USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 82
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 82
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The choice of Lancaster did not appear to have been entirely satisfactory. Agitation for another removal was almost immediately commenced, taking .form a- early as 1801, or within two year- after the removal from Philadelphia. As an abstract propo- sition a majority was in favor of removal in 1790, but a location was not easily decided upon. The agita- tion was thus kept alive until the importance of the Su-quehanna Valley overshadowed all other con-id- erations. On the 9th of December, 1801, a few days after the meeting of the Legislature. the -ubject was introduced. There is no abstract of the debate, of that day preserved that we are aware of; none at least in printed form. Extracts from the journal of the House will inform us what occurred.
" LANCASTER, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1501. " A motion was made by Stacy Pott-, of Dauphin County, seconded by Mr. Lor i Batler, of Luzerne, foi real as follows, via :
"As the happiness and convenience of the citizens of this Common- wealth, and the preservation and security of their properity, are the primary and important objects of legislative deliberations it becomes our daty to consider the propriety of placing the other. attached to the government thereof in such a situation as will permit their pro-
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RESIDENCE OF A. J. DULL, CORNER OF FRONT AND CHESTNUT STREETS, HARNISDURO, PA.
313
CITY OF HARRISBURG.
curing for themselves residences with conveulent accommodations during the time they may continue in office, without subjecting them to the caprice of others; and the immense property held under the records of the state, at least in as secure a situation as the less impor- tant records of the different counties; therefore
" Resolved, That & grand committe- be appointed to take these im- portant objects into consideration, ami report the must chgible place to fix the permanent seat of government of this state, with such other further observations as the case may require.
" Ordered to lie on the table.
" On motion, Ordered, That Tuesday next be assigned for the second reading of the said resolution, and that it he the order for that day.
4. TUESDAY, Dec. 22, 180L.
"The Diotion of Mr. Potts, seconded by Mr. Butler, and read the 9th inst., relative to fixing the permanent seat of Government was read the second time.
"And the sims being under consideration,
" Ordered, That Thursday, Jatmary 7, n \t be assigned for the further consideration thereof, and that it be the order for that day.
" THURSDAY, Jan. 7, 1802.
" Agreeably to the order of the day the House resumed the consider- ation of the resolution relative to the permanent seat of governorent, and
"On motion, Ordered, That Wedoesity, the 13th inst., be assigned for the further consideration thereof, and that it be the order for that day.
" WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13. 1502.
"Agreeably to the order of the day, the House resulvel itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Isaac Wayne, of Chester, in the chair, with resolution relative to the permanent seat of government before it.
" And after some time
"The Speaker resumed the chair, and the chairman reported that the comomittee of the whole had negatived the resolution ; and
" On the question, 'Will the House agree to the report ?'
"The yeas and ways were called for by Mr. (afterwards Governor) Soy- der and Mr. Painter, of Philadelphia, and are as follows, viz. :
" Yeas -- Mirysrs. W. Anderson, J Anderson. Barnett, Boilean, Brod- head, Bull, Butler, Cooke, Conrad, Davis. Eichelberger, Engle, Folwell, Goodman, Gordon, Hiester, Holgate, Iogels, Kauffman. Kinuael, Me- Dowell (Chester), McElroy, J. Miller, A. Miller Mohler, Neuhardt Odenbeimer, Pearose, Preston, Pugh, Rea, Roberts, Slagle, J. soutb, B. H. Smith, Statler, Steele, Thornburg, Trevor, Wayne, Wetherill, Wil-on (Northampton and Wayne),-42.
" Nays-Messrs. Alexander, Alter, Beale, Blair, Brady, Bratton, Bu- channan, Cunningham, Dale, Ewalt, Ferge-in, Follmer, Franklin, Gib- bons, Hall, Helman, Kerr (Washington), Kerr (Huntingdon}, Laycock, Lyle, McDowell (Washington), Mitchel, M. Misters, John Moore, Jesse Moore, Montgomery, Painter, R. Porter, C. Porter, Putts, Rose, Simpson, F. Smith, Snyder, Udree, Urie Wilson ( Dauphin), W. Wilson, Witman, Weaver Speaker-41.
" So it was determined in the affirmative."
This disposed only of the question of " considera- tion," leaving the main subject open for future efforts. The opponents of removal. however, were powerful enough to prevent any further revival of the question during this session.
