The national Republican., 1861-05-07
WASHINGTON AS AFFECTED BY CUR.
RENT EVENTS.

RENT EVENTS.
So far as this city is concerned, while it sui.
fers in common with all other cities, and in
common with the country generally, from the
waste and losses Of the present war, it hnds
some partial compensation, in the public ex'
penditures which follow the concentration OF
masses of troops here. 1t may find another
partial compensation in gaining The trade
hitherto enjoyed by Alexandria, if the blockade
of Virginia ports is continued. These, how.
ever, are temporary circumstances, while it is
rather upon the permanent consequences Of
present events, that we propose now to COM
ment.
One of these consequences may be expected
to be the transfer to Washington and George.
town of some of the manufacturing capital and
skill hitherto employed at Baltimore. While
former opinions in respect to the security OF
Baltimore have been signally confirmed by
what has recently happened, the attention Of
men cannot fail to be called to the fact, that no.
where are there such perfect guarantees against
mob violence as in this District. The power
of the national Government, the jurisdiction Of
which is exclusive here, is SO enormously out
of proportion to that of any mob which is posi-
bic in this city, that the subversion Of the regu.
lar authorities is hardly among the contingen-
ces. Heretofore, also, this power ofthe national
Government at its own capital, may be expected
to exist in more Immediately available forms,
than ever before. Nowhere else upon the
Chesapeake bay, can merchants and manufac.
turers prosecute their business with such entire
confidence in the stability Of social order, as in
this District, and nowhere is the value Of such
n confidence, better appreciated from the want
Of it, than among our unfortunate neighbors at
Baltimore. 1t seems impossible that the atten.
ton of many of them should not be called to the
contrast of the two situations, and that there
should not be numerous transfers Of their capi-
tai, skill, and business connections, to Wash
ington and Georgetown.
This war consummates by catastrophe, the
change, hitherto slow and gradual, Of Wash.
ington, from Southern to Northern city. The
tone of the capital, must follow that of the Gov
ernment, nor can it be doubtful that slavery
will be abolished here by Congress without
much delay. A controlling consideration which
will bring about that result, is the Importance
of securing the fidelity of the capital, by sunder
ing the tie which now connects it with an ele.
ment which has just fomented great rebellion.
Wherever there is saveholding, there must be
sympathy with Shareholders, and in view OF what
has now happened, the country will not long
permit slaveholding at the capital. As mat
ter of fact, we presume that few anticipate any
other issue of current events, and whatever
preudices may exist, or whatever wishes may
be cherished, it is with facts, and with the conse
quences of facts, that we have to deal. Wash.
ington is soon to become Northern city, and
it is to become a nonsla 'eholding city, either
by act OF Congress, or by slower processes.
Washington would be more agreeable to
many as a Southern city, but even such will
admit that it will thrive more rapidly as a
Northern city. 1t is not the genius of society
based upon negro slavery, to build great cities,
and especially not great manufacturing cities.
Such cities may exist pithin the extreme limits
of slave society, but they are foreign to it. The
artisans, who will make Washington populous,
if it ever becomes so at all, must be free white
men, aud such men never congregate where
the social tone is fixed by the ideas of planters.
Whether we relish it, or not, Washington is
to become non slaveholding, and not only in
the fact of the non presence of slaves, but in
the predominance of all the peculiar notions
and habits of thought, which distinguish the
free States, from the slave States.
There is no point on the navigable waters OF
the Chesapeake so near to the West as this
city, and in the possession of a people bred to
towns, this fact will not long remain unavail
| ed Of