The Kanzas news., 1858-02-27
Location of Capitals.

Location Of Capitals.
The action of the Legislature in engaging.
as the majority Of then did, in specula-
ton, using their power As legislators 70 fill
their own pockets. has brought forward the
whole subject matter as to how and in what
manner the seat of government for State
or Territory shall DO located. We purpose
to briefly give our ideas on the subject.
The people alone have the right to choose
at what place their representatives shall meet
to transact their business. No Legislature
has the right, unless specially instructed to
do otherwise, to permanently fix upon the
seat of government. It is safe arrange
ment to trust the people in all cases, and one
which is In accordance with the ideas of
Liberty entertained on this continent. The
people alone have the right to be benefited
by the location of Capitals. and not legisla-
tors They are sent to do certain work for
which they receive pay. and they are acting
in violation of their duty when they become
parties to a scheme which takes. from the
people any right properly belonging to them.
Thus much as to who should locate Cap
itals, and now for the plans by which to Sc
cure to the people that right and get at fair
expression of the popular viii. Two plans
suggest themselves to our mind, in connec-
ton with this subject. First-Let there be
three ballotings held in the State, and on
the first ballot the people shall vote for their
choice of location, each person voting for
his favorite place. If there is no choice,
then the three highest shall be balloted for
on the second occasion, and on the third the
two highest, and the location which receives
majority shall be declared the Capital
This plan will secure thorough canvassing
of all the points named for the seat of gov
eFnment, and in giving the people the right
to vote fully on the subject, win be carry
ing out the idea of our institutions.
The second plan is for the Legislature to
appoint board of Commissioners, to Sc
lect suitable location for Capital as near
the geographical center of the State or Ter
ritory as may be consistent with regard to
population and surrounding circumstances.
Let them procure, conditionally, not less than
two nor more than six miles square of land,
and then submit their choice to popular
vote. If their action is ratified then they
can purchase the land, and holding it in trust
for the State, proceed to lay it out for town
purposes, of course, on a liberal scale, with
public grounds, DC. They shall then sell
from time to time certain portion of the
town lots or shares at public auction, the
time and place of sale being published some
time previous. The proceeds of the sales
to be devoted to the erection of buildings
for the use of the government, the laying
out of the site and the keeping in repair and
improvement of all buildings and public
works. When these objects shall be accom-
plished, the profits that may accrue shall be
devoted to the maintenance of a State Uni
versity to be entirely free to all scholars who
have passed proper examination before the
School Commissioners or the High Schools
of their various Districts. Such plan as
this would obviate the charge of corruption
and be of practical benefit to the people of
a State. Safeguards can be thrown around
the location so as to prevent almost entirely
all speculation or fraud in the matter.
We ask our readers to contrast either of
the above plans with the scheme by which
the Territorial Legislature contrived to To-
cate the Capital on two thousand acres of
prairie owned by themselves, and the pro-
ceeds of which they are to be benefited by.
This is one of the questions the people viii
have to decide in electing the Constitutional
Convention which is to meet shortly. That
body has the right to incorporate in the Con-
stitution they frame, the manner in which
the Capital shall be located. Let the people
rebuke the corruption evinced in the Mime
ola scheme, by electing a Convention who
viii see to it that the community and not
the spectators decide questions of this
kind.
In Bag.
Tim Lane has oof tho EeGroat Erea State