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The nation's capital is in New York City...
The nation's capital is in New York City...
Item # 700868
June 06, 1785
THE EDINBURGH EVENING COURANT, Scotland, June 6, 1785
* United States nation's capital (temporary)
The top of page 2 has a brief item headed: "Extract of a Letter from New York". It reads: "The Congress now sitting in this city, and to which place the future meetings of that national Assembly will be hereafter wholly confined, have under deliberation the appointment of consuls to several of the European powers for the management of our trade, particularly at Genoa, Leghorn, Constantinople, Denmark, and Lisbon."
Four pages, partial red tax stamp on the front pages, very nice condition.
AI notes: In 1785, New York City served as the temporary capital of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, a period when the young nation was still organizing its federal government. Congress met in the building that later became known as Federal Hall on Wall Street, where it conducted legislative business, debated national policies, and oversaw the operations of the Treasury and Foreign Affairs departments. The city’s bustling port and status as a commercial center made it a practical location for government, though the absence of a permanent capital reflected the uncertainty of the new republic. During this time, Congress faced challenges such as managing war debts, negotiating with foreign powers, and coordinating between the states, all within a modest, two-story building that lacked the grandeur later associated with Washington, D.C. New York’s role as the capital ended with the Residence Act of 1790, which established a permanent federal seat along the Potomac River, setting the stage for the eventual construction of Washington, D.C.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
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