Mr. Potts writes of this defeat the letter of 1802, now quoted exactly as he penned it. The letter has no postmark except " 8" cents, then the rate of post- age between Lancaster and Harrisburg, addressed " Adam Boyd, Harrisburg."
" LANCASTER, JAN'T 19th, 1\02.
"FRIEND BOYD: At the request of the 21 Instant I presented thy Vouchers." [Some business in relation to a settlement of the State Treasury with that of Dauphin county, of which Cant. B was treasurer.) " You will undoubtedly feel with nie, the mortification of finding the turn our experted removal of the Seat of Governoient has taken. How- ever, altho' very sensibly chagrined ! y that measure, yet shall not de- apair, altho it may be some time before to great an object can hearcom- plished. I hope the work is yet upon the whort, and all thing- will yet work together for good, and if the fix ng our permanent Szit of the Government seems at present out of's ght, there is a preliminary motion nn the way, which, il carried, I shall ihip's a coud point gained toward
forwarding the grand object. For yesterday a motion was made, to ap- poiut x committee to enquire and report the propriety of converting all the property of this State, consisting of houses and lots in the city of Philadelphia, into an Active Capital in vid of the present deranged finan- ces of the Commonwealth, on which a committee has been appointed and froth their completion I have greit hopes of a favorable report.
" If that measure can be successtully accomplished the greatest ob- stacle in one way will be removed. However, it has already raise I the hornet's nest, and there is as great a buzzing alarm as my resolution occasioned on the th of last month. Our Philub Iphna gentlempo would Insinuate that it would be as great sachlage to sell the old state-House and its appurtenances in Philadelphia as the aristocrats would persuade us at the city of Washington, it will be to reped the judiciary system created by the last Congress in the last night of their existem e.
" But however terribile the iniquitons act may be estimated by those scrupulon- gentlemen at both places, I hope and firmly believe both will be accomplished. And while this is maturing in our House, I hope they will out continue quite indolent in the Senate and perhaps by the time they are ready to produce anything to our House we may not have so many of our members looking back towards the old State House in Philadelphia. Then we may hope for two vates at least for every one of those which we had counted on that deserted us in the late discussion-
" However, as I have written last evening to William Maclay and Thomas Elder a pretty circumstantial account of the manner we were out-generaled by the finesse of the sophistical gentlemen of our eastern connties, the subject seems to be so much exhausted that without going again over the same ground I must wait for further occurrences, when I may be able to give you some further account which may be interest- ing enough to be worth communicating. From thy friend,
" STACY POTTS.
"TO ADAM BOYD."
That year the measure was brought forward in a fresh dress, that of erecting a structure for the " safe preser- vation" of the State papers. Under this thin disguise the subject of a removal of the seat of government was the real point. It was very skillfully avoided by the manager> opposed to removal in a debate extend- ing through December. 1802, and not ending until late in January, 1503. Then the subject was again postponed withont determining the real question at issue.
This year elosed the legislative career of Stacy Potts. The next year the subject had assumed so much importance that Harrisburg was honored with two of the three representatives, to wit: Messrs. Ma- elay and Bueher. It was not. however, until the ses- sion of 1808-9 that we have the first indications of the realization of the prophecy of the founder, John Harris, that the town he had laid out on the banks of the Susquehanna would become the future seat of government of Pennsylvania. In the State Senate on the 4th of January, 1809, Mr. Laird presented the petition of sundry inhabitants of the town of North- umberland. in Northumberland County, stating the central situation of that place, and showing the ad- vantages of fixing the State government there, offer- ing areommodations for the officers of the State and members of the Legislature, and praying a removal of the seat of government thither. The petition wa- referred to a committee consisting of Meer -. Laird. Heston, Doty, Hiester, and Laycock. On the same day the following preamble and resolution was pre- sented to the Senate, and also referred to the same committee :
" Rherens, The books, records, and documents belonging to the differ- ent departments of the government of this Commonwealth, particularly
314
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.
those of the land-office, are in want of suitable buildings for their safe keeping, grently exposed to dangerous accidente by fire and otherwise, for a remedy whereof,-
" Revolred, That a committee be appointed to prepare and report a bill to fix the permanent apat of government at -. in the county of -, and provide for erecting thereat suitable buildings for the ac- commodation of the Legislature, and the several offices attached thereto, before the first Tuesday in December, Is -. "
The committee to whom the subject was referred shortly after submitted a report recommending the removal of the seat of government to the town of Northumberland. in the county of Northumberland. The Senate, however, when considering the report struck out the word- " Northumberland, in the county . of Northumberland." From that period onward the subject was constantly agitated, and we give such notes as may be valuable for reference :
" Feb. 17, 1509 .- In Committee of the Whole, in the Senate, Mr. Som- mer moved to hill the blank with the words ' City of Philadelphia.'
