Birth of the Nation: The First Federal Congress, 1789-1791 Back to the Exhibit
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George Thatcher to William Symmes, January 26, 1791


Philadelphia, January 26, l791

      Yours of the 11th. inst is before me; and in answer to its several parts, I will observe – that Captain Davis military abilities are too good a recommendation to suffer him to be overlooked by his acquaintance when military appointments are to be made and I shall ever be happy in seeing so good an officer duly noticed by Government: But I am rather of your opinion that the federal Constitution will not admit of many military appointments; and the bil1, for regulating the militia, meets with so many objections, that I think it cannot pass this Session.

      Captain Greenleaf was, some time ago, appointed by the President, to superintend and take care of the Light house on Port1and head. And the probable, that, before this reaches you, he will receive official information thereof. I hope his appointment will give general satisfaction - few, indeed, are those that meet the approbation of all!

      As to "election matters" I have only to say – it is my wish and hope, an end is put to the business, by this time, for the present two years. And let the choice fall on whom it may (of which I have no information even to form a conjecture) I hope all parties will unite in affording him that support which will enable him to render the most service to the district at large.

      Yesterday the excise bill passed in the House for engrossment – and on the morrow will he read the third time. The rates of excise are the same as were, some time since, published in the papers.

      A Bill for incorporating a national Bank has passed the Senate, and will be taken up in the House in a day or two. This Bank begins to create alarms in the minds of some of the southern members that if a national hank be established at Philadelphia it will be a means of rendering ineffectual the Law, that passed the last Session, for fixing the seat of permanent Residence of Congress on the Potomack.

     


(Courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society)

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