L THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.-CHAPTER I.—False im- pressions prevailing in relation to the City of Washingten--Mr. Southard's Remark, and its Application--Sessions of Congress, where held prior to 1790-Article of the Constitution pro- viding for a Seat of Government-Discussions in relation to the Place to be Selected-Disad- vantages of a Commercial City-Propriety of laying out a City expressly for this Purpose- Position-Influence of the Proposition for Funding State Debts-The Growth of the West anticipated when this Question was Decided-Dr. Paterson's Calculation-Recent Remarks of Senators Calhoun and Allen on "A Centre of Territory," and Influence of Commercial Cities. By J. B. VARNUM, Jun., Esq., of the New York Bar......................... II. THE LIFE OF MAJOR SAMUEL SHAW, THE FIRST AMERICAN CONSUL AT CANTON. By CHARLES H. GLOVER, Esq., of the New York Bar..... III. THE COMMERCIAL CITIES OF EUROPE.—No. I.-Havre-Location of Havre-Its Gen- eral Appearance-Commercial Establishments of Havre-Causes of Prosperity-Description of the Ports-Roads-Harbor-Basins-Navigation and Foreign Trade-Articles of Export and Import-Whale Fishery-Steamboats-Ocean Steamers between New York and Havre -Ship-building-Facilities for Business........................ IV.—LIFE INSURANCE: WITH REFERENCE TO PREMIUMS, ETC., OF LIFE INSU- RANCE COMPANIES. By C. F. M'CAY, of the University of Georgia...... V. MR. BROOKE, OF SARAWACK, BORNEO. By J. BALESTIER, United States Consul at .................. VI. THE CONSULAR SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES--OUTLINES FOR THE REVISION EMBRACING A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW OF THE UNITED STATES, ETC., ILLUSTRATED WITH TABLES, ETC., AS FOLLOWS: The Commercial Embarrassment of England, owing to the Unskilfulness of her Monied Institutions- Imports and Exports of the United States in 1847-Influence of European Commercial Affairs on this Country-Coinage-Condition of the New York City Banks in August and November, 1847- The Country Banks-Dividends of New York Banks for several Years-List of Failures in Europe to 19th November-Mode of Transacting Business between England and the United States-Rates 76-82 Commerce of the Port of New York-Imports and Exports in 1846 and 1847... Export and Consumption of Champagne Wine...... Progress of the American Cheese Trade from 1834 to 1846........ Railroad System of the United States-Miles completed in each year, and Capital invested... Union Canal, Pennsylvania, Tons transported and Tolls received from 1828 to 1847...... South Carolina Railroad-Receipts, Expenditures, etc., in 1846......... Boston and Providence Railroad-Receipts, Expenditures, Income, and Dividends, from 1841 to 1846. 163 Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad-Receipts. Expenditures, Profits, etc....... A Law relating to Banking in New York, passed December 4, 1847... Banks and Bank Directors: with Special Reference to the Dry-goods Trade. Condition of the Banks in Massachusetts near the close of 1847.. Politics and Political Economy, Extracts from a Discourse, by the Rev. WILLIAM HENRY CHANNING 116 Gundry and Bacon's Commercial Institute, of Cincinnati.................. 121-128 HUNT'S MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1848. Art. I. THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTER I. ALSE IMPRESSIONS PREVAILING IN RELATION TO THE CITY OF WASHINGTON-MR. SOUTHARD'S REMARK, AND ITS APPLICATION-SESSIONS OF CONGRESS, WHERE HELD PRIOR TO 1790-ARTICLE OF THE CONSTI TUTION PROVIDING FOR A SEAT OF GOVERNMENT-DISCUSSIONS IN RELATION TO THE PLACE TO BE SELECTED DISADVANTAGES OF A COMMERCIAL CITY-PROPRIETY OF LAYING OUT A CITY EXPRESSLY FOR THIS PURPOSE-POSITION-INFLUENCE OF THE PROPOSITION FOR FUNDING STATE DEBTS-THE GROWTH OF THE WEST ANTICIPATED WHEN THIS QUESTION WAS DECIDED DR. PATERSON'S CALCULATION-RECENT REMARKS OF SENATORS CALHOUN AND ALLEN ON "A CENTRE OF TERRITORY," AND INFLUENCE OF COMMERCIAL CITIES. NOTWITHSTANDING the number who annually visit Washington on business or pleasure, there are few who rightly understand the relation in which that city stands to the general government, or appreciate its importance as the only spot where it is practically seen that, for national purposes, we are but one people. There are, it is true, forts, arsenals, and navy-yards scattered over the country, in which all are interested equally, and which awaken our pride, as citizens of the great republic; but each of these is limited to some one object, and a sight of one is a sight of all. It is only