5l6 APPENDIX. 



Northern States to join liis fortunes to the enterprises on wliirli Wash- 

 ington had set his heart. At the time of the original action by Con- 

 gress, authorizing the establishment of the national capital on the 

 Potomac, no money was appropriated and no expenditure directed or 

 authorized by the general government itself. It was a permissive act 

 merely, providing that if the friends of the site on the Potomac should 

 found a city and erect public buildings there fit for the occupation of 

 Congress before the year 1800, then the seat of government should be 

 removed to and established at that city. Beyond this the work was 

 that of Washington, Jefferson, the States of Virginia and Maryland, and 

 their personal friends in the Northern States. The commissioners au- 

 thorized to conduct the negotiations began their work March 11, 1791, 

 and formed an agreement with the proprietors of the lands chosen as 

 the site of the city, March 31 of the same year, by which it was stipu- 

 lated that one-half of the lots and squares into which these lands should 

 be laid out, should remain the property of the original owners, and 

 one-half should become the property of the new city, and be sold to 

 raise money to erect the public buildings. Mr. Blodget at that time 

 purchased 500 acres, being one of the largest of the private properties 

 on the site, and it was duly laid out in squares and lots under the terms 

 of the agreement. He also purchased several hundred single lots at a 

 public sale of lots held for the benefit of the city, in October, 1791, 

 being much the largest individual purchaser at the sale, and bringing 

 to the new city several of his personal friends, from Boston, as pur- 

 chasers. The State of Virginia had appropriated $70,000, and Mary- 

 land $120,000, toward the cost of the Capitol and President's 

 House, but no money being obtainable from these State appropria- 



federal heart or capital for his country. But his views for the university were what he 

 most prized, designed in part at the Hague, and completed at Oxford, where lie had 

 all the universities of ancient and modern times to guide his pencil." 



The suggestion as to a national university was first made at the camp at Camhridge, 

 in October, 1775, "when Major \Villiam Blodget went to the quarters of General 

 Washington to complain of the ruinous state of the colleges from the conduct of the 

 militia quartered therein. The writer of this being in company with his friend and 

 relation, and hearing General Greene join in lamenting the then ruinous state of the 

 eldest -ieminary of Massachusetts, observed, merely lo console the company of friends, 

 that to make amends for these injuries, after our war he hoped we should erect a noble 

 university, at which all the youth of the world might be proud to receive instruction. 

 What was thus pleasantly said, Washington immediately replied to- ' Young tiiati, yoii 

 a>e a prophet, iuspired to speak what I am confident mill one day be realized.' " The 

 original of the design for this university is in the Library of Congress at Washington. 

 -{//'iV/., pp. 21-23) 



