, 1864-07-16
@bitago Qrtb1tue.
SATURDAY. July 10, 1854. -,


A correspondent writes to MS that tsthe
whole country Til rejoice that Washington
is safc."
So far as We are concezned-and We speak
not only for the TRIBUNE; but some other
people-we beg to be thought not disposed
10 let of any rockets. or to give way to any
special hilarity on that account. VIC do not
intend to cherish any unpatr1otic feeling, so
ns to be thought careless Of the dIshonor the
nation would suffer By the LOST. OF Its capi-
tai. and the scatterlng Of its Government,
but we do confess to temptation to great
Indifference Is to that city called Washing
ion, Whv should we, away here in Illinois,
be distressing ourselves about that town,
while the people who live within days
communication Of it, in myriads sufficient to
cat up JET Davis army, and then be still
hungry 1or breakfast, are 80 utterly lndlfer-
cnt 10 Its capture, Us to run away with their
horses aud yaluables aud hide from few
hundred mauraderr, instead Of arming, and
combining 10 drive them out? II the people
Of Maryland md Pennsylvania don't care
enough about the capital 10 defend 1t, We do
not SEQ that anybody else need to be con-
cerncd upon its special account. To be It
is the capital CT the Nation, aud a. such we
fecla concern for It; but If the capital was
once separated from the city, arc arc free to
cay that our interest In 1t would snbside very
quickly, and We feel very much inclined to
say, :et If the