sec. 4. And l,e it [further) emirted, That for defraying the expense of such pur- 
 chases and linildings the President of the United States be authorized and requested 
 to accept grants of monev. 
 
 Sec. 5. And be it (further) enacted, That prior to the first Monday in December 
 next all offices attached to the seat of the Government of the United States shall be 
 removed to and until the saiil first Mondav in December in the year one thousand 
 eight hundred shall remain at the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, 
 at which place the session of Congress next ensuing the present shall be held. 
 
 Sec. H. And be it (further) enacted, That on the said first Monday in December, in 
 the year one thousand eight hundred, the seat of the (Tovernment of the United 
 States shall, bv virtue of this act, be transferred to the district and place aforesaid. 
 And all offices- attached to thesaid seatof (iovernment shall accordingly be removed 
 thereto by their respective holders, and shall, after the said day, cease to be exercised 
 elsewhere; and that the necessary expense of such removal shall be defraved out of 
 the duties on imposts and tonna<ie, of which a sufficient sum is hereby ajipropriated. 
 
 Approved July 16, 1790. .(1 Stats., l.SO. ) 
 
 AN ACT To'cede to Congress a district of ten mile.'* square in th's State [Maryland] for the seat^of 
 " the Government of the United States. (Approved December 23 1788.) 
 
 Be it enacted by the qeneral aayeiniihi of Mari/kmd, That the representatives of this 
 State in the House of "Representatives of tlu^ Congressof the United States, ap})ointed 
 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 Uid'ted States any district in this State not exceeding ten miles square, which the 
 Congress may fix upon and accept for the seat of (.Tovernment of the United States. 
 
 AN ACT For the cession of tenrmiles sqiiare^ir any le-si r quantity of territory within this State 
 [Virginia] to the tjnited States in Congre.ssjussenibltd foi the permanent seat ol the General Gov- 
 ernment. (Approved December 3, 1789.) 
 
 1. Whei-eas the eqnal^and common l)enefits resulting from the administration of 
 the General Government will be best diffused and its operations b. come more prompt 
 and certain by establishing such a ,-ituation for the seat of said Government as will 
 be most central and convenient to the citizens of the United States at large, having 
 regard as well to poi)ulation, extent of territory, and free navigation to the Atlantic 
 Ocean through the C!hesapeake Bav, as to the most direct and rea:ly communication 
 with our fellow-citi/ens in the Western frontiers; and whereas it appears to this 
 assembly that a situation comlMuins all the con-iderations and advantages before 
 recited may be had on the banks of the river Potomac, aliove tide water, in a country 
 rich and fertile in soil, healthy and salul)rious in climate, and abounding in all the 
 necessaries and conveniences of life, where, in a location of 10 miles .square, if the 
 wisdom of Congress shall so direct, the States of Pena.sylvania, Maryland, and Vir- 
 ginia mav participate in such location: 
 
 2. Be U therefore enacted bi/ the general ns^Rs^embly, That a tract of country not exceed- 
 ing ten miles square, or any lesser quantitv, to be located within the limits of this 
 State, and in any part thereof as Congress may by law direct, shall be, and the same 
 
4 PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIROINIA. 
 
 is, forever ceded and relinquished to the Conp;ress and Government of the United 
 States, in full and absolute right and exclusive jurisdiction, as well of soil as of per- 
 8 ns residing or to reside thereon, purtiiiant to the tenor and effect of the eighth 
 section of the first ai tide of the Constitution of the Goveriuiient ot the L'nited States. 
 
 3. FrovUh'd, That nothing herein contained shall be herein construed to vest in 
 the Unitt d States any right of property in the soil, or to affect the lights of individuals 
 therein, otherwise than the same shall or may be transferred by such individuals to 
 the United States. 
 
 4. And ])roride(l aho, That the jurisdiction of the laws of this Commonwealth over 
 the persons and property of individuals residing within the limits of the cession 
 aforesaid shall not cease or determine until Congress, having acrepted the said cession, 
 shall by law provide for the government thereof, under their jurisdiction, in the 
 manner i)rovided by the aiticle of the Constitution before recited. 
 
 AN ACT Concerning the advance of money to the Government of the United States for public 
 
 buildings. 
 
 Whereas the general assemt)ly of Maryland has acceded to a proposition of the 
 general government of this Commonwealth, contained in their resolution of the 
 tenth (lay of December, seventeen hundred and eighty-nine, concerning an advance 
 of money to the (leneral Government to be applied toward the erection of public 
 buildings at the permanent seat of the Government of the United States, should Con- 
 gress deem it expedient to fix it on the lianks of the Patowm ck; and whereas Con- 
 gress have passed an act for establishing the said seat of government on thePatown ack: 
 
 Be it eniicted by tlie cii')ieral assembly \_oi Virginia], That one hundred and twenty 
 thousand dollars shall be advanced by this Commonwealth to the General Govern- 
 ment, payable in three ecjual yearly payments, and to be applied toward erecting 
 public buiklings at the p rmanent scat of government of the United Sta'es on the 
 banks of the Patowmack, and the auditor of public accounts is hereby directed to 
 issue his warrants on the treasurer to the amount of one hundred and twenty thou- 
 sand dollars, payable in the manner hereinbefore directed, to tiie order of the Presi- 
 dent of the United States. 
 
 Passed December 27, 1790. 
 
