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THE CAPITOL DOME 21 a commercial city, obtain facilities in our financial transac- tions, and with more readiness procure money to carry on this war. All these arguments go to favor a permanent removal. If he was certain of any one thing, Mr. P. said, it was, that the Constitution precluded Congress from such removal. e law establishing a permanent seat of Government was bottomed on the Constitution; and in consequence of its passage, the whole soil of the District had been transferred in fee simple to the President of the United States, upon express condition that that act of Congress was carrying the Constitution into effect. What would gentlemen do with those thousands of people who have expended their substance in building and improving the place, and, relying on the public faith pledged by solemn acts, had given their property into the hands of the Government? e man who, in cold blood, could place the citizens of this place in the condition in which they would be in the event of removal, for consideration of a private nature, deserved eternal punishment. In another point of view, Mr. P. said, it seemed to him that gentlemen who were regardful of the honor of the country, would not be ready to heap disgrace upon disgrace, and add to the disaster of the enemy's success against this place; that they would be prevented by their national, or even party pride, from permitting the enemy to obtain a greater triumph than they have already obtained. e President had informed Congress in his Message, that the public buildings had been destroyed, but that only a momentary inconvenience had thereby resulted to the Government. If, after this, Congress should, under the impulse of terror, or any other motive, remove from here, they will only give cause of triumph to the enemy. So far from entering into the feelings of the nation, for such conduct the people would scout us from our seats. What, sir! Shall the Representatives of a country like this, with thousands and tens of thousands of citizens ready to offer up their blood in its defense—shall we go off in a panic from a place not even men - aced by the enemy? To do so would be ten times more degrading than the late incursion of the enemy. Mr. P. made a number Fig. 5. "e Fall of Washington—or Maddy in Full Flight." An 1814 British political cartoon satirized the dilemma that Congress faced in Septem- ber 1814: whether to move the seat of government to prevent the repetition of the ignominious flight of its leaders in the face of an invading enemy. L IBR ARY OF CONGRE S S PRIN T S AND PHOTO GR APHS DIVISION