Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/267

 IECORDS OF THE FEDER3L COlVENTION 6! Saturday MADISON 'lgst Mr. King remarked t0 that the section authorized the 2 Houses to adjourn to a new place. He thought this incon- venient. The mutability of place had dishonored the federal Govt. and would require as strong a cure as we could devise. He thought a law at least should be (made) necessary to a removal of the Seat of Govt. Mr (Madison) viewed the subject in the same light, and joined with Mr. King in a motion requiring a law. Mr. Governr. Morris proposed the additional alteration by inserting the words "during the Session" &c". Mr. Spaight. this will fix the seat of Govt at N. �. (The present) Congress will convene them there in the first instance, and they will never be able to remove; especially if the Presidt. should be Northern Man. Mr Govr Morris. such a distrust is inconsistent with all Govt. Mr. (Madison) supposed that a central place for the Seat of Govt. was so just and wd. be so much insisted on by the H. of Representatives, that though a law should (be made requisite for)'2 the purpose, it could & would be attained. The neces- sity of a central residence of the Govt wd be much greater under the new than old Govt The members of the (new) Govt wd. be more numerous. They would be taken more from the interior parts of the States: they wd. not, like members of (ye present) Congs. come so often from the dis- tant States by water. As the powers & objects of the new Govt. would be far greater (yn. heretofore), more private individuals wd. have business calling them to the seat of it, and it was more necessary that the Govt should be in that position from which it could contemplate with the most equal eye, and sympathize most equally with, every part of the nation. These considerations he supposed would extort a removal even if a law were made necessary. But in order to quiet suspicions both within & without doors, it might not be adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that at which the two Houses are sitting. But this regulation shall not extend to the Senate, when it shall exercise the powers mentioned in the article." 0 Upon this debate, see Appendix A, CCX. :t Crossed out "be required of".

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