Compromise of 1790
Encyclopedia
The Compromise of 1790 was the first of three great political compromises made in the United States
by the Northern
and Southern
states, occurring every thirty years, in an attempt to keep the Union together and prevent civil war. The big issue stemmed from the accumulation of $54,000,000 of debt.
, James Madison
, and Thomas Jefferson
, with the backing of George Washington
, arranged the compromise. This included passage of the Residence Act
in July and the Funding act in August. Central to this was an agreement that several Southerners would change their votes and support the federal assumption of state debts in return for a bill locating the US capital on the Potomac River
after a ten year temporary residence at Philadelphia.
This implied that the North would not raise objections to slavery because the capital, Washington, D.C.
, would be located in territory donated by two slave state
s, Maryland
and Virginia
.
Because the capital was not moved from Philadelphia to the Potomac River, many Southerners were angered. The Southerners were also angry about the fact that the Northerners wanted the federal government to assume all of the state debts from the Revolutionary War. The Southerners' reaction to these controversial issues annoyed the Northerners. The dissension between the North and South gave politicians such as George Washington and John Adams
good reason to worry about preserving the Union and preventing a civil war.
Although political leaders knew differences between North and South would remain, they hoped they had created an indissoluble bond: a republic fueled by Northern financial and commercial capitalism with its capital city
in the agrarian, slave-holding South. As the turbulent 2nd Congress closed, congressmen as well as the press urged Americans to support the compromise. Many Northerners were frustrated, thus, they openly shared how they felt on April 12th, when the House rejected the assumption of the state debts. Northern reaction to the House's decision on the state debts so angered Henry Lee
of Virginia that he wrote to Madison, essentially saying he would rather perish in war and lose everything he valued, than to live under the laws of Northerners. Thomas Cushing
of Salem, Massachusetts
informed his congressmen of the disunion that was present in the North.
The First Congress' third session was held in Philadelphia. A federal bank, a tax on domestically manufactured alcohol, and a supplemental residence act that allowed Washington to include his hometown of Alexandria, VA as part of the federal district were the three measures that confirmed the compromise.
The Excise Act eventually led to the Whiskey Rebellion
in Pennsylvania
in 1794. The excise was made because of all of the war debts that needed to be paid off. Most of the congressmen who voted for the tax were Northerners, except for six Southerners.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by the Northern
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
and Southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
states, occurring every thirty years, in an attempt to keep the Union together and prevent civil war. The big issue stemmed from the accumulation of $54,000,000 of debt.
History and nature of the agreement
Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
, James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, and Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, with the backing of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, arranged the compromise. This included passage of the Residence Act
Residence Act
The Residence Act of 1790, officially titled An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States, is the United States federal law that settled the question of locating the capital of the United States, selecting a site along the Potomac River...
in July and the Funding act in August. Central to this was an agreement that several Southerners would change their votes and support the federal assumption of state debts in return for a bill locating the US capital on the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
after a ten year temporary residence at Philadelphia.
This implied that the North would not raise objections to slavery because the capital, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, would be located in territory donated by two slave state
Slave state
In the United States of America prior to the American Civil War, a slave state was a U.S. state in which slavery was legal, whereas a free state was one in which slavery was either prohibited from its entry into the Union or eliminated over time...
s, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Because the capital was not moved from Philadelphia to the Potomac River, many Southerners were angered. The Southerners were also angry about the fact that the Northerners wanted the federal government to assume all of the state debts from the Revolutionary War. The Southerners' reaction to these controversial issues annoyed the Northerners. The dissension between the North and South gave politicians such as George Washington and John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
good reason to worry about preserving the Union and preventing a civil war.
Although political leaders knew differences between North and South would remain, they hoped they had created an indissoluble bond: a republic fueled by Northern financial and commercial capitalism with its capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
in the agrarian, slave-holding South. As the turbulent 2nd Congress closed, congressmen as well as the press urged Americans to support the compromise. Many Northerners were frustrated, thus, they openly shared how they felt on April 12th, when the House rejected the assumption of the state debts. Northern reaction to the House's decision on the state debts so angered Henry Lee
Henry Lee
Henry Lee III was an early American patriot who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army and earned the nickname "Light-Horse Harry". Lee was...
of Virginia that he wrote to Madison, essentially saying he would rather perish in war and lose everything he valued, than to live under the laws of Northerners. Thomas Cushing
Thomas Cushing
Thomas Cushing III was an American lawyer and statesman from Boston, Massachusetts. He was a loyalist for Massachusetts in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776, and the first Lt. Commander of the state from 1780 to 1788...
of Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
informed his congressmen of the disunion that was present in the North.
The First Congress' third session was held in Philadelphia. A federal bank, a tax on domestically manufactured alcohol, and a supplemental residence act that allowed Washington to include his hometown of Alexandria, VA as part of the federal district were the three measures that confirmed the compromise.
The Excise Act eventually led to the Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion, or Whiskey Insurrection, was a tax protest in the United States in the 1790s, during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold their corn in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax which they strongly resented...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1794. The excise was made because of all of the war debts that needed to be paid off. Most of the congressmen who voted for the tax were Northerners, except for six Southerners.
Organizers
- Alexander HamiltonAlexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
- United States Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United... - James MadisonJames MadisonJames Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
- Congressman - Thomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
- United States Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence... - George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
- President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....