because of the
indignation which so dishonorable a measure to defeat a political
opponent excited throughout the State. Madison entered upon an active
canvass of his district against James Monroe, who had been nominated as
a moderate anti-Federalist, and defeated him. It was winter time, and in
the exposure of some of his long rides his ears were frozen. In later
life he sometimes laughingly pointed to the scars of these wounds
received, he said, in the service of his country.

Thus Henry's "Gerrymander," like many another useful and curious device,
brought neither profit nor credit to the original inventor. Had Henry
acted in the broader spirit of the modern politician, who sees that he
serves himself best who serves his party best, he would have disposed of
every Federal county in the State as he disposed of Orange. As it was,
he only aroused a good deal of indignation and defeated himself by
openly aiming to gratify his personal resentments. Had he scattered his
shot for the general good of the party, he would, perhaps, have brought
down his particular bird.

CHAPTER X

THE FIRST CONGRESS

The confederate Congress, at its final session in 1788, had fixed the
time for the election of President and Vice-President under the
Constitution, and the time and place for the meeting of the first
Congress of the new government. The day appointed was the first
Wednesday of the following March, and, as that date fell on the fourth
of the month, a precedent was established which has ever since been
observed in the installation of a new President. The place was not so
easily determined. The choice lay between New York and Philadelphia, and
the struggle was prolonged, not because the question of the temporary
seat of government was of much moment, but because of the influence the
decision might have upon the future settlement of the permanent place
for the capital.

No quorum of the new Congress was present at New York on March 4, 1789,
and neither house was organized until early in April. On the 23rd
Washington arrived; and on the 30th he took the oath of office as first
President of the United States, standing on the balcony of Federal
Hall, at the corner of Wall and Broad streets, a site now occupied by
another building used as the subtreasury. A week before, when the
ceremonies proper for such an occasion were a subject of discussion in
Congress, the question of fitting titles for the President and
Vice-President