 [seal.] George Washington, President of the United States, to all who shall see 
 these presents, greeting: 
 
 Know ye that reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity skill and dili- 
 gence of Thos. Johnson and Daniel Carroll, of Maryland, and David Stuart, of Vir- 
 ginia, I do, in pursuance of the powers vested in me by the act entitled "An Act for 
 establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United 
 States" approved July 16, 1790 hereby appoint them, the said Thomas Johnson, 
 Daniel (Carroll, and David Stuart, commissioners for surveying the district of terri- 
 tory accepted by the said act for the pennanent seat of the Governmi nt of the 
 United States, and for performing such other offices as by law are directed, with full 
 authority for thein, or any two ol them, to proceed therein according to law, and to 
 have and to hold the said office, with all tlie powers, privileges and authorities to 
 the same of right appertaining each of them, during the pleasure of the President 
 of the United States for the time being. 
 
 In testimony whereof I have caused these letters to be made patent and the seal 
 of the United States thereto affixed. 
 
 Given under my hand at the city of Philadelphia, the twenty-second day of 
 January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one and 
 of the independence of the United States the fifteenth. 
 
 George Washington. 
 
 By the President: 
 
 Thomas Jefferson. 
 
 AN ACT To amend "An act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government 
 
 of the United States." 
 
 Be it enactrd by the Senate and House of J'epreseiitatires of the (inted Stales of America 
 inCovffre>-sase)id)/ed, That so much of the act entitled "An act for establishing the 
 temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States" as reiiiiites 
 that the whole of the district of territory, not exceeding ten miles .scjuare, to be 
 located on the river i'otoniac, for the permanent seat of the Government of the 
 United States, shall be located altove the mouth of the Eastern Branch, be and is 
 hereby repealed, and that it shall be lawful for the President to make any part of 
 the territory below the said limit, and above the mouth of Hunting Creek, a part of 
 the said district, so as to include a convenient part of the Eastern Branch, and 
 
PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED HY MARYLAND AND VIKOINIA. 5 
 
 of the lands lyin<r on the lower side thereof, and also the t(jwn of Alexandria, and 
 the territory so to be incln<led sh ill form a |)art of the district not exeeedinf: ten 
 miles S(iuare, for the iiernianent seat of the CJovernnicnt of the United States, in like 
 manner and to all intents and pnrposes as if the same had been within the pnrview 
 of the above recited act: Pmvidcd, That nothing,' herein contained shall anthori/.e tlie 
 ereclion of the public buildin<js otherwise than on the Maryland side of the river 
 Potomac, as re(]uired by the aforesaid act. 
 Approved March :5, 1791. (1 Htats., 2N.) 
 
 Conoress first convened at Pliiludelphia, September 5. 1774, and 
 afterwards held sessions in the followiiio- ]>laces: l*hiladelplii;i, Lan- 
 caster, Baitimon', New York City, Yorktown, Princeton, York, 
 Trenton, and Annapolis, and at the time of the location of the capital 
 the foUowiiio- places were tr\'in,o- to secure the same: Phihidelphia, 
 Baltimore, Lancaster, York.* Princeton, Annapolis, Williamsburg, 
 Trenton, New York City, Williamsport, Germantown, Carlisle. Har- 
 risbuig, Readino-, Georgetown, and the present site. And the follow- 
 ing places entered into competition, by bids and otherwise, for the 
 location of the capital. We find the following language taken from 
 the Congressional Proceedings of June 4, 1783: 
 
 Be it reso/red, That copies of the act of the legislature of Maryland, relative to the 
 cession of the city of Annapolis to Congress for their permanent residence; and also 
 copies of the act of the legislature o: New York, relative to the cession of the town 
 of Kingston for the same purpose, together with the i)apei's which accompanied both 
 acts, be transmitted to the executives of the respective States, and that tlVey be 
 informed by the President that Congress have assigned the first Monday in October 
 next for taking the said offers into consideration. 
 
 Maryland and New York were the first to enter the arena. Later, 
 however, both Maryland and Virginia offered 10 square miles for 
 capital purposes, and offered to advance and did advance. th(^ former 
 $72,000 and the latter §120,000. 
 
 On the 7th of April, 1788, New York appropriated its public 
 buildings to the use of the new Congress. Philadelphia did likewise 
 for that citv. Baltimore offered a large tract of land and i-aised 
 <£30,000 in money, which was offered as an inducement to secure the 
 capital at Baltimore, On Tuesday, September 8, 1789, a petition was 
 presented by the inhabitants of Georgetown in the State of Maryland, 
 ofiering to put themselves and theii' fortunes under the exclusive 
 jurisdiction of Congress in case that town should be selected as the 
 permanent seat of the (iovernment of the United States. 
 
 A district 10 miles square, including the l)orough of Wilmington, in 
 the State of Delaware, was offered, and when this offer was under 
 consideration in Congress on Septeinber 17, 1789, the following was 
 provided: 
 
 That no cession be accepted until acts should be passed by the States of Maryland 
 and Pennsylvania to open a water communication between the bays of Chesapeake 
 and Delaware. 
 