" Mr. Sotimer said he was as far removed from bring influenced by any local juterest as any Diember of the Senate. He wished to fix the seat of governineot permanently where it would must conduce to the interest of the prople, and he believed Ph ladelphia to be that place. Wherever the seat of government is, to that place trade will in -me measure be directed; and it is the juterest of the state to secure the trade to ber metropolis.
" Mr. Dorsey said there were already buildings in Philadelphia suf- ficient for all the offcer- . f government and for the L-zislature. This was not the case elsewhere. If they removed to any other place, much expense would be meurred in the erection of these builbag. He had many other reasons for voting for Philadelphia; but, under a belief that the sent of government would not be fixed there, he would not take up the time of the Senate in mentioning them. Any other place than Lancaster. however, would be cordially voted for by him. ffe would vote even for Pittsburgh.
" The motion to fill the blank with the word . Philadelphia,' was lost, ouly eight yeas voting in favor of the same.
"Mr. Laird moved to fill the blank with the words ' town of Northum- berland, in the county of Northumberland '
" Mr. Burrows said this question was of the first importance to Prun- sylvania; it was important to the State to concentrate her whole interest in fixing the permanent -+it of government. And how is this to be duae but by fixing upon as central a place as caa be foaud. He confessed that, for this purpose, Horisbing was next to Nortbundt erland, but then Harrisburg was but twenty miles froof the suathern boundary of the state, and Northumberland was eighty. And (sail Mir. B' are we to fix it at Harrisburg, and make the people come over the Diountune with knapsacks on their backs, only that the rich at this end of the State may have an opportunity of riding to the seat of government in . their coaches.
" Mr. frish observed that he had lately examined all the situations from the mountains above Harrisburg down to Columbia, and he thought the most suitable situativa was near to Middletown. That place, he siid, was best to divert the trade to, Philadelphia ; a can I was contem- plated which would afford water carriage for produce to the city of Philadelphia from Middletown. The situation at Harrisi arg was very pleasant and bandsome, but it was not so eligible for the purpose of in- tercepting the trade and preventing its going to Baltimore. He thought a comunittee should be appointed to examine the situsti ns on the Sus- quehanna, and make report to the next Legislature.
" The question was then taken on filling the blank with the words ' the town of Northammerland, in the county of Northumberland,' and lost, seven only rising in favor of it.
" Mr. Line then moved to fill the blank with the word ' boronghe if Harrisburg, in the county of Danghin,' which was agreed to,-14 :>> 10. " The resolution attached to the report was adopted, when the com- mittee rose and the Speaker took the chair.
" The Senate procented to consider the report.
" Mr. Weaver moved to postpone the report for the pur; se of intro- ducing a substitute, which contemplated a purchase by the State of one hundred and fifty acres of land, the property of Abraham Huey, a short istance above Harrisburg.
"This (with the motion to postpone) was opposed by Burrows and
Dorsey, on the ground that this land was to be purchased for the pur- pose of speculation, and that it was disgraceful for the Legislature to enter into it. Neither, they said, did this tract of land adjoin Hartis. burg.
" The report was postponed and the substitute introduced.
" Mr. Sommer moved to strike out that part of the substitute which authorized the purchase by the State of one hundred and fifty acres of land from Abraham Hney. Carried. Yous, 13; nay4, 9.
"The part appropriating money for the erection of public buildings, etc , was also stricken out.
" Mr. Roberts moved that the Mank in the resolution attached to the sulestituted report be filled up with the words ' first of November, which was agreed to; and the substitute as amended was carried."
Subsequent to this action a bill for the removal of the seat of government to Harrisburg was prepared and eon-idered in the Senate, and postponed until the next -ession. The House of Representatives refused to take up the bill during that version. No further action on the subject appears to have been had in the Legislature until February. 1810, when a bill, of which the following is a synopsis, pa -- ed both branches of the Legislature, and became a law :
"An act establishing the sent of government of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- ranin at Harrisburg. in the county of Dauphin.
