To George Washington from Thomas Mifflin, 15 November 1793
From Thomas Mifflin
Philada 15th November 1793
Sir
As the period prescribed for the next session of Congress, approaches, I was solicitious to ascertain, whether the accomodations, directed to be prepared for that body, by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, would be compleated in due season: and I have the pleasure to communicate to you the answer of the Commissioners in the affirmative.1 I am, with perfect respect Sir Your mo: obedt Servt
Tho. Mifflin
LS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; Df, PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99; LB, PHarH: Executive Letterbooks.
1. By “An Act to provide for the accommodation of the Congress of the United States,” approved on 11 April, the Pennsylvania General Assembly granted $6,666.67 to the commissioners of Philadelphia County “for the purpose of enlarging the building at present occupied by the two Houses of the Congress . . . Provided, however, That the commissioners aforesaid shall prepare, in the room of the Senate of the United States, a gallery, calculated for the admission of the citizens of the United States to hear the debates of that House . . .” ( , 375–76). In the enclosed letter of 14 Nov., Philadelphia commissioners Thomas Hopkins, Isaac Howell, and George Forepaugh wrote Mifflin: “we can with certainty asure thee that the accommodations for Congress will be ready in time, except the Gallery, which, on account of the Malignant disorder, and scarcity of Carpenters, we could not compleat, and thought it best to finish the more immediately accommodating parts” (DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).