 On September 2(!, 1780, a ]:)etition was presented by the people of 
 Germantown asking for the location of the capital at that place, and 
 offering a district of 10 miles square. On August 22, 1789, a memorial 
 of John Cox and others, of the States of New York and Pennsylvania, 
 was presented to Congress, asking for the seat of government to be 
 established on the banks of the Delaware, and offering a cession of a 
 tract of land U) miles s<]uare, including the borough of Lancaster, and 
 also at the same time nominated ^Vrigllts Ferry, on the Susquehanna, 
 
6 PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MAKYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 
 
 Yorktown, west of the Susquehanna, Carlisle, west of the Susque- 
 hanna, Harrisl)ui'o', west of the Susquehanna, Reading, on the Schuyl- 
 kill, and Gerniantown, in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, as different 
 places in Penns\'lvania which had been proposed for the permanent 
 seat of government of the United States; and on September 21, 1789, 
 IVlr. Morris introduced the resolution of the general assembly of the 
 State of Pennsylvania of March 5, 17^9, making otier to Congress of 
 the use of any or all of the public buildings in Philadelphia in case 
 Congress should at any time incline to make choice of that city as a 
 capital. 
 
 The permanent seat of the Government was established by the act of 
 July 1(), 1790 (1 Stat., 30), and under the fourth section of the act the 
 President was ''authorized and requested to accept grants of money." 
 
 On January S, 1796, President Washington transmitted to the Con- 
 gress a memorial of the conunissioners of the city of Washington on 
 the subject of the public buildings under their direction, and stating 
 that he had accepted the grants of money and of lands stated in the 
 memorial. The memorial contains the following: 
 
 That the State of Virginia has paid one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, 
 which had been previously offereil by an act of the legislature, on condition that 
 Congress would establish the permanent seat of Government on the banks of the 
 Potomac, to be applied, under the direction of the President of the United States, 
 toward erecting the necessary buildings for the Federal overnment; and that the 
 State of Maryland hath paid seventy-two thousand dollars for the same purpose. 
 (American State Papers, vol. 1, p. 133.) 
 
 Also on pages 243-2-16 of the same volume will be found a report of a 
 committee of the House of Representatives, Fifth Congress, second 
 session, containing an account of receipts and expenditures by the 
 commissioners of the city of Washington from the time of their appoint- 
 ment to the 18th of Ma}^, 179(5, in which the following entries appear: 
 
 Donation by the State of Virginia, $120,000. 
 Donation by the S.ate of Maryland, $72,000. 
 
 We here quote from Spofford's History : 
 
 The establishment of the national capital of the United States involves so many 
 particulars of historical interest that no apology seems necessary for devoting to it 
 the larger portion of this paper. In doing this it will be my aim to touch with the 
 grc^atest brevity on tliose portions of the history which have tjeen fully bi-oughtout in 
 the various publications on the subject, devoting the more attention to other 
 individuals. 
 
 The Continental Congress, during the progress of the Revolutionary struggle, was 
 never long Hxed in any one location Its sessions were convened at eight different 
 places in tour different'states, viz, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, York, Prince- 
 ton, Annapolis, Trenton, and New York City. 
 
 The bill then (September 22, 1789) went to the Senate, where it was discussed 
 three days, but as the Senate sat with closed doors no records of the debates in that 
 body we're preserved prior to December, 1799. Here it was moved to strike out the 
 words "in the State of Pennsylvania" from the bill, so that the jjlace selected might 
 be on the Maryland bank of the Sus(|nelianna, if tlionght proper. This was lost- 
 ayes 8, noes 10. A nidtion to substitute the Potomac for the Susquehanna was lo.st, 
 vote not given. It was then moved to locate the pern:)anent capital in a district 10 
 miles S(juare at Gerinantown, Pa., on the Delaware, including such part of the 
 Nurthern Liberties of L'hiladelphia as were not excepted by act of cession of that 
 State. This was lost by a tie vote — 9 to 9, but \'ice-P.'-esident Adams voting yea set- 
 tled the (juestion in the affirmative. In this vote the Northern and Eastern States 
 were solid for Gerniantown, exceiit Maclay, of Pennsylvania, who voted against it, 
 while the Southern States were solid against it, except the two Senators from Dela- 
 ware. A ])roviso was adoi)ted recjuiring Pennsylvania to pay $100,000 toward the 
 erection of the public buildings at Germantown, and the bill passed September 26 — 
 yeas 10, nays 7. 
 
PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED HY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 7 
 
 At the next meeting of ConKref^s, January 4, 17i)0, ntill at Now York, several 
 months ehipseil before the quesiiim of the seat of tioverniiient was reopened. 
 
 N'ery en<ir()i<!<iii}; l)iibiness eonnected with the revt'nue, tiie fumliiij^ of the pnV)lio 
 debt, ete., occupied the attention of both Houses. On the I^lst of May an attempt 
 was made in the House to .-settle the (piestion w here tlie Congress should hold its next 
 session. Philatleipliia was proposed a.s the proper place, aa a considerahle majority 
 had last session decidetl for Germantown as the seat of government Mr. iSinith, of 
 Maryland, moved to meet in Baltimore, as more central; its commerce was great, 
 its inhabitants had raised a subst rijition of between 120,0(0 and t;.';0,(i()0 to erect 
 suitable accommodations for the Members, and the legislature had offered to cede to 
 Congress 10 miles stjuare of territory. 
 
 Ni)rth Carolina came into the Union with her five congressional votes just in time 
 to take part in the settkment of a permanent seat of government and to decide the 
 question in favor of the Potomac. We liave seen that at the first session, in 1789, 
 there was a very decided majoiity against any site so southerly; that (jermantown 
 had afterwards been agreed to by hotli Houses, though by very small majorities; 
 that the Susciuehanna had been carried as the site l>y a h< avy majority in the House; 
 that in the earlier stages of the secolid session, in ITiiO, Congress was tro closely 
 absorbed with questions of revenue and public debt to consider tlie sulijectof the 
 caj'ital city, and that finally, alter long and sometimes acrimonious debate, a site on 
 the Potonlac was accepted by a majority of two votes in the Senate and three votes 
 in the House. Tho.-^e votes, moreover, could not have been obtained had North 
 Carolina not come into the Union in the meanwhile or had Pennsylvania sided with 
 the northern vote as against the southern location. 
 