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted, etc., That within the month of October, 1812. all the offices attached to the seat of government of this state shall be removed to the borough of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin, by their respective hollers, and shall after that period cease to he exercised elsewhere, at which said betough of Harrisburg the session of the Leg- islature thereafter, as well as all future sessions, shall be held ; and the said borough of Harrisburg is hereby fixed aad declared to be the seat af government of the saul Commonwealth.
"SEC. 2. [ Directs the secretary of the Commonwealth, State Treas- urer, Auditor-General, Secretary of the Land-Office, and Surveyor-Gen- eral, the clerks of both Himses of the Legislature, and all offrers whose official duties are attached to the seat of government, to remove, or cause to be removed, all books, records, papeis, etc , to the said offices respec. tively, or to the State generally, to the borongb of Harrisburg, in the manuer provided for in this act.]
" SEC. 3. That Robert Harris, George Hoyer, and George Zeigler shall be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners, who, together with the respective officers aforesaid, shall superintend and direct the removal of the books, records, papers, and other document- aforesaid, and shall provide at the borough of Harrisburg good and suitable rooms and apartments for the convenient accommodation of the Legislature, aud also for the receiving, opening, and depositing the said books, records, Impers, and other documents, and for conducting and transacting the business of the offices afore-aid respectively ; and in case of the resig- nation of any of the aforesaid officers, or of their or any of their neglect and refusal or sacapacity to attend to the business of the removal afore- said, then it shall be and may be lawful for the said commissioners, or a majority of them, to proceed therein as if the said officers were attending.
"SEC. 4. That the Governor be, and he is hereby anthorized and re- quired, on beliulf and in the name of this Commonwealth, to accept of the offer of ten acres of land in or adjoining the sand borough of Harria- burg, at one hundred dollars per acre, made by Witham Maclay, adjoin- ing to the four-acre lot formerly appropriated by John Harris tor the use of the State, and to pay for the amy and receive sufficient convey- auces and assurances in for-sinde therefor, to be recorded in the office for recording of deeds in the county of Dauphin aforesaid.
"SFC. 5. [Appropriates three thousand dollars for the purpose of making the aforewed purchase and discharging the expense of removal, to be paid in advance,-two thousand dollars to the said er mouissioners, and one thousand dollars for the said purchase.]
" SEC. 6. [Appropriates the further sum of thirty thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting the offices at the seat of government, to wit. und for the secretary of the Commonwealth, one for the Secretary of the Land-Office, one for the Survevor-General, one for the Aulitor-tienerul, one for the Treasurer, and one for any purpose to which it may hereafter be applied, each of which shall be fire proof, for the safe keeping of nil the records and papers belonging to said officer.]
315
CITY OF HARRISBURG.
"Sec. 7. That the Governor is hereby authorized and required imme- diately after the passage of this act to appoint, and by supplying vacan- cies happening from refusals to actor other canves to keep in appoint- ment as long as may be necessary, three commissioner-, whose duty it shall be. immediately after their appointment, to fix upon a site in or on the four-acre lot described in the fourth section of this act, or on the ten-nere lot purchased from William Maclas, uml procure one or more plan or plans on which the said offices are to be built ; and after a place shall be agreed on, according to the provisions which hereafter follow, it shall be their duty to contract for, direct, and superintend the build- ing and completing of the said offices, And it -ball aiso be the JInty of the sail commissioners, assoon as they shall have ascertaines the site for the said offices and premed one or more plans, to lay the said plan or plans before the Governor, secretary of the Land-Office Surveyor- General, Auditor-General, and the Treasurer of the Commonwealth. who, together with the three commissioners at retail, shall each have one vote in order to decide on a plan for the offices aforesa d; and snch plan as shal have a majority of the votes af restid ball, by the com- missioners aforesaid, be carried into execution,
" SEC. S. [Directs that as soon as the plan shall be decided on, the commissioners shall give notice in two newspapers of Phillelphia. Lan- caster, York, Carlisle, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Reading, for four weeks successively, that proposals will be received by them until a cer- tain dar, by them to be fixed, from any person or persons who shall be willing to undertake the building of the offices aforesaid : Protiled, that every contract shall be made in writing, and that the parties con- tracting with the said commissioners give bonds with sufficient surety for the performance of their contracts ]
"SEC. 9. [ Provides that the money appropriated for this purpose shall be paid by the treastirer of the commonwealth, on the order of any two of the said commissioners, who are required to keep strict accounts of their transactions, and to transmit an abstract thereof to the Governor once in every three months after their appointment.]
