Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 204, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1910 — SHIFTING OF THE CAPITAL [ARTICLE]

SHIFTING OF THE CAPITAL

List of Cities Where the Seat e i Povemnjent of the United States Haa Been Located Is Long. At a dinner given by ode of the prominent men of the town the other night the talk turned to the recent visit of President Taft to Chicago and the fact that it was announced that during his stay there his hotel was to be regarded as the executive mansion. > The president beamed complacently and during a temporary pause sprung this: “I wonder if any of the gentlemen present can state, off hand, in what city or cities other than Washington the capital of the United States has been located.” “Well, now, it seems to me that I’ve heard my grandfather say something about New York and —and—wasn’t it Trenton?” came from the benevolent old gentleman at the right side of the host. Several of the dinner guests hazarded opinions, the president shaking his head at each utterance. Finally the young college man who had taken little part in the talk of market reports and real estate transactions broke with was becoming an embarrassing silence: “Wasn’t it in Philadelphia from September 5, 1774, until December, 1776?” he modestly began. “Right you are, young man, right you are, but Philadelphia isn’t the only town to claim that honor,” was the response given paternally. “No, but it’s been soma little time Bince that came up in our history class and I’m afraid I have forgotten,” said the young man, deprecatingly. “But here is the list as I remember It: From Philadelphia to Baltimore, Where it remained from December 20, 1776, to March, 1777; at Philadelphia from March 4, 1777, to September, 1777; at Lancaster, Pa., r from September, 1777, to September 20, 1777; at York, Pa., from September 30, 1777, to July, 1778; at Philadelphia from July 2, 1778 to J.une 30, 1783; at Princeton, N. J., from July 30, 1783, to November 20, 1783; at Annapolis, Md., from November 26, 1783, to November 30, 1784; at New York from January 11, to 1790. And I think from there it went to Philadelphia, where It remained ten years. Anyway, from Philadelphia the seat of government was removed in 1800 to Washington, where it has been ever since.” “And there isn’t one in a thousand of our citizens who knows all that,” broke in the host. "Say, I guess a college education isn’t so bad, after all, eh?”