DOCSLIB.ORG

Constructing a Professional Legislature: the Physical Development of Congress, 1783-1851

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Constructing a Professional Legislature: the Physical Development of Congress, 1783-1851 CONSTRUCTING A PROFESSIONAL LEGISLATURE: THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CONGRESS, 1783-1851 By JASON S. KASSEL A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2008 1 © 2008 Jason S. Kassel 2 To Lawrence C. Dodd 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have dedicated this dissertation to Lawrence C. Dodd, or Larry to all who know him, for his support throughout the entire process. Larry was the essence of a mentor, a person who is caring, faithful, and focused on the success of all his students. He was always there to provide a reassuring word of encouragement and from him I learned to be both a better scholar and a better person. There is simply no way I can repay him for all he provided me over the years, including access to the beautiful beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro where I spent the summers of 2005, 2006, and 2007. In that beautiful locale, I was able to contemplate on the workings of the 19th century Congress, focus on my writing, and pull the dissertation together. My initial research was supported by a Dirksen Congressional Grant I received that allowed me access to the National Archives in the summer of 2004. It was there that I encountered the key primary document, House Report 646, which brought empirical substance to the dissertation. This document is now available through the Lexis Nexis Congressional database and, for that, I thank the Internet. My dissertation committee was invaluable throughout the process. In no order of importance let me thank them. Beth Rosenson helped me strengthen the portions of the dissertation focusing on professionalization. Dan Smith was an advisor who continually pushed me to write better and be focused in presenting an argument. Dan O’Neill helped me think theoretically about issues of conceptual change and American development. Finally, my outside committee member, Julie Dodd, was helpful and instructive throughout. All of them were extremely generous with their time and for that I extend a great deal of gratitude. I also thank some of my fellow graduate students at the University of Florida, three of whom stand out. The most important influence on my development while there was Bryan Williams, an individual who is constantly theorizing about matters of state development and, 4 through shear osmosis, manages to impart wisdom on all those around him. Special thanks are also extended to Susan Orr (Sox) who taught me the meaning of academic dedication and who may simply be the best student I have come across. Finally, I thank Amy Hager who provided wonderful friendship and the insights of youthful enthusiasms during our walks around the city of Gainesville. Of course, any faults with the work are entirely my own. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................4 LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................9 ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................10 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................11 Organizational Learning .........................................................................................................17 Spatial Functionality...............................................................................................................19 Five Periods of Early Congressional History .........................................................................24 Period I: 1783-1789.........................................................................................................24 Period II: 1789-1800........................................................................................................26 Period III: 1801-1814 ......................................................................................................27 Period IV: 1814-1829......................................................................................................28 Period V: 1829-1851 .......................................................................................................29 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................30 2 WANDERINGS OF THE CONFEDERATION CONGRESS ..............................................31 Primary Documents: Burnett’s Letters of Members of the Continental Congress.................32 New Population of Letters...............................................................................................33 Temporal and Geographic Characteristics ......................................................................34 Sender/Recipient Identities..............................................................................................35 Experiential Learning Narrative .............................................................................................37 Philadelphia Line Mutiny................................................................................................39 Congressional Life in Princeton, NJ................................................................................41 Governing in Two Capitals .............................................................................................46 Functioning in New York................................................................................................52 Constitutional Convention and Ratification ....................................................................55 Creating the New Government........................................................................................57 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................60 3 ESTABLISHING INSTITUTIONAL STABILITY...............................................................63 Congress: Institutional Context of the 1790s..........................................................................65 Congress and the Seat of Government Policy Narrative ........................................................68 New York Provides a New Building...............................................................................69 Seat of Government Policy Revisited 1790.....................................................................70 Congress in Philadelphia .................................................................................................72 Washington’s Hobby Horse ............................................................................................74 Seat of Government Policy Revisited 1791.....................................................................75 6 Constructing a Capitol for the Ages ................................................................................78 Unexpected Dynamic: The Power of Pestilence .............................................................80 Congress Becomes Involved ...........................................................................................81 Pestilence Returns ...........................................................................................................85 Funding the Accommodation of Government.................................................................85 Relocating the Seat of Government.................................................................................88 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................91 4 PRAGMATICALLY DEVELOPING A PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT................95 Political Context .....................................................................................................................96 Congress Develops a Physical Work Environment 1800-1814..............................................99 Congress Arrives in Washington, D.C. ...........................................................................99 Jefferson’s Arrival.........................................................................................................100 Discovering Organizational Needs................................................................................103 Debating Removal and Relocation................................................................................104 House and Senate Cope with Construction Difficulties................................................109 House Asserts Control...................................................................................................110 Furnishing the Work Environment................................................................................112 Intrusions Upon the Business of the House...................................................................114 Administrative Oversight ..............................................................................................115 Complete and Finish......................................................................................................117 More Committee Rooms, Please ...................................................................................119 End to the Building Process ..........................................................................................121 Conclusion
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sample Pages
    Introduction and Study Guide This is the first edition of Speakers of the House of Representatives 1789 - 2009. With infor- mation that has never before been gathered into one volume, it not only includes detailed biographies of the 53 men and woman who have served as Speaker, but offers a wealth of supportive material that combines for a complete picture of the Speakers and the speaker- ship - the history, the power, and the changes. With detailed content, thoughtful arrangement, and several “user guide” elements, Speakers of the House of Representatives is designed for multiple levels of study. CONTENT Speaker Biographies This major portion of the work - comprises 54 detailed biographies that average 7 pages long. This section is arranged chronologically, beginning with the first Speaker — Frederick Muhlenberg, who began his term in 1789 - and ending with the current Speaker - Nancy Pelosi, who was elected in 2007 as the first female Speaker of the House. Each biography starts off with an image of the Speaker and dates of service, and thoughtfully categorized into logical subsections that guide the reader through the details: Personal History; Early Years in Congress; The Vote; Acceptance Speech; Legacy as Speaker; After Leaving the Speakership. Each biography is strengthened by direct quotations — easily identified in italics — of the Speaker, or influential colleagues of the time. In addition, scattered throughout the bio- graphical section are unique, original graphics - from autographs to personal letters - that not only give the reader an inside look at the Speaker, but also at the times during which he served. Biographies also include Further Reading, and cross references to Primary Docu- ments that appear later in the book.
    [Show full text]
  • The Federal Era
    CATALOGUE THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN The Federal Era WILLIAM REESE COMPANY 409 Temple Street New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 789-8081 A Note This catalogue is devoted to the two decades from the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 to the first Jefferson administration and the Louisiana Purchase, usually known to scholars as the Federal era. It saw the evolution of the United States from the uncertainties of the Confederation to the establishment of the Constitution and first federal government in 1787-89, through Washington’s two administrations and that of John Adams, and finally the Jeffersonian revolution of 1800 and the dramatic expansion of the United States. Notable items include a first edition of The Federalist; a collection of the treaties ending the Revolutionary conflict (1783); the first edition of the first American navigational guide, by Furlong (1796); the Virginia Resolutions of 1799; various important cartographical works by Norman and Mount & Page; a first edition of Benjamin’s Country Builder’s Assistant (1797); a set of Carey’s American Museum; and much more. Our catalogue 338 will be devoted to Western Americana. Available on request or via our website are our recent catalogues 331 Archives & Manuscripts, 332 French Americana, 333 Americana–Beginnings, 334 Recent Acquisitions in Americana, and 336 What I Like About the South; bulletins 41 Original Works of American Art, 42 Native Americans, 43 Cartography, and 44 Photography; e-lists (only available on our website) and many more topical lists. q A portion of our stock may be viewed at www.williamreesecompany.com. If you would like to receive e-mail notification when catalogues and lists are uploaded, please e-mail us at [email protected] or send us a fax, specifying whether you would like to receive the notifications in lieu of or in addition to paper catalogues.
