forty-five degrees east thirty-seven perches to the place of beginning."

The late Thomas P. Cope, of Philadelphia, informed George W. Harris, Esq., in 1846, that he was at the house of John Harris, on the present site of Harrisburg, he thinks, about the year 1785. He ate breakfast with Mr. Harris, who expressed to him the opinion that the place (Harrisburg) would become the seat of government of Pennsylvania, and he pointed out the public hill as the spot where the public buildings would be erected.

ATTEMPT TO FIX THE FEDERAL SEAT OF GOVERNMENT AT OR NEAR HARRISBURG.

The question of fixing, permanently, the seat of the Federal Government, began to occupy public attention shortly after the close of the Revolutionary War; and was strongly agitated in the Congress of 1789, then in session at New York.

The question was first submitted to the House of Representatives of that body in the shape of the following resolution, which, with the subsequent information, the compiler gleans from the "Pennsylvania Packet," published at Philadelphia, in the year above stated:

“Resolved, That a permanent seat for the government of the United States ought to be fixed as near the centre of wealth, population and extent of territory as shall be consistent with the convenience of the Atlantic navigation, having also a due regard to the circumstances of the western country."

Adopted.

Mr. Goodhue observed that the members from the Eastern and Northern States had contemplated the subject of a permanent seat of the Federal Government with deliberation. They had turned their eyes to different parts of the country, and had at last, after a mutual and full consultation, came to an agree

ment that the banks of the Susquehanna was as far South and as near the centre of the population and extent of territory as was consistent with other circumstances important to the country. They felt disposed to be governed by principles of accommodation, and were of opinion that the banks of the Susquehanna ought to be chosen for the permanent residence of Congress. He concluded by reading a resolution to this effect. Mr. Hartley supported the resolution, and pointed out Wright's Ferry as an eligible place.

Mr. Lee moved to amend, by fixing the seat of government on the Potomac instead of the Susquehanna. Not agreed toyeas 20, nays 31.

Mr. Madison proposed to amend, by leaving it discretional to be either on the Potomac or the Susquehanna. Not agreed to -yeas 20, nays 31.

On a subsequent day, the House of Representatives, in committee of the whole, proceeded to consider the resolution of Mr. Goodhue, which read as follows:

"Resolved, In the opinion of this committee, that the permanent seat of government of the United States ought to be at some convenient place on the east bank of the Susquehanna river, in the State of Pennsylvania," &c.

Mr. Heister moved to insert after the words "Susquehanna river," the words "between Harrisburg and Middletown, inclusive."

A lengthy and spirited debate occurred, participated in by nearly all the principal members of the House; those from the Northern and Eastern States generally favoring the amendment, and those from the South opposing it. The amendment was finally lost.

Several other amendments were proposed and lost; and the original resolution was carried.

In Committee of the Whole House next day, it was resolved

that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to borrow the sum of $100,000, to be repaid in twenty years, with five per cent. interest, for the purpose of erecting the necessary buildings on the bank of the Susquehanna.

Mr. Fitzsimmons moved for the "appointment of commissioners to examine and report upon the most eligible situation for the public buildings on the Susquehanna; and that they be authorized, by and with the advice of the President, to purchase such quantity of lands as may be thought necessary," &c.

Mr. Hartley said the State of Pennsylvania, both by its convention and Legislature, had made the cession of the jurisdiction by Congress over any district of ten miles square in the State that might be selected for the seat of government.

The resolution of Mr. Fitzsimmons, after being so amended as to make the acts of the commissioners subject to the approval or rejection by the President, was adopted-yeas 28, nays 21.

The resolution went to the Senate, which body struck out all relating to the Susquehanna, and inserted a clause fixing the permanent seat of government at Germantown, Pa.

The House at first agreed to the clause, but refused to concur with some subsequent action of the Senate thereon; and pending the further consideration of the subject, Congress adjourned sine die for that year.

At the session of 1790, the question was again brought before Congress, and created an intense excitement throughout the country. The Northern and Eastern members were strenuous in their efforts to prevent the seat of government being located south of the Susquehanna river; while, on the other hand, the Southern and Western members were just as active in their labors to prevent it being located on the Susquehanna, or at any point north or east of that river. The vote on the question was divided equally.

Finally, this sectional feeling became so strong as to endanger the safety of the Union itself, and Washington, Jefferson, Ham

ilton, and other patriots, earnestly sought to effect a compromise, but were unsuccessful.

At last, by changing the votes of one or two of the Northern members, brought about through the instrumentality of Mr. Jefferson, a bill, pretty much in the shape of that proposed at the previous session, passed Congress, fixing the site of the seat of government on the banks of the Potomac, at such place as should be selected by commissioners under the direction of the President.

APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN WHEN FIRST LAID OUT-INCIDENTS.

The following incidents originally appeared in Napey's Directory, and were written by George W. Harris, Esq. :

"When the town was first laid out, the old orchard [belonging to the mansion house, now the Pennsylvania Female Col lege] extended up to about the line of Mulberry street. About the intersection of Mulberry street with Second street, was a ridge from which the ground descended from six to ten feet to the present Market Square, [the ground in and about which was of a swampy character,] and the water ran from the Square upwards and into the river, along the channel which is under the bridge now erected across Front street, above Walnut. At this time the ground above Market street was chiefly in woods.

The

"Mr. Robert Harris, who died in the year 1851, frequently saw several bears killed in the river in one day. In the fall of the year they would come down from the mountains to the cornfields, and were quite abundant in the neighborhood It was quite common to see them while riding along the roads. farmers, when going out to plough, would frequently take their guns to guard against their depredations. On one occasion, Mr. Robert Harris, with his sister, Mrs. Hanna, were playing at the river near the mouth of the run at the end of Walnut street.

Some boys

A thicket of bushes extended up along the run. came running from a barn on the bank, and told them that two bears were coming down the run. They scampered up the bank, when presently the bears came along and took into the river.

"On another occasion a man named Rennox, with some others, went in pursuit of a bear. When the canoe approached near to it, Rennox made a stroke at the bear with his socket pole, but missed it. He either lost his balance or was drawn overboard by the weight of the pole, and the bear struck him with his paw and tore his cheek open.

"Wild turkies were also abundant here at this period. John Harris shot wild turkies from the door of his store house. Beaver and otter were then and afterwards killed along Paxton creek, and on the islands in the neighborhood.

"The town, as laid out by John Harris, extended as far down the bank as Mulberry street, and the lot now occupied by the 'Swan House,' corner of Front and Mulberry streets, owned by the heirs of Valentine Egle, was No. 1 on the plan of the town. In the course of a few years afterwards he extended the plan down to Mary's alley, which bounds the stone-house lot on the upper side. His executors, in 1792, extended the plan of lots further down.

"There is no house, except the building now occupied by the Female College, on Frout street, yet standing within the limits of Harrisburg, which is certainly known to have been erected. before the town was laid out.

"John Hamilton erected the first permanent embellishment to the town, after Harris' stone house, by building a brick house at the upper corner of Front street and Blackberry alley, and the large establishment for his store on the corner of Market square and Market street, which was known a few years ago as the Washington House,' but since replaced by a new structure, termed the 'Jones House.' Mr. Hamilton carried