 Mr. Jefferson has recorded in his Ana a remarkable piece of ])rivate history 
 regardin<r ti e final adoj)tion of the Potonuic site for the national cai)ital. According 
 to this statement, the session of 17^)0 was marked by an obstinate struggle over 
 Hamilton's favorite scheme of the assumption of the state debts, amounting to 
 $20,000,000. This was at first deleated in the House; Hamilton was anxious and 
 excited; he urged Jefferson to aid in securing its reconnnendation, sayirg that tho 
 Eastern or creditor states were dissatisfied, and threatened secession and dissolution 
 if their claims were not considered. Says Mr. Jefferson: 
 
 "I proposed to him to dine with me" the next day, and T would invite another 
 ■friend or two aufl bring tliem into conference together, and I thouglit it impossible 
 that reasonable men, consulting together coolv, could fail by some mutual cacrilicta 
 of opinion, to form a compromise whic-h was to save the Union. The discussion 
 took place. It was tinally agreed that whatever importance had Ik en attached to 
 the rejection of this proposition, the preservation of the Ui.ion and of concord among 
 the States was more important, and that therefore it would be better that the vote 
 of rejection should be rescinded, to effect which some Memliers should change their 
 votes. But it was observed that this jill would lie pei'uliarly bitter to the Southern 
 States, and that some concomitant measure should be adopted to sweeten it a little 
 to them. 
 
 "There had before been propositions to fix the seat of government either at Phila- 
 delphia or at Georgetow-n on the Potomac; and it was thought by giving it to 
 Philadelphia for two years and to Georgetown permanently afterwards this might, 
 as an anodyne, calm in sonie degree the ferment which might be excited by the other 
 measure alone. So two of the Potomac Members (White and Uee, but White with 
 a revulsion of stomach almost convulsive) agreed to change their votes, and Hamilton 
 undertook to carrv the other point. In doing this the influence he had established 
 over the eastern Members, with the agency of Robert Morris with those of the Middle 
 States, effected his side of the engagement; and so the assumption was passed, and 
 twenty millions of stock divided among favored States and thrown in as a pabulum 
 to the" stockjobbing herd." 
 
 So far :Mr. Jefferson's statement has been generally accepted as a part of the history 
 of the times. 
 
 It is a noteworthy fact that this act of Congress, adopted after so long and seripua 
 a division of opinion, fixed absolutelv no definite plai'C for the site of the capital city. 
 It gave the President of the United States the sole j)Ower to select any site on the 
 river I^otomac, between the mouth of the Kastern Branch (or Ai-acostia) and the 
 mouth of theConocorheague; in other words, within a distanceof alont 105 miles (fol- 
 lowing the river windings ) from the present site of Washington to where the Conoco- 
 cheasiue joins the Potomac at Williamsport, Washington County, about 7 miles from 
 Hagerstovvn, :\Id. Here was a wide latitude of choice indeed to le con tided toone man. 
 It was in the power of Washington, under the jirovisions of this act, to have founded 
 the national capital at Harpers Ferry, 50 miles west of Baltimore, instead of at a 
 place 40 miles south of it. He might even have located it, at his discretion, at the 
 mouth of the Conococheague itself, 100 miles farther up the river than the present 
 
8 PAYMENT OF M0NP:YS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 
 
 capital; and there is a contemporaneous letter of Oliver Wolcott which says: "In 
 I8U0 we are to ^o to the Inrlian place with the loiiy name on the Potomac." 
 
 Washington, however, with that consummate judgment which distinguished his 
 career, fixed upon just the one spot in the entire range of the territory dcscti ;ed by 
 Congress, which commauiied the threefold advantages of unfailing tide-water navi- 
 gation, convenient access from Baltimore and the other great cities northward, and 
 the superb natural sites for public buildings and for the varied wants of a populous 
 city. The " magnificent distances," once the tli 'me of so much cheap ridicule, are 
 found not a whit too liberal, now that the capital has grown from a struggling village 
 into a well-built and well-paved emporium for a population which, though not 
 placing it in the first rank of cities, gives it at least an enviable place in the second 
 rank. 
 
 Both Virginia and Maryland took the most active and zealous interest in the estab- 
 lishment of the National Cajntal on their borders. With co-terminous territory for 
 nearly 300 miles, separated by the great natural boundary of the Potomac, these 
 prosperous ("ommonwealths had every motive to unite in whatever should bring 
 population and wealth to develop their gieat natural advantages, and to imi)rove the 
 navigation of the river. With a liberality equal to the occasion, Virginia voted 
 $120,000 in money as a free gift to the I'nited States (iovernment to aid in erecting 
 the public buildings, and Maryland appropriated §72,000 to the same object, a sum 
 which was relatively a very large one in that day of small things. This not proving 
 to be sufficient, and the Congre.'^s at Philadelphia not coming forward with apjiro- 
 priations, as had been expected, Washington was induced to make a personal appeal 
 to the State of Maryland for a loan. He told Governor Stone that the commission- 
 ers had attempted in vain to borrow in Europe to carry on the r)ublic buildings, and 
 he knew of no place in the Uniteil States where application could be made with 
 greater propriety than to the legislature of Maryland, "a State where the most anxious 
 eolicitude is presumed to be felt for the growtJh and prosperity of that city which is 
 intended for the permanent seat of government for America." The appropriation 
 was granted, and the legislature accompanied the act authorizing the loan of $100,000 
 with a testimonial of their high regard for the President, while they were care ul to 
 require the personal security of the commissioners (so low was then the credit of the 
 United States) in guarantee of the repayment of the loan. 
 