    [Show full text]
  • Officers, Officials, and Employees
    CHAPTER 6 Officers, Officials, and Employees A. The Speaker § 1. Definition and Nature of Office § 2. Authority and Duties § 3. Power of Appointment § 4. Restrictions on the Speaker’s Authority § 5. The Speaker as a Member § 6. Preserving Order § 7. Ethics Investigations of the Speaker B. The Speaker Pro Tempore § 8. Definition and Nature of Office; Authorities § 9. Oath of Office §10. Term of Office §11. Designation of a Speaker Pro Tempore §12. Election of a Speaker Pro Tempore; Authorities C. Elected House Officers §13. In General §14. The Clerk §15. The Sergeant–at–Arms §16. The Chaplain §17. The Chief Administrative Officer D. Other House Officials and Capitol Employees Commentary and editing by Andrew S. Neal, J.D. and Max A. Spitzer, J.D., LL.M. 389 VerDate Nov 24 2008 15:53 Dec 04, 2019 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00389 Fmt 8875 Sfmt 8875 F:\PRECEDIT\WORKING\2019VOL02\2019VOL02.PAGETURN.V6.TXT 4473-B Ch. 6 PRECEDENTS OF THE HOUSE §18. The Parliamentarian §19. General Counsel; Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group §20. Inspector General §21. Legislative Counsel §22. Law Revision Counsel §23. House Historian §24. House Pages §25. Other Congressional Officials and Employees E. House Employees As Party Defendant or Witness §26. Current Procedures for Responding to Subpoenas §27. History of Former Procedures for Responding to Subpoenas F. House Employment and Administration §28. Employment Practices §29. Salaries and Benefits of House Officers, Officials, and Employees §30. Creating and Eliminating Offices; Reorganizations §31. Minority Party Employees 390 VerDate Nov 24 2008 15:53 Dec 04, 2019 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00390 Fmt 8875 Sfmt 8875 F:\PRECEDIT\WORKING\2019VOL02\2019VOL02.PAGETURN.V6.TXT 4473-B Officers, Officials, and Employees A.
    [Show full text]
  • Lpennmglvaniaerman Genealogies
    C KN LE D M E A OW G NT . Whil e under o bl ig a t io n s to various friends who have aided him in the compilation of this genealogy , the author desires to acknowledge especially the valuable assistance rendered him E . by Mrs . S . S . Hill (M iss Valeria Clymer) C O P YR IG HT E D 1 907 B Y T HE p ennspl vaniazmet m an S ociety . GENEALOGY O THE HIESTE R F MI F A LY. SCUTCHEON : A r is zu e , o r . a Sun , Crest : B e tween two horns , surm ount o ffr o n t é ing a helmet , a sun m as in the Ar s . Th e origin of the Hiester family was the Silesian Knight Pr em iscl o ro s Hii s t e rn iz flo , who urished about 1 3 2 9 and held the o fli ce o r T of Mayor, own Cap o f tain , the city of Swine ford . f . 1 o A D . 4 8 0 the Patrician and Counsellor Swineford , ( Adolphus Louis , called der Hiester , obtained from the E mperor Frederick letters patent , whereby he and his posterity were authorized t o use the coat- o f- arms he had inherited from his ancestors , to whom it was formerly o f granted , with the faculty transmitting the same , as an hereditary right and privilege , to all his descendants . - - - D r . o n Lawrence Hiester , b Frankfort the Main , Sep 1 1 6 8 . 1 8 1 tember 9 , 3 , d Helmstedt , April , 7 5 8 , Professor 1 2 0 of Surgery at Helmstedt from 7 , and the founder of 6 n n a n i e r m a n o e t Th e P e sylv a G S ci y .
    [Show full text]
  • 1St to 4Th Congress
    First – Fourth Congresses Mar. 4, 1789 – Mar. 3, 1791; Oct. 24, 1791 – Mar. 2, 1793 Dec. 2, 1793 – Mar. 3, 1795; Dec. 7, 1795 – Mar. 3, 1797 Administrations of George Washington Historical Background ............................................................................................................. 1 War or Peace? ............................................................................................................................. 3 Economic Trends and Conditions ....................................................................................... 4 Constitutional Amendments ................................................................................................. 4 Major Treaties............................................................................................................................. 5 Landmark U.S. Supreme Court Cases ................................................................................ 6 1789 Events ................................................................................................................................. 6 President 1790 Events ................................................................................................................................. 6 George Washington 1791 Events ................................................................................................................................. 7 1792 Events ................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Whig Party in Pennsylvania
    i^: ST' ^ILj^ZsTQ THE WHIG PARTY IN PENNSYLVANIA BY HENRY R. MUELLER, A. M. Professor of History, Muhlenberg College Sometime University Fellow in History, Columbia University SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE Faculty of Political Science Columbia University NEW YORK 1922 . • . • • • . ^4 A\ & MY MOTHER PREFACE The study was undertaken as the result of a suggestion from Professor William A. Dunning of Columbia Univer- sity. The original intention of the author was to confine the investigation to the last decade of the existence of the Whig party in Pennsylvania. As the work proceeded, it became necessary to examine portions of the early period of the party. It was soon evident that for the sake of unity and continuity the history of the Whig party in Pennsylvania should be presented from the time of its for- mation until its disappearance. The late Charles McCarthy in his excellent The Anti-Masonic Party and Miss Margue- rite G. Bartlett in The Chief Phases of Pennsylvania Politics in the Jacksonian Period have covered the period in which the Whig party was formed but not with the Whig party as the main interest. Consequently, despite the previous work in the field, the authi-r felt justified in including this mater- ial. Pennsylvania during the period of the Whig party was undergoing an extensive expansion in manufacturing and mining, which tended to draw her to the policy desired by the New England states. On the other hand, conditions similar to those existing on the frontier persisted in the mountain districts of the state until the close of the period.