" SEC. 10. [Provides that the afore-arl commissioners, before entering upon the duties of their appointment, shall subscribe to an oath or affir- mation that they will faithfully perform the duties enjoined upon them ly this act; and that rich of the sand commissi query shall receive for every day's attendance npon the duties herein enjoined non them the sum of two dollars and fifty cents, and that any to . of them may do and perform any act or duty herein enjoined on the said commis- sioners.]"
The commissioners on the part of the State, named in the third section of the above act. in their negotia- tions with William Maclay for the purchase of the ten aeres upon which the capitol now stands, wished to have it adjoin the four acres and thirteen perches grauted by John Harris; but as the grant of Harris was separated from the Maclay property by a range of five lots, extending from High Street to Third Street, originally the property of the heirs of Harris, viz. : of David Harris, Mrs. Maclay, Mrs. Hanna, James Harris, and Robert Harris, Mr. Maelay could not convey the title without first purchasing these lots from the then owner-, which he did, and then conveyed the ten acres, as described in the deed from him to the commonwealth. This deed, however, did not convey all the ground now inclosed as the public ground. In order to obtain it the State, by virtue of an act of the Legislature, purchased lots Nos. 271, 272, 273, 274, and 275 in the plan of the borough from the individual owners, and after inclosing what was necessary to complete or square the ground, and open High Street as it is, sold the residue of -aid lots, lying between High Street and Tanner's Alley, and from Cranberry Alley to the Maclay line, to the present owners or their vendors,
The commissioners appointed by the Governor, by authority of the seventh section of the above act, were
William Findlay, Richard M. Crain. George Bryan. John B. Gibson, and William Graydon, who imme- diately invited architects to exhibit to them plans and elevation, for the contemplated buildings. A premium of four hundred dollars was to be given for the plan adopted by the board, and two hundred dollars for that which they should adjudge the next best. Stephen Hills, Exq., was declared the streets- ful competitor, his plan contemplating the connection of the main building with the offices by corridors.
A supplement to the foregoing act was passed Feb. 7, 1812, which provided in the first seetion for the re- moval of all the office-, within the month of April. to the borongh of Harrisburg. the change of all paper-, records, books, and documents placed with the elerks of the two Houses, and expenses to be paid, under the authority of the second section, out of the money already appropriated for that purpose.
The second supplement to the original act was passed the 10th of March, 1812, which appropriated. in the first section, thirteen thousand dollars to con- plete the fire-proof office- at Harrisburg contemplated in the sixth section of the original act.
In the second section it directed the clerks of the two House-, on or before the 1st of June next []>12. to remove, or cause to be removed, "all the papers, records, books, and documents belonging to each House, as aforesaid, together with whatever furni- ture may be thought fit for removal."
From the above record it is ascertained that the government of the State was removed, in all its de- partments, in the year 1812, from Lancaster to Har- risburg, and that the first organization at the latter place was in December of that year.
The first session- of the Legislature in Harrisburg were held in the old court-house building, the courts, as stated in the chapter devoted thereto, having va- cated all the rooms therein excepting those occupied by the prothonotary and register for that purpose. The large room on the second story was occupied by the Senate, and the court-room proper by the House of Representatives. The State Library was in a room on the second floor. The remaining rooms were used by the transcribing elerks and the committees of the Legislature.
On Monday, the 31st of May, 1819, the corner- stone of the capitol was laid by Governor William Findlay ; Stephen Hills, architect and contractor for the execution of the work ; William Smith, stone- entter ; and Valentine Kergan and Samnel White, masons ; in presence of the commissioners and a large concourse of citizens of Harrisburg, and was followed by three discharge- trom one of the public cannon. The Harrisburg band of music attended, and added much to the interest and satisfaction which all sermed to trel and enjoy, and, after the ceremonies of the oc- casion had been concluded, the commissioners, archi- tect, stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and workmen, with a number of citizens, partook of a cold collation
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