Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-04-26
BT HORACE GREELEY.

If it were not q law of the universe that
Wrong should always dc rapacious. short,
sighted, reckless of every dictate of pru-
dence and true policy, it must Le that some
one of the shrewd and cunning champions
of "the peculiar institution" would long ago
have persuaded his clients to clear the Dis.
trict of Columbia of bondage and bondmen
as quietly and expeditiously as possible -
The military chief intrusted with the defense
of fortified position takes care to aban-
don and abolish any outwork so placed that
it caunot be defended from his remaining
batteries, yet may, if taken by the enemy
be turned with fearful effect against them
Not to hazard the defensible by mistaken
tenacity in clnging TO what must be giver
| up whenever seriously assailed, is rule 81
obvious that only the judicially blinded car
overlook it.
In the location of the Federal Metropo
liz, the South struggled vehemenlly, bar
gained shrewdly, and was unluckily success
! ful. That location was sad mistake fol
The Nation, but still sadder tor the South.
Had square mile of high, healthful, eligi-
BILE ground in the environs of either New
York or Philsdelphia-say near German.
town, or about the location of our new
Central Park-been selected, ceded, and set
apart for the seat of our Federal Govern
ment-the Capitol, the Presidents House,
he Departments, Patent Office, etc, etc,
located thereon, but no private buildings,
nothing not essential to the machinery of
Government--the actual saving TO the Ma
ton, even before the breaking out Of the
present War, could not have fallen short of
One Hundred Millions of Dollars. We
should then have had great city just at
hand, supported by Commerce aud Manu-
factures, yet offering hospitality and com
fort TO all who had business at the great
Metropolis, while affording it protection
against public enemies, with water, gas etc.
and the best and cheapest means of com.
munication with every quarter Of the Re-
public. The Nation would then have been
taxed to grade and build and plant aud
guard its own square mile alone, instead oil
being required rs now to virtually create and
support a great city. Journals Reporting,
Police, and hundred other essentials of
the capital of a free people, would have
been provided without cost to the trea ury
from which they must now be subssted -
The fancy that capital might be made OF
kept pure by locating il away from crowded
resorts or busy hHunts is al illusion So
transparent that it should not have m el
a schoolgirl Washington, u city OF Office
seekers, inn-keepers, jobbers, and other
functiouaries and parasites, has for fifty
wears been the corruptest capital in Christ
endom, because the coarse passions of the
| 4 ID 10 hn thaPa Hud
themselves suddenly raised TO power. have
encountered 10 restraining influence from g
refined and intellectual society and an in
dependent and fearless press
Had the capital been wisely located neal
New York or Philadelphia, the public men
of the slave region would there have beer
necessarily and inoffensiVely brought il
contact with Free Society under circum
stances which would not have infameC
preiudice nor excited antogonism. They
would have seen that service can be cheer
fully. efficiently, and respectfully rendered
by persons who are not slaves-that on'
who naturally desires aud expects 70 prof
by your good opinion is more likely tc
evince alacrity and energy in your employ
ment than one who has nothing to hope fol
! that intelligence doubles cspsbility hal
Liberty incites to thrift, while Slavery
leads to Incidence, sloth. aud decay. 1t il
no secret that the Merchants of the Sontl
are not hearty champions Of either Slavery
or Rebellion; and il her politicians hat
likewise been required to make frequen
journeys to aud through the free States
they also must have been gradually weaneC
of any fanatical devotion TO the system
which makes merchandise Of men.
But the focus Of Federal authority, wal
located on the Potomac, few miles fron
Mount Vernon, and on territory eagerly
esded for tbs purpose BY Maryland ap'