 The loan of §100,000 above referred to was of date Januiuy '24:, 
 1707, and on January 27, 1798, Maryland ao-.dn loaned $100,000 and 
 required the same kind of security. Both of these loans were to draw 
 interest at the rate of 6 per cent and the interest and prhicipal were 
 afterwards paid, the final pa3anent being made on Januarj' 7, 1808. 
 
 The committee calls the attention of the House to the fact that' on 
 September 2.5, 1789, the Senate of the United States amended a bill 
 then before it so as to read as follows: 
 
 And he it further enacled, That the President of the United States be authorizea to 
 appoint three commissioners, who are, unde ' his direction, to loc;ate a district, not 
 exceeding ten square miles, in the said counties, and including therein the said 
 Northern Liberties and town of Germantowu, and to purchase such (piautity of land 
 within the same as may be necessary, and to accept grants of land for the use of the 
 United States, and to erect thereon, within four years, suitable buildings for the 
 accommodation of the Congress and of the officers of the United States — 
 
 and further amended the bill by providino- — 
 
 That no powers herein vested in the President of the United States shall be carried 
 into effect until the State of Pennsylvania, or individual citizens of the same, shall 
 give satisfactorv sec;urity to the Secretary of the Trea-^ury to furnish and pay, as the 
 game may be neces.«ary, one hundred thousand dollars, to be employed in erecting 
 the said buildinge 
 
 The bill as amended passed the Senate on September 26, 1789, and 
 was sent to the House of Representatives and afterwards the House of 
 Representatives amended it by providing- that Congress might hold 
 their next session at Philadelphia, and the bill was sent to the Senate 
 for their concurrence. 
 
 From this time on the representatives from the States of Maryland 
 and Virginia, in the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
 
PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 9 
 
 United States, were found doino- evcrvtliin*^ in their power to defeat 
 final action looking to the estahlislnnc'nt of the seat of government at 
 Germantown, and tinally some of these representatives ehang(>d their 
 votes on what was known at that time as the assnmption act, i)roviding 
 that the General (xovernment of the United States shonhl assnme the 
 indebtedness of the several States. KviMitiiaily. through the successful 
 etiorts of Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and Washing-ton, the assump- 
 tion act was passed and the capital of tlie nation established where 
 it is now located. 
 
 The connnittee have called attention to the successful efi'orts of the 
 distinguished gentlemen heretofore named for the reason, as appears 
 from the public records of the time, that there can be no (piestion hut 
 what this matter was successfully carried through and the compromise 
 effected by the gentlemen named. We call particular attention to the 
 statements of Mr. Maclay, of Pennsylvania, taken from his ]n-ivate' 
 journal, in which he says: ''lam fully convinced that i'ennsylvania 
 could do no better. It is in fact the interest of the President of the 
 United States tnat pushes the Potomac, who by means of Jefferson, 
 Madison, Carroll, and others urges the business, and if we had not 
 closed with these terms a bargain would have been made for the tem- 
 porary residence in New York." 
 
 He again says: '"The President of the United States has, in my 
 opinion, had great influence in this business." This was in reference 
 to the compromise on the assun^ption act and the location of the 
 capital. 
 
 There is not, so far as the committee has been able to discover, any 
 public record of any kind which shows that the advances made b}^ the 
 States of Maryland and Virginia were regai'ded as loans. It is urged 
 by those who favor this measure that the fact that John Marshall, 
 afterwards Chief Justice of the United States, because he moved to 
 strike out the word "grant " in the title of the act and insert the woi-d 
 "advance," shows that it Avas intended that this was to be a loan in 
 place of a donation or gift. The committee is satisfied that the reason 
 Mr. Marshall made this motion was to have the title of the act con- 
 form to the language in the body of said act, where the term "advance" 
 appeared and not "grant." Mr. Marshall at the time knew that the 
 President of the United States, or the commissioners themselves, had 
 no authority whatever to borrow any money, but knew that Congress 
 had alread}'^ provided, however, that the commissioners had authority 
 to accept grants of money; and if it was the intention of the States of 
 Maryland and Virginia that this money was to be regarded as a loan 
 is it not strange that they did not require some evidence of indebted- 
 ness on the part of the (Tovernment of the United States to either of 
 said States, and that they did not rei(uire any security or any interest, 
 while Maryland, a few yeai's later, when that State did loan S2()0,000 
 to the Government of the United States, demanded gilt-edged security 
 and a rate of interest at 6 per centi! In all pul)lic documents, so far 
 as the committee have been able to discover, this matter is referred to 
 as a grant, gift, or donation, and nowhei'e is it referred to as a loan. 
 
 General Washington calls it a "grant" when drawing his order on 
 Virginia, and a "gift" when drawing on Maryland. The law of 
 Maryland was the same as Virginia. fJeff'erson calls it at the time a 
 "gift" in one letter and a "donation" in another. The conunissioners 
 and others, when connnunicating with the authorities of \'ii'ginia. 
 
10 PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA, 
 
 called it a "donation." It is designated as a "donation"' on their 
 books. Mr. Randolph, then Secretary of State, called it a "donation." 
 
