Adams Papers
Documents filtered by: Period="Washington Presidency"
sorted by: editorial placement
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/01-03-02-0008-0002-0004

[Notes of Debates on the Residence Bill, continued] Sept. 24. Thursday.
[from the Diary of John Adams]

[Notes of Debates on the Residence Bill, continued] Sept. 24. Thursday.

Mr. Grayson. moves to strike out the Words, “in the State of Pensilvania.”1

Mr. Butler. The Center of Population the best Criterion. The Center of Wealth and the Center of Territory.

Mr. Lee. The Center of Territory is the only permanent Center. Mr. Macclay. See his minutes.2

1That is, following the words “river Susquehannah” in the House bill, and thus assigning the federal capital to Maryland; all the senators present from the South voted for this amendment, but it lost by ten votes to eight.

2Maclay’s “minutes” of this day’s debate are very full, but it would have been remarkable if he had offered to let JA see them, since they accuse him of grossly unfair conduct in the chair (Journal description begins Journal of William Maclay, United States Senator from Pennsylvania, 1789–1791, ed. Edgar S. Maclay, New York, 1890. description ends , 1890, p. 162–165).

Index Entries