On September 9, 1788, the Pennsylvania Mercury 要求了解国会为什么没有根据宪法组织新政府. 它不仅被9个国家(通过所需要的数目)通过，而且被11个国家通过. 它抱怨说:“我们的统治者没有尊重人民的伟大声音。. “长期以来威胁要压倒美国的迫在眉睫的毁灭, instead of rousing them to action, seems to have thrown them into a lethargy.”
The ninth State to ratify was New Hampshire. It had approved the Constitution on June 21. 7月2日，在纽约举行的联邦大会上宣读了该法案的批准书. 同一天，国会任命了一个委员会，审查所有批准文件，并建议一项“实施上述宪法”的计划.” Subsequently, news arrived that Virginia and New York had also ratified.
为什么国会没有遵从联邦会议的建议, in organizing the new government, when adopted by nine States?” the Mercury demanded. “We are told,” it continued, “他们不能就新国会的开会地点达成一致……他们当然不能为他们的继任者确定任何永久居住地。, who will have the power of determining for themselves.” Impatient at such “uninteresting and trivial debates,” the Mercury concluded by admonishing Congress: “Let the place of meeting be New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore, nay, the banks of the Potowmac, Ohio, or Mississippi – let it be any where; but for Heaven’s sake, let the vox populi prevail – let the government be put in motion.”
Reports received by the Pennsylvania Mercury were generally accurate. 召开新一届国会的地点一直是一个存在强烈分歧的问题. However, it was not a trivial matter. In fact, it was a very practical matter. 如果地点不方便，出席国会的人数很容易减少. 一些南方议员反对纽约，因为它太靠北了. On the other hand, 把首都从纽约搬到另一个地方会造成不必要的财政负担.
对于南方的一些人来说，北方的首都是个问题，他们认为可能会对奴隶的使用施加限制，而一些国会议员可能会把奴隶带来. 这个被指定为国家首都的城市所积累的经济和其他优势呢? Should the capital be inland or on the seacoast? 它相对于西部领土应该处于什么位置，这些领土将不可避免地组织起来并作为新的国家加入联邦?
Writing from New York where Congress was still in session on August 11, James Madison wrote to George Washington, summarizing the lack of progress locating the new Congress. “费城最初是由特拉华州的一个声音命名和否定的，”他开始说. “New York came forward next. Lancaster was opposed to it and failed. 巴尔的摩是下一个尝试，出乎意料的是，每个人都有七票，第二天，在罗德岛州的投票帮助下，纽约被插入. Rhode Island, however, 拒绝对此事进行最后表决，实际上已经从国会退休了.”
Two weeks later, Madison followed up on his earlier letter to Washington. 不仅新政府的地点问题仍未解决, 但是“罗德岛州的退出和北卡罗来纳拒绝进一步参与这项事业”只剩下11个州可以决定，“在这个数字中，任何地方都不是7个州。.” For Madison, 新政府一成立，就立即出现这种地方性的表现，这“确实令人难堪”.”
使问题复杂化的是，纽约给其他国家的通函鼓励制定一项公约审议修正案. “I find it is everywhere,” Madison noted, “and particularly in Virginia, 作为联合努力争取早期修正案的信号.” Delay was on the side of the Anti-federalists and Madison knew it.
Finally, on September 12, Virginia’s Henry Lee, moved that, 鉴于联邦政府投入运作所必需的先前安排的执行延长可能会对国家造成损害, Resolved现在的国会所在地是根据上述宪法开始诉讼的地方.他的动议包括7月初已经提出的条款——“明年1月的第一个星期三是任命几个州选举人的时间……明年2月的第一个星期三是选举人在各自州集会投票选举总统的日子。, 明年3月的第一个星期三是新政府召开会议的时间.
Edward Carrington, also representing Virginia, 提出了一个替代方案——考虑一个更“位于中心”的地方. Surprisingly, Carrington’s motion was seconded by Madison, but defeated 6 - 3 - 1, with Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia voting “no.” Georgia was divided. The next day, September 13, nine States voted to approve Lee’s motion. Only Delaware voted against the measure. Maryland was absent. Madison was relieved. “进一步的拖延只会使国会失去信誉，损害目标,” he wrote to Edmund Randolph. 他说:“在这个问题还没有在激烈的辩论中决定之前，马里兰州就离开了，特拉华州也同样不灵活,” he continued. As to the last-minute attempt to choose a place more centrally located, “between the North River and the Potowmac,它的拒绝留下了唯一可行的选择——“要么同意纽约，要么扼杀政府的诞生。.”
Scheduled to meet in New York on March 4, 1789, 由于缺乏法定人数，国会的第一次会议被推迟到4月1日. “这是一个非常令人难堪的局面，”马萨诸塞州众议员费舍尔·艾姆斯(Fisher Ames)哀叹道. “We lose credit, spirit, everything. The public will forget the government before it is born.” Nevertheless, the new government had finally convened. Its first two sessions were held in New York City. The third convened in Philadelphia on December 6, 1790. Earlier, on July 16, 华盛顿总统签署了《十大正规赌平台平台》, 在波托马克河上建立了一个新的联邦城市, at some place between the mouths of the Eastern Branch and Conococheague.” It would become known as Washington, the District of Columbia.