 We call special attention to the language used by Mr. Meigs in a 
 report from the committee. 
 
 Mr. Meigs, in a report from the Committee on the Expenditures 
 upon the Public Buildings, made to the House of Representatives 
 March 21, 1820, remarks that— j 
 
 It appears that the valuation of the public lots and actual amount of sales, added 
 to the donations frum the i^'tates of Virginia and Maryland, exceed the national 
 expenditure upon public buildings by nearly $400,000. (See American State Papers, 
 vol. 11, Miscellaneous.) 
 
 and again call attention to the statements heretofore referred to that 
 at the time the commissioners of the city of Washington had entered 
 .in the books of said city the following entries: 
 
 Donation by the State of Virginia $120, 000 
 
 Donation by the State of Maryland 72, 000 
 
 We also call attention to the entry which appears on page 1 of 
 Journal A and of date October 17, 1791, "that (it appears that) the 
 State of Virginia subscribed the sum of $120,000 presumably toward 
 the erection of the public buildings in the city of Washington," and 
 it appears from subsequent entries that this entire amount subscribed 
 was paid, as one William Deakins, jr., who was the treasurer of the 
 federal commissioners appointed by President W^ashington to lay out 
 the city and erect the public buildings, has charged himself with 
 sundry payments made by the State of Virginia from time to time on 
 account of its donation. Then, in that account there appear the fol- 
 lowing statements: 
 
 '•'To the State of Virginia received of Mr. Hopkins, part of its 
 donation, $8,585," of date Mai'ch 2, 1795; and again in the same 
 account, under date of March 21, 1796, there appears. "To State of 
 Virginia received of John Hopkins the balance of the Virginia dona- 
 tion, $1,312.06," and the total of all of the items in this account of 
 William Deakins, jr., debtor to sundry accounts with the State of Vir- 
 ginia, the total amount is $120,000. 
 
 Your committee herewith adopts as a part of its report a portion of 
 the report made b}^ the Committee on Claims of the United States 
 Senate when this matter was before that body on Januar}' 30, 1852. 
 
 New York and Pennsylvania had gratuitously furnished "elegant 
 and convenient accommodations" for the use of the Government dur- 
 ing the eleven years that it was located within their respective limits, 
 as appears from the resolutions passed b}^ Congress on its removal. 
 They had offered to continue to do so. IS'ew Jersey oflered accommo- 
 dations at Trenton. The citizens of Baltimore, through their repre- 
 sentative, proposed to furnish money for the erection of the necessary 
 buildings in that to\\ n for the Federal Government. One hundred 
 thousand dollars had been required to be paid by Pennsylvania, or its 
 citizens, as a condition of the location of the Government in that 
 State. 
 
 This was the state of things when the propositions of Virginia and 
 Maryland were brought forward, to advance $192,000, "to be applied 
 toward erecting public buildings at the permanent scat of the Govern- 
 ment of the United States, on the banks of the Potomac." 
 
 On the 31st of May, 1790, a bill was introduced into the Senate to 
 determine "the permanent seat of Congress and the Government of 
 
PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVAN("EI> HY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 11 
 
 the I'uitod States,''' On the ^Sth of rhine, this hill heino- under con- 
 sideration, memorials were read from citizens of Baltimore and iidiah- 
 itants of (ieorj^'etown for the selection of those places, and a motion 
 heino" made to insert ''on the river Potomac at some place hetween 
 the mouths of the Eastern Branch atid the Connog()clie((ue be, and the 
 same is hereby, accepted for the {)ei'manent seat of the (Jovernment of 
 the Unit(>d States/' It passed in tlii^ aliirmative. 
 The bill was further amended as follows: 
 
 And he it farther enaded, Tliat, for defra_vin^ the expense of wiich purcliases and 
 buildinjis tlie President of the United folates be antliorized and requewted to accept 
 grants of money, and cause to be borrowed a sum not exceeding one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars at an interest not exceeding six per cent. 
 
 In this form the bill was sent to a select committee consistino- of 
 Messrs. Butler, of South Carolina; flohnson, of Connecticut; Henry, 
 of Maryland; Lee, of Viroinia; and Dalton, of Massachusetts. In 
 their report on this part of the bill is the following proposition: 
 
 Your committee further recommend that such sums of money as ma}' be offered 
 by the States for the carrying this bill into effect may be accepted of; then the bill 
 will read thus: " and to accept grants of monej' or land." 
 
 The bill was accordingly amended by striking out that part which 
 authorized the borrowing of money for the erection of the public build- 
 ings — 3'eas 19, nays 7. A motion was subsequently made to restore 
 the clause "'and cause to be borrowed a sum not exceeding one hun- 
 dred thousand dollars at an interest not exceeding six per cent," and 
 it was negatived without a division. 
 
 The "act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the 
 Government of the United States"" passed and was approved by the 
 President on the Itlth of July, 17!»(>, fixing the "permanent seat"' on 
 the banks of the Potomac, in accordance with the propositions of the 
 legislatures of the States of Maryland and Virginia — and the "tem- 
 porary seat" at Philadelphia. 
 
 In the act, as passed, no authority was granted to borrow money or 
 contract for or accept a loan on any terms, either with or without 
 interest. On the contrary, such authorit}^ was expressly denied. It 
 is a gencM'al rule that all are bound to take notice of the provisions of 
 a public law. P)V the fourth section of the act the President was 
 "authorized and recjuested to accept grants of mone}'." And to this 
 acceptance of grants his authority was clearly limited. It is not to be 
 presumed that the authorities of Virginia did not know or understand 
 the provisions of this law. 
 
