Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-05-08
From the N. Y. independently
Liberty and Slavery in the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
BY HORACE GREELY.


If it were not law of the universe that
/! Wrong should always be rapacious, short
sighted. reckless of every dictate of pru-
dence and true policy. it must be that some
one of the shrewd and cunning champions
of "the peculiar institution" would long
ago have persuaded his clients to clear the
District of Columbia of bondage and bonl-
men as quietly and expeditiously as pos
sible. Tie military chief entrusted with
the defense of fortified position takes
care to abandon and demolish any out
work so placed that it cannot 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 clinging
to what must be given up whenever seri
ously assailed, is rule SO obvious that
only the judicially blinded can overtake
it.
In the location of the Federal Me,ropo-
lis. the South struggled vehemently, bar
gained shrewdly, and was unluckily sue
cessful. That location was a sad mistake
for the Nation. but still sadder for the
South. Had square mile of high,
healthful, eligible ground in the environs
of either New York or Philadelphia-say
near Germantown. or about the location
of our new Central Park-been selected,
ceded. and set apart for the seat of our
Federal Government-the capitol, the
Presidents House. the Departments. Pat
ent- Office, ETC.. ETC., located thereon, but
no private buildings, nothing not essen
tial TO the machinery of Government--the
actual saving ofthe Nation, 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, sup
ported by Commerce aud Manufactures,
yet offering hospitality and comfort to all
who had business at the Metropolis. while
affording it protection against public ene
mics. with water. gas. etc., and the best
and cheapest means of communication with
every quarter of the Republic. The Ma
tion would then have been taxed to grade
and build and plant and guard its own
square mile alone, instead of being reauir-
ed as now to virtually create and support
great city. Journals. reporting Police,
and hundred other essentials of the
capital Of free people. would have been
provided without cost to the treasury from
which they must now be subsisted. The
fancy that a capital might be made or kept
pure by locating it away from the crowded
resorts or busy haunts is an illusion so
transparent that it would not have misled
a schoolgirl. Washington. city of
office holders and office seekers. inn keep
ers. jobbers, snd other functioaries and par
asites, has for fifty years been the corrupt
est capital in Christendom, because the
coarse passions of the badly-edueated per-
sons who there find themselves suddenly
raised to power, have encountered no re-
straining influence from refined and in
tellectual society and an independent and
fearless press.
Hal the capital been wisely located near
New York or Philadelphia, the public men
of the slave region would there have been
necessarily and inoffensively brought in
contact with Free Society under circum-
stances which would not have infamed
prejudice nor excited antagonism. They
would have seen that service can be
cheeriu!ly. efficiently. and respectfully rem
dered by persons who are not slaves
that one who naturally desires and expects
I to profit by your good opinion is more
likely to evince alacrity and energy in
your employment than one who has moth
ing to hope for-that intelligence doubles
capability--that Liberty incites to thrift,
while Slavery leads to Incidence, sloth,
and decay. 1t is no secret that the mer-
chants OF the South are not hearty cham
binons Of either slavery or rebellion; and
If her politicians had likewise been required
to make frequent journeys to and through
the Free States. they must also have been
gradually weaned of any fanatical devotion
to the system which makes merchandise of
men.
But the focus of the Federal authority
was located on the Potomac, few miles
from Mount Vernon, and on territory ca
gerly cedel for the purpose by Maryland
and Virginia. The latter State has since
reclaimed her proportion. leaving that Of
Maryland still ample for every purpose
but that of defense againsta Shareholders
Rebellion. This offset from Maryland.
containing some six square miles, has
for more than sixty years been the exclu-
sive possession of the American Republic;
and as such has been blighted and shamed
by Human Slavery. Thirty years ago.
slave-pens existed here; slaves were regu-
larly advertised for and purchased tor
! Louisiana plantations as mules are for those
Of the West Indies. and large coffles Of
them manacled aud fastened together have
been seen from the Capitol vending their
melancholy way to the shambles Of the
Cotton planting Safes. At length, the
Slave-trade gradually covered under the
gaze Of freedom loving men from the North
and skunk away to the Virginia side Of the
Potomac, where notwithstanding the ab-
oIition Of the Slave trade in 1850. II con-
tinued sctiyc under State protection down
to 1850 When AIexandris was recov-'