    [Show full text]
  • Paintings and Frescoes
    CHAPTER XXI PAINTINGS AND FRESCOES EFORE the commencement of the Capitol extension, the large Westward the Course of Empire takes its Way [Plate 302], by paintings for the panels in the Rotunda were completed, with Emmanuel Leutze, a German artist of prominence, was ordered by one exception. Henry Inman, one of the four artists with General Meigs July 9, 1861, and completed in 1862. The representation whom contracts were made for the historical panels, died of pioneers with their wagons and camping outfits, the mountain BJanuary 17, 1846, without having commenced the painting, although scenery, and Daniel Boone, always attracts the attention of visitors. The he had received $6,000 on account for the work. March 3, 1847, a method of applying the paint to the wall adopted in this painting has contract was made with W. H. Powell to paint the vacant panel. It was been used only in this one instance in the Capitol. The basis is a thin not placed in the Rotunda until 1855. This panel, The Discovery of the layer of cement of powdered marble, quartz, dolomite, and air-worn Mississippi [Plate 299], is intended to depict De Soto and his small lime. The water colors are applied on this cement and fixed by a spray band of followers, the first Caucasians to see our mighty Mississippi. It of water-glass solution. By the method employed it is much easier to is a spirited composition, in no sense realistic, idealizing both make corrections in the painting than with ordinary fresco work. Spaniards and Indians. The Battle on Lake Erie [Plate 301], by W.
    [Show full text]
  • Owens-History of Congress Conf 18May15
    Macon and Stevenson: The Evolution of the Proto-Partisan Speakership in the Ante Bellum House.1 John E. Owens The Centre for the Study of Democracy The University of Westminster, London and Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies American University, Washington, DC Paper presented to the Congress and History Conference, Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 21-23 May 2015. 1 Special thanks to Jim Thurber for providing a congenial base for my research at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at the American University, Washington, DC. Thanks also to Barbara Bair for assistance with the Stevenson and Van Buren papers at the Library of Congress. 1 There is broad agreement in the literature that the US House of Representatives did not acquire a partisan speakership until at least after the Civil War. Why this type of speakership emerged at this time has to do with the political context provided by an increasingly stable and competitive the two-party system and the agency of individual speakers. Parties within the House and outside became increasingly cohesive and polarised (Cooper and Brady 1981; Jenkins 1999; Rohde and Shepsle 1987) and the speakership of the became “an artefact and architect of party government” (Peters 1997: 51) as majority party members tended to choose speakers like Blaine, Randall, Reed, and Cannon who were partisan activists, more ideologically extreme, less conciliatory, and more likely to appoint party loyalists to committees and chairs (Brady 1973: 43-92, 143-80; Brady, Cooper and Hurley 1979: 26-49; Cooper and Brady 1981: 414-15; Finocchiaro and Rohde 2007: 259-70; Galloway 1976: 128-159; Hinckley 1983: 166-67; Schickler 2001: 27-84).
    [Show full text]
  • Adopting House Rules for a New Congress: the Turn of the Century Turn from Open, Rules Committee Proposals to Closed, Majority
    Adopting House Rules in a New Congress: From Democratic Deliberation to Partisan Monopoly Donald R. Wolfensberger Director, The Congress Project The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Paper prepared for presentation at a Congress Project program on the opening day of the 110th Congress, Thursday, January 4, 2007 at the Woodrow Wilson Center. This paper is adapted in part from a paper by the author published in the Congressional Record of Jan. 7, 1997 (page H-16)--the opening day of the 105th Congress. 1 Introduction: For more than a century now, on the opening day of each new Congress the House of Representatives considers a resolution reported by the majority party caucus (usually designated as House Resolution 5), adopting the standing rules for that Congress. The resolution ordinarily states that the rules of the previous Congress are adopted as the rules of the new Congress, together with certain additional amendments recommended by the majority party caucus. The resolution is usually called up by the House majority leader, in the case of Republicans, or, in the case of the Democrats, the likely chairman of the Rules Committee (which does not come into existence until the rules are adopted). The majority manager of the resolution is recognized for one hour of debate, half of which is yielded to the minority leader (or a designee) as a matter of courtesy and tradition. At the end of the hour, the majority manager moves the previous question to bring the resolution to a final vote. If the previous question is defeated, then the minority is recognized for an additional hour and may offer its own substitute amendment or individual amendments.