 Did President Washington transcend these limits, as prescribed by 
 Congress, when he received from the States of Virginia and Maryland 
 the several sums of mone}^ appropriated by their respective let^isiatures 
 "to be applied toward erecting puldic buildings at the permanent seat 
 of the Government of the I'nited States on the bank of the Potomac?" 
 
 On the 22d of .January, 1T!»1, as appears by the manuscript records 
 in theolliceof the Conuuissioner of Put)lic Buildings. Pi-esident AVash- 
 ington appointed Thomas Johnson and Daniid Carroll, of Maryland, 
 and David Stuart, of Virginia, conunissioners under the act of IGth of 
 Jul}^ 1T*J0, and on the '24th day of the same month he issued his proc- 
 lamation tixing the "location of one part of the said district of ten 
 miles square" on the Virginia side of the Potomac, and the "other 
 part" on the Maryland side. The commi^ioners met on the 12th of 
 April, 1791, and proceeded to execute the duties of their trust. Their 
 
12 PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 
 
 first object was to locate the city, acquire tlie title to the soil, and fix the 
 sites for the principal public edifices. And having" accomplished these 
 preliminaries they applied to the President for the necessary funds to 
 carry on their operations. As many of the public lots as could be 
 properly disposed of were directed to be sold, and the proceeds to be 
 placed in the Treasury, and application was made to the President for 
 orders on the States of Maryland and Virginia for the payment of the 
 installments pledged by those States. In a letter of President Wash- 
 ington, addressed to the commissioners, from Richmond, dated 18th of 
 April, 1791, he says: 
 
 Agreeable to the assurance given to Mr. Carroll, I applied, immediately upon my 
 arrival in this city, to Governor Randolph for $2,000 for federal purposes under your 
 direction; although by the law of this State the payments of the $120,000 are to be 
 made by installments the governor is well disposed to advance the money at earlier 
 periods. 
 
 P. S. — Since writing the foregoing I have again conversed with Governor Randolph, 
 and have drawn upon him, payable to your order, for $40,000, being the first 
 installment. 
 
 Governor Randolph also wrote to the commissioners acknowledging 
 the receipt of the order and sajang that he would meet it as fast as the 
 state oi the treasury would allow, and that $1,000 would be paid 
 immediately. 
 
 'i'he ommissioners also addressed a communication to the governor 
 of Maryland asking for the payment of "money granted" by that 
 State. 
 
 On the 6th of June, 1T92, the commissioners wrote to the governor 
 of Virginia a>: follows: "There remains behind a part of the Virginia 
 donation, which was receivable for the past year, and urging thi neces- 
 sity of innnsdiate payment." 
 
 The following, in reference to the second installment of Virginia, 
 appears upon the records of proceedings of the board of commissioners 
 of the federal city, viz: 
 
 Received sundry letters, and among them oue from the Secretary of State, inclos- 
 ing the following order: 
 
 "Philadelphia, Norember 13, 1792. 
 "Sir: Be pleased to pay to Messrs. Johnson, Stuart, and Carroll, commissioners of 
 the federal buildings on the Potomac, or to their order, or to the order of any two of 
 them, the second installment of the moneys granted by the State of Virginia toward 
 the said buildings. 
 
 "George Washixgton. 
 "The Treasurer op Virginia." 
 
 On the President's order the connnissioners made the following indorsement, and 
 delivered it to their treasurer, to wit: 
 
 "Pay the contents to Col. William Deakins, or order. 
 
 "Daviu Stuart, 
 "Daniel Carroll, 
 
 " Commissioners." 
 
 This order was forwarded to the commissioners inclosed in a letter 
 from Thomas Jcficrson, then Secretary of State, in which he .says, " I 
 have the honor to inclose you the President's order on the treasurer of 
 Virginia for the second installment of the money given by that State 
 (see manuscript letter of Mr. flefi'erson, dated the loth of November, 
 
PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCKD l^Y MARYLAND AND VTROINIA. 13 
 
 1792, on tile in tho office of Commissioner of Public P)uil(lin(,'-s). A 
 similar record appeal's in reference to the payments of Maryland, viz 
 (recordsof proceedings of the hoard of commissioners, pp. 70 and 170): 
 
 riiiLAUiCLi'iiiA, Derciiihcr ^7, 17!>1. 
 Sir: Re pleased to pay to Tlioiiuis Johnson, David Stuart, and Daniel Carroll, eeqs. 
 Conimissioiiers of the Federal District, or to their order, or to the order of any two 
 of them, $LM,000, <^iven hy the asHeinl)ly of Maryland toward defrayinj,' the expenses 
 of the public buildinga within said district. 
 
 GeoKGE WASniNOTON. 
 
 To Thomas Howard, Esq., 
 
 Treai^tmr of the Western Shore of Mari/land. 
 
 This order was indorsed by thecommissioners to William Deakins, jr.. 
 their tn^isurer, and upon it the money appears to have been paid. 
 This \yould seem to settle very clearly the understandino- of (leneral 
 Washinoton, Mr. JclTerson. and of the executive officers of Maryland 
 and \'iroinia of the nature of the " advance" made by those States. A 
 isin)ilar order for "the third installment of the sura given by the assem 
 bly of Maryland,'"' etc., was given by General Washington, dated Mai'ch 
 2, 1793. ■ ■ 
 
 On the 7th of February, 1793, the commissioners, in a commimi- 
 cation to Mr. Jetierson, say: "'We have as yet received oidy §10,000 
 on the President's second draft on Virginia. " We have to-day written 
 to the executive of Virginia requesting a payment of the balance.'' 
 