at Washington that one sees a whole district of country laid out expressly as a common centre of the nation, and a city planned solely with a view to the gratification of national pride, and for national conve nience; the inhabitants of which are under the entire control of Congress, and deprived of the elective franchise, for the express purpose of remov ing them from the influence of party spirit, and enabling the government to perform its functions without embarrassment or restraint. Everything that beautifies or adorns it, or in any manner affects its prosperity, should interest, to almost as great a degree, the citizen of the most distant State as the resident on the spot; for there are few who do not, in the course of their lives, expect to reside there for a longer or shorter period. It is the fashion to speak of Washington as a place of extravagant pretensions, never to be realized; of magnificent distances, dusty streets, and poverty-stricken people, without reference to the circumstances under which this particular spot was selected for the seat of government, the objects contemplated in laying out a Federal city, how far those objects have been accomplished, and to what extent any failure on this score is to be ascribed to the inefficient legislation of Congress. There are gross misstatements made every year by those who ought to know better, and the tendency of which is, not only to prejudice the interest of those who reside upon the spot, but, in our opinion, to foster a public sentiment which is calculated to work no small amount of injury to our institutions and country at large. It is that spirit which undervalues every place, however sacred its associations, if not accompanied with the bustle of commerce and manufactures; which confines itself to the present, or, if it looks into the future, only looks with business-like eyes; and which has, in a measure, broken up that feeling of patriotism and sentiment, which gathers around certain hallowed spots, and the cultivation of which, as in the case of popular songs and traditions, has, in every country, proved one of its greatest safeguards. We believe that the history of our seat of government, when well known, is calculated to place the aspect of that city in a new light before the country. In one of his reports, the late Senator Southard spoke of it as the "only child of the nation ;" and the thoughtful visiter who stands on the terrace of the capitol, and looks upon the scene around him, instead of dwelling with contempt upon the scattered piles of brick and mortar, will, if we mistake not, in view of the circumstances under which it was brought into being, the honored names connected with its foundation, and its identity of interest with the Union, on which it is dependent for support, recognize the full force of the expression, and feel a corresponding interest in its present and future position. The subject, too, is fraught with matter of grave reflection to the statesman and philosopher, as illus trative of the influence exerted by a political capital, the principles on which one should be selected, and the expediency of any future change in our own country. It is, therefore, that we propose to present, as briefly as possible, an outline of the arguments which led to the act for establishing the present seat of government, a sketch of the site selected, and the plans adopted for carrying that act into effect, with a view of the present position and future prospects of the city, and the probability or expediency of any future removal. The sessions of the old Congress were held, according as the exigencies of the war, or the convenience of members from different sections required, at Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton, and New York. During this time, there appears to have been great anxiety and rivalry amongst the different States, for the honor of having this distinguished body in their midst. New York tendered the town of Kingston for the seat of government; Rhode Island, Newport ; Maryland, Annapolis; Virginia, Williamsburgh. On the 21st of October, 1783, Congress had been insulted at Philadel phia, by a band of mutineers, which the State authorities were not able to quell. On this occasion they adjourned to Princeton, where they held their sessions in the hall of the college; and it was probably owing to the recent disturbance, that the subject of a permanent seat of government was now taken up, and continued to be, at intervals, the subject of discussion up to the formation of the constitution. We have no register of the |