ington. But this was not actually the case. Two years after Yorktown,
a mighty British force, under General Sir Guy Carleton, still occupied
New York. For two years, the American states were living under the terms
of an armistice. There had been no legal peace treaty signed.
Washington had expressed fear that hostilities might commence all
over again and, to quote the General, "prolong the calamities of it. "
In September, 1783, the British signed the Treaty of Paris, but it was
not effective until ratified by the Continental Congress. Until this was
done, the United States of America had no international status as a
sovereign, free and independent nation.
At that period, there was no capital city of the United States. Where-
ever the Continental Congress met, that was the capital. Several cities
had this honor, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster and Prince-
ton. In those trying times, the Continental Congress had its share
of difficulties. Humiliated by mutinous soldiers in Philadelphia, it had
moved to Princeton, New Jersey, but was outraged by the inadequate
provision for its accommodations and determined that all future sessions
would be held only where arrangements befitting the dignity of Con-
gress would be assured.
Maryland invited the Congress to meet here and offered this fine
State House, then only four years old, as a permanent capitol. The
General Assembly offered to appropriate 30, 000 pounds to build a
home for each of the delegations of the 13 states. Congress agreed
to come to Annapolis, but only on a temporary basis. By November,
1783, Congressmen began arriving in Annapolis. Many grave problems
faced that lawmaking body. It was a Congress without funds—without
much public confidence—without a quorum. In fact, as the year 1783
drew to a close, only seven of the thirteen states had sent legal delegations
to Annapolis. And to transact major business, such as the ratification
of a treaty, nine states had to be represented by two members each.
All Congress could do was meet, talk and adjourn.
Thomas Jefferson, one of the representatives from Virginia, foresaw
grave complications. The Treaty of Paris specified that it had to be
ratified and returned to England within six months. The six months
would expire in March, 1784. And in those days, the crossing of the
ocean would probably require two months. So, there they were at the
end of December, and nothing could be done because of the absence
of delegates from two states. Jefferson kept urging the need for action.
Again and again, he sent letters to the delinquent states. One Congress-
man, Richard Beresford from South Carolina, lay ill in a hotel in
Philadelphia. Jefferson declared that if one more state arrived, making
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