By a majority of two voices, the resolution was recommitted; and, after a long and ardent debate, was negatived by the same majority.
This proposition continued to be supported with a degree of earnestness which its opponents termed pertinacious, but not a single opinion was changed.

It was brought forward in the new and less exceptionable form of assuming specific sums from each state.

Under this modification of the principle, the extraordinary contributions of particular states during the war, and their exertions since the peace, might be regarded; and the objections to the measure, drawn from the uncertainty of the sum to be assumed, would be removed.

But these alterations produced no change of sentiment; and the bill was sent up to the senate with a provision for those creditors only whose certificates of debt purported to be payable by the union.
In this state of things, the measure is understood to have derived aid from another, which was of a nature strongly to interest particular parts of the union.
From the month of June, 1783, when congress was driven from Philadelphia by the mutiny of a part of the Pennsylvania line, the necessity of selecting some place for a permanent residence, in which the government of the union might exercise sufficient authority to protect itself from violence and insult, had been generally acknowledged.

Scarcely any subject had occupied more time, or had more agitated the members of the former congress than this.
[Sidenote: Bill for fixing the permanent seat of government.] In December, 1784, an ordinance was passed for appointing commissioners to purchase land on the Delaware, in the neighbourhood of its falls, and to erect thereon the necessary public buildings for the reception of congress, and the officers of government; but the southern interest had been sufficiently strong to arrest the execution of this ordinance by preventing an appropriation of funds, which required the assent of nine states.