GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES & PHILADELPHIA DAILY ADVERTISER, April 3, 1798  

* Uncommon 18th century American publication

The capital of the United States was in Philadelphia at this time while the District of Columbia was under construction.
Beginning on page 1 and carrying over to page 2 are the latest reports from Congress.
Four pages, wide never-trimmed margins, nice condition.

Background: Philadelphia’s decade as the temporary capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800 was a vital period of political and cultural experimentation that fundamentally shaped the structure of American governance. Mandated by the Residence Act of 1790, which bought time for the swampy banks of the Potomac River to be converted into Washington D.C., this arrangement placed the young federal government inside America's most sophisticated and bustling urban center. Operating out of Congress Hall, right next to Independence Hall, the temporary capital bore witness to the peaceful transition of power from George Washington to John Adams, the formal ratification of the Bill of Rights, and the bitter birth of America's first two-party political system. However, this metropolitan backdrop also exposed lawmakers to the stark realities of a growing nation, from the vibrant hub of early American printing and commerce to the horrific Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, which repeatedly hollowed out the city and sent the government fleeing into the countryside. Ultimately, Philadelphia served as the ultimate trial grounds where abstract constitutional theories were forced to confront practical, day-to-day governance before the capital permanently packed up for the wilderness of the District of Columbia.