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Washington George

Geo. Washington - Rare Third Congress Imprint of Two Acts, One Following an Outbreak of Yellow Fever in Philadelphia, Giving the President Authority to Relocate a Session of Congress


Imprint signed in type “Go: Washington” as President, “John Adams” as Vice-President, and “Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg” as Speaker of the House, one page. Philadelphia: 1794. Disbound, tiny thread holes at edge. Numerical pencil notations. Fine condition.

In part: “That whenever the Congress shall be about to convene, and, from the prevalence of contagious sickness, or the existence of other circumstances, it would in the opinion of the President of the United States, be hazardous to the lives or health of the members to meet at the place to which the Congress shall then stand adjourned, or at which it shall be next by law to meet, the President shall be, and he hereby is authorized, by proclamation, to convene the Congress at such other place as he may judge proper.”

This act was deemed necessary because of the recent prevalence of yellow fever in Philadelphia. The “Hartford Courant” reported on September 23, 1793, “By authentic accounts from Philadelphia, we learn that a most fatal disease now prevails in that City. It is called the Yellow Fever; but whatever be the proper name of it, or from whatever cause it originated, it assumes a most malignant form, and is very fatal to the inhabitants. It is contagious...Already have vast numbers of the citizens left the town; all business is suspended except what is necessary for subsistence, and the people who remain are in a state of consternation. Several persons who have left the City and gone to New-York, or the neighboring villages in New-Jersey, have been seized and died in a short time...all intercourse between Philadelphia and New-York is cut off, and the latter City is constantly guarded...Every precaution certainly becomes important, when the citizens of Philadelphia, and some of them infected, are flying from the city in every direction.” A November 25, 1793 report in the “Hartford Courant” noted that the “contagious sickness and mortality in Philadelphia will probably have an effect is hastening the remove of Congress to the more salubrious climate of the Potomac. It cannot be dissembled that Philadelphia is not and never was a healthy situation...she is too far removed from the refreshing breezes of the sea to enjoy health in the summer season...we accordingly find that sickness always prevails there during the latter end of summer and beginning of autumn, and that great numbers are swept away, especially of children.”

Within a week of its introduction on March 19, 1794, this act was passed by both Houses of Congress. It was approved by President Washington on April 3, 1794. The second act is entitled “An act transferring, for a limited Time, the Jurisdiction of Suits and Offenses from the District to the Circuit Court of New-Hampshire, and assigning certain Duties in respect to Invalid Pensioners, to the Attorney of the said District.” It was also approved by the President on April 3, 1794.

NAIP locates copes only at AAS and the John Carter Brown Library. Evans 27844, 27845. NAIP w014501 [2]. Not in BEAL.


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