 They also addressed urgent memorials to the governor and to the 
 assembly of \'irginia earnestly and repeatedly soliciting the payment 
 of installment.s of the " donation of Virginia" and the '' Virginia dona- 
 tion toward erecting the public buildings." In the records and books, 
 and in the correspondence of the commissioners, whether with the 
 President, the governor of Virginia, the general assembly of that 
 State, or with other persons, whenever this fund is alluded to, it is 
 designated as the "donation," "grant," or "gift" of Virginia. 
 
 Mr. Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State, in a letter to the com- 
 missioners dated August 21, 1791, says, "I have this day written to 
 the governor and treasurer of Virginia, stimulating them to the pay- 
 ment of the arrears of the donation. Perhaps you had better add a 
 representation of the necessity of the federal city for such a supply." 
 
 The foregoing history of the early legislation upon the subject 
 clearly proves, in the judgment of the committee, that Virginia 
 intended the said sum of $12W,0'^>'* ii« fi gift or donation, and not alone, 
 because — 
 
 1. No time or manner of repayment is provided for. 
 
 2. The President of the United States had no authority to borrow 
 money or contract foi- a loan. He was only authorized to accept 
 grants of money. 
 
 3. The oti'er of Virginia of the said sum was conditional, provided 
 the seat of government was located near or within her territorial lim- 
 its; and it was made after Penns3dvania and Baltlmoi-e had oti'ered 
 donations or gifts, and when there was a strong probability that Ger- 
 mantown would be agreed upon as a site. There is no reason to infer 
 that \'irginia would have advanced that or any other sum if the seat 
 of government had remained at Philadelphia or had been located at 
 Gerraantown. 
 
14 PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 
 
 In view of the foregoing history, fact:«i, and considerations, the com- 
 mittee conclude and decide that if the United States could be sued 
 the claimants could not recover, either in a court of law or equity. 
 
 The question then arises whether, considering the sum advanced to 
 be a "gift" or "donation," it should be repaid. As such its repay- 
 ment is not asked, and therefore the connnittee do not undertake to 
 decide the question, but refer it to the judgment of the Senate. 
 
 The committee, however, are unanimously of opinion that if, look- 
 ing to all the circumstances of the advance made by Virginia, and 
 viewing it as a ''donation" or "grant," the Senate should determine 
 that it is just and proper to repay the same, then the sum of $72,000 
 advanced by Maryland should also be repaid, and a reasonable com- 
 pensation made to the States of New York and Pennsylvania for the 
 use of theii- pu!>lic ])uildings by Congress and the public officers prior 
 to the removal of the seat of government to Washington. 
 
 The records show that Congress and the public officers occupied the 
 public buildings litted up by and belonging to the State or city of New 
 York, for a period of about one year atid six months, and the public 
 buildings in Philadelphia, then belonging to the State of Pennsylvania, 
 from the 6th of December, 1790, to about the close of the year 1800, a 
 period of about ten years. It is believed that |20,000 would be a 
 reasonable compensation to bo offered to New York, and $100,000 to 
 the State of Pennsylvania. It does not appear that either State ever 
 received anything more than thanks. 
 
 At that time the State of Virginia was not making any claim in her 
 own name for reimbursement, as the State had transferred its interest 
 in the matter to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company, and 
 said railroad company in its own name was asking to be awarded 
 $120,000 for the use and benefit of said railroad company. 
 !r The committee also call the attention of the House to the fact that 
 the State of Virginia is not now claiming that the United States Gov- 
 ernment owes her any amount whatever. The claim that is before 
 Congress at this time is presented on behalf of the Mount Vernon 
 Association, and they ask this donation at the hands of the Govern- 
 ment for the erection of a public highway between Washington City 
 and Mount Vernon. 
 
 Your committee is clearly of the opinion that there is no legal or 
 equitable liability on the part of the (jovernment of the United States 
 in favor of either the State of Maryland or Virginia, and from the 
 evidence presented in this case the conuuittee are unanimously of the 
 opinion that neither Maryland nor Virginia at the time that these 
 moneys were advanced expected that this act would create any liability 
 on the part of the Government of the United States to return any of 
 the moneys to either of the States, and that their sole object in offer- 
 ing to advance the moneys heretofore referred to and to grant lands 
 was for the purpose of securing the location of the capital within their 
 territory, which they believed would be of great benefit to their peo- 
 ple, and that in making the offer which they did they were simply try- 
 ing to meet the competition of other States which were trying to secure 
 the capital foi' the benefit of their people. 
 
 The committee regard it as remarkable that these States should now 
 claim that this was a loan in view of the fact that no one was seeking 
 
PAYMENT OF MONEYS ADVANCED BY MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. 15 
 
 to borrow monoy from thoiii at the time, to wit. in i7l>i», aiul that at 
 that time the records of the department show that the State of Vir- 
 g'inia was indebted to the United States in the simi of mori; than 
 ^200,000; and althouoii since that time there liave been settlements at 
 various times between the (general Uovornment and these two States, 
 yet at no time from 17l»() until now has either of these States in any of 
 the settlements that have ever been made chiimed that they were entitled 
 to credit in said settlements by reason of the advances of money made 
 for public buildino- purposes in Washino-ton. 
 
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