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The Treasury Department is created... Where will the federal capital be located? Knox is Secretary at War...
The Treasury Department is created... Where will the federal capital be located? Knox is Secretary at War...
Item # 703753
September 16, 1789
GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES, New York, Sept. 16, 1789
* Treasury Act of September 2, 1789
* Establishment of the Treasury Department
* President George Washington signs
Certainly the most notable report is that found on the back page, where is printed in full: "An ACT to Establish the Treasury Department" taking nearly a full column, signed at its conclusion by the President: George Washington.
A very notable report on the creation of this significant department of the federal government. Terrific to have in this, the federalist newspaper from the nation's capital.
Most of pages 1 and 2 are taken up with some fascinating debates: "In the House of Representatives...on the Subject of Fixing the Permanent Seat of Government", a continued report. Interesting content on the pros & cons of various sites considered.
Page 2 also has reports of other work in Congress, carrying over to page 3
Page 3 has: "Additional Appointments Since Our Last" which includes at least one which is very notable: "The President of the United States has been pleased to nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to appoint Gen. Henry Knox, Secretary at War..." and a few others as well.
Four pages, very nice condition.
background: This September 16, 1789, issue of the Gazette of the United States serves as a primary source for the architectural framing of the American Republic, capturing the exact moment the federal government transitioned from theory into operational reality. As the quintessential Federalist mouthpiece, this edition is headlined by the full printing of the Treasury Act, a monumental piece of legislation that empowered the new nation to manage its crippling debt and establish financial sovereignty under the oversight of George Washington. Beyond the mechanics of the "power of the purse," the paper documents the intense, identity-defining debates over the permanent seat of government, reflecting the regional tensions that would eventually lead to the selection of the Potomac. The appointment of Henry Knox as Secretary at War further underscores the period's theme of continuity, marking the formalization of the first presidential Cabinet. Because most congressional acts and executive appointments were debuted in these pages before any other publication, this specific issue functions as a contemporary "official record" of the United States’ formative weeks, preserved in a format that was intended to convince a skeptical public of the central government’s legitimacy and strength.
Considered by many as the most significant newspaper of the 18th century, particularly during this, the formative year of the new federal government, as this paper was the mouthpiece of all matters political. Most pronouncements from Congress & the President were printed first in this newspaper.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's



















