letter from the member of the committee from New-Hampshire.

MR. BLANCHARD TO MR. GERRY.

MY DEAR SIR,

NEW-YORK, AUG. 17, 1784.

I have now the pleasure of addressing a line from this city, where I arrived the last evening. Mr. Dana tarried at Philadelphia to settle his account, but I expect his arrival to-morrow.

We (the committee) have not heard any thing of settlement since you left congress.

I hope you will not censure us for leaving Annapolis: we tarried until the 11th in a disagreeable situation enough; at no time more than nine states, and of course one voice put a stop to any debate. Mr. Dana introduced a motion for an adjournment to Trenton, second Monday in September. New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, New-Jersey, North Carolina and South Carolina were in favour of it, the other states were against it. Mr. Dana and myself told the committee that we were unwilling to tarry, being under necessity of returning to our states, and nothing to do in the committee. The week before last no representation from Maryland and no quorum. Monday last week Hand introduced a scandalous motion; Spaight seconded it. Mr. Dana rose after the reading from the chair, and

with great spirit observed that the motion was cruel and barbarous, and by no means such treatment as the mover had experienced from NewHampshire and Massachusetts. The design was to cast an odium on Mr. Dana and myself for leaving the committee. Hand rose to reply to Mr. Dana, and I took my hat and cane and left the room. Soon after I got to Mrs. Brice's the deputy secretary came to me with a message from the chairman, to know if I were about returning. I observed, that I was writing a public letter, and could not. Read then rose and hallooed so that he might be heard through town, and insisted that the motion should be put on the journal. Mr. Dana insisted that it should not, and told the secretary to put it on at his peril; and so the matter We were under no concern from our states, and could move an amendment, or to strike out; but I supposed the shortest way would be, to put a stop to it directly. Hand, Chase, Read, Hardy, Spaight and Houston treated us scandalously. Mr. Dana and I wished for a constitutional adjournment, and treated them with great decency to procure it, but all to no purpose. Mr. Dana said he could not tarry, and would not; and if the committee refused to adjourn when they could, they must answer for the consequences. Mr. Dick came off with us, and latterly has behaved pretty well. There remains no prospect of a committee again. Such men are unfit to gov

rests.

ern this country. When we came to Philadelphia we acquainted Thompson with the matter: he said he should order the papers to Trenton. Mr. Dana's health is improved and mine is good, but the heat intense. We hope soon to see our connexions and friends; and few more so than Mr. Gerry. I enclose a paper.

Pray accept my best wishes for a continuance of your health, being in great haste,

My dear sir,

Your most obedient servant,

Hon. Mr. Gerry.

57

J. BLANCHARD.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Correspondence with Mr. Jefferson........Letter to the Legislature of Massachusetts........Letter from Mr. J. Adams......... General de Lafayette........Correspondence with General Warren.

MR. GERRY lingered at Philadelphia on his return from congress. Whatever he might have apprehended as a senator from the undue influence of that city on the deliberations of a political assembly, as a gentleman he was delighted with the charms of its refined and elegant society, into the amusements of which he always entered with avidity, and was received with the utmost cordiality and regard.

Distinguished as he then was in the councils of his country, young, wealthy, without the cares of a family, flattered, courted and caressed by the polite and fashionable society of that gay metropolis, and by the literary and learned coteries which already marked its intellectual improvement, and with a disposition that peculiarly attached him to the elegant pleasures of social intercourse, it must have been with no small sacrifice of personal inclination that he had urged the removal of congress from that city, and perseveringly opposed its return. But the city of Phila

delphia had caused some jealousy in the mind of the leaders of congress. Its wealth, its great population, the very intercourse which was so agreeable, was believed to be injurious to the public councils. Some disaffection was excited by the undue share which its citizens had in the distribution of the public offices, and more from a belief that the state in whose capital congress held its session would acquire an improper weight in its decisions. These causes produced in the mind of many members a strong wish to change the location of congress, which nevertheless was opposed by the facilities for transacting public business which the city presented as well to individuals of the legislature as others who were connected with the offices attached to it. While these circumstances were in operation the deliberations of congress were disturbed by a riot of armed men, whose menacing appearance "insulted the authority of the United States." On the local government failing to take those steps, which the dignity and safety of that body required, a sufficient reason was found for removal, and congress adjourned to Princeton in June 1783.

From these circumstances originated the plan of a federal city, over which congress might exercise exclusive jurisdiction. Two committees, of each of which Mr. Gerry was chairman, were directed to examine a suitable location at the lower falls of the Potomac and in the vicinity of the