![]() The profusion of balls, dinners, dances, public lectures, musical performances, and theater spurred by the federal presence created a rich cultural environment. Prices rose accordingly with the increased demand for goods and services, and many congressmen bemoaned the higher cost of living. The initial adjustment period proved somewhat chaotic as legislators searched for housing in a city rapidly filling with tailors, barbers, shoemakers, and other entrepreneurs who hoped to capitalize on the presence of the federal government. When Pennsylvania built the mansion anyway, Washington refused to live in it. He also worried that living in grandeur would send the wrong message to Americans and the world about the nature of the new American republic. Washington, however, feared the city would use the residence in a bid to keep the capital in Philadelphia permanently. As part of its improvement program, Pennsylvania offered to build Washington a presidential mansion. The Supreme Court met in the mayor's courtroom in Philadelphia's city hall, and President George Washington moved into the former home of a local politician. ![]() These quarters quickly proved too small, and in 1793 the building had to be enlarged. While Congress chose to establish the nation's capital along the Potomac River in the District of Columbia, it also rewarded Philadelphia it chose the Pennsylvania city to house the federal government until 1800 while its offices in Washington were under construction.Īrriving in time for the December 1790 session, Congress moved into Philadelphia's county courthouse, Congress Hall. Upon the formation of a new national government under the Constitution, the city campaigned vigorously for the federal government to return. During much of the preceding confederation period (1776-1787), however, Congress had resided in Philadelphia. The United States government spent its first year (1789-1790) under the Constitution in the city of New York. The capital remained in Philadelphia until 1800 when it permanently settled in Washington, D.C. On December 6, 1790, the United States Capital officially moved from New York City to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ![]() (A note on methodology: Here we'll focus on scandals that directly implicated a president or members of his executive branch.The United States Capital officially moves from New York to Philadelphia, where it remains until the completion of the District of Columbia in 1800. In the end, the buck stops at the president. On the other hand, a divided government can lead to infighting and the kind of close scrutiny that reveals a scandal, which almost doomed President Andrew Johnson. This practice can open the door to opportunists, who may not always have the president's or the nation's best interests at heart, as President Ulysses Grant discovered. ![]() In appointing and overseeing their executive branch, presidents often reward loyalty and support over other qualifications. It's usually corruption or other personal misdeeds that ultimately lead to a president's downfall. The public can often stomach failed policies or earnest mistakes on behalf of its government. As with any boss, employee misbehavior often reflects poorly on the commander in chief, even if he isn't personally involved. presidents aren't just the heads of state, they're also the supervisors of the entire federal bureaucracy.
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