uaded the opposing
interests to adopt a compromise, or an agreement by which each side got a
part of what it wished. The northern States were to vote for a southern
capital if the southern States would vote that the National Government
should look after the State debts.

This plan was carried out; and so it was decided that the capital of the
United States should be located in the District of Columbia, on the
Potomac River, and should be called Washington, after George Washington.

In 1789, the seat of government was in New York; from 1790 to 1800, it was
in Philadelphia; and in 1800 it was transferred to Washington, where it
has ever since remained.

THE COTTON-GIN AND SLAVERY

One of the most noteworthy events which occurred during Washington's
administration was the invention of the cotton-gin by Eli Whitney. Whitney
was born in Massachusetts. While yet a boy he was employed in making nails
by hand, for there was no machine for making them in those days. Later,
when he entered Yale College, his skilful use of tools helped him to pay
his college expenses.

[Illustration: Eli Whitney.]

After being graduated from Yale he went south, where he became a tutor in
the family of General Greene's widow, then living on the Savannah River,
in the home which, you remember, Georgia gave her husband. While he was in
Mrs. Greene's home he invented for her an embroidery-frame which she
greatly valued.

One day, while she was entertaining some planters, they began to talk
about the raising of cotton. One of her guests said that it did not pay
well because so much time was needed to separate the seeds from the fibre.
He added that if a way could be found to do this more quickly the profits
would be far greater.

"Gentlemen," said Mrs. Greene, "tell this to my young friend, Mr. Whitney.
Verily, I believe he can make anything." As a result of this conversation,
in two or three months Eli Whitney had invented the cotton-gin (1793),
although in so doing he had to make all his own tools.

The cotton-gin brought about great changes. Before its invention it took a
slave a whole day to separate the seed from five or six pounds of cotton
fibre. But by the use of the cotton-gin he could separate the seed from a
thousand pounds in a single day.

[Illustration: Whitney's Cotton-Gin.]

This, of course, meant that cotton could be sold for very much less than
before, and hence there arose a much greater demand for it. It meant,
also,