    [Show full text]
  • Revolutionary-Era Republicanism As Championed by Nathaniel Macon and John Randolph of Roanoke
    University of Mississippi eGrove Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2013 Revolutionary-Era Republicanism As Championed By Nathaniel Macon And John Randolph Of Roanoke Barbara Hensley Shepard University of Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Shepard, Barbara Hensley, "Revolutionary-Era Republicanism As Championed By Nathaniel Macon And John Randolph Of Roanoke" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 641. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/641 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. REVOLUTIONARY-ERA REPUBLICANISM AS CHAMPIONED BY NATHANIEL MACON AND JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE A dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Mississippi Barbara Hensley Shepard March 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Barbara Hensley Shepard All rights reserved ABSTRACT This work concentrates on the formation of a uniquely American version of republicanism and two men who staunchly adhered to its tenets long after it had fallen out of fashion. Revolutionary-era republicanism provided a useful set of principles for the colonists of British North America as they moved toward independence, throughout the Revolutionary War and into the nineteenth century. This work attempts to show the roots of American republicanism and how during the first decades of the nineteenth century the concept was adopted and adapted by those in the government. Nathaniel Macon of North Carolina and the Virginian, John Randolph of Roanoke, were two of the staunchest supporters of Revolutionary-era republicanism, and they are used to show the waxing and waning of their principles.
    [Show full text]
  • American Presidents
    CATALOGUE TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE American Presidents WILLIAM REESE COMPANY 409 Temple Street New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 789-8081 A Note This catalogue is devoted to manuscript and printed material relating to presidents of the United States from George Washington to Lyndon Johnson. Besides original manuscripts by the presidents, there are books written by them, as well as printed material about them and their campaigns. There is also a section at the end about the presidency in the abstract, most notably a certified manuscript copy of the 12th Amend- ment of 1804, altering the manner of presidential elections. Within the catalogue, material is organized chronologically, president by president. While all but the most modern presidents are represented, the overwhelming emphasis here is on the first three. Highlights include a wonderful association copy of John Adams’ Letters; an unpublished Jefferson letter about the French Revolution; Washington’s appointment of James McHenry as the third Secretary of War; letters of Tobias Lear about Washington’s death and the debate over where to bury him; several books from Jefferson’s library; some key Abraham Lincoln items; and much more. Available on request are our recent catalogues: 275, The Age of Jackson; 276, The Caribbean; 277, The American West in the 19th Century; 278, World Trade: The First Age of Globalization; 279, Pacific Voyages; 281, Americana in PRINTING AND THE MIND OF MAN; and 282, Recent Acquisitions in Americana. Some of our catalogues, as well as some recent topical lists, are now posted on the Internet at www.reeseco.com. A portion of our stock may be viewed via links at www.reeseco.com.
    [Show full text]
  • The First Three Chief Justices
    THE CHIEF JUSTICE FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE IN THE BEGINNING: THE FIRST THREE CHIEF JUSTICES † NATALIE WEXLER INTRODUCTION It comes as a surprise to many—including a number of lawyers and law students—to learn that John Marshall was not in fact the country’s first Chief Justice, but rather its fourth (or, according to some recent scholarship, its fifth). Before there was Marshall, there were John Jay, John Rutledge (briefly), possibly William Cushing (even more briefly), and Oliver Ellsworth. While legal historians may be fa- miliar with these nonhousehold names, all too often when these men, and the Court over which they presided from 1789 to 1800, do receive mention, it is only to be dismissed as inferior to what immediately fol- lowed. As Robert McCloskey aptly put it in The American Supreme Court, “[t]he great shadow of John Marshall . falls across our understand- ing of that first decade; and it has therefore the quality of a play’s opening moments with minor characters exchanging trivialities while they and the audience await the appearance of the star.”1 In the last ten years, scholars have begun to focus more attention on the pre- Marshall Court,2 but a certain derogatory attitude persists. One re- † Associate Editor, The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789-1800. A.B. 1976, Harvard University; M.A. 1977, University of Sussex; J.D. 1983, University of Pennsylvania. Much of this Article rests on research done over the last thirty years by the staff of the Documentary History Project, which is very much a col- lective effort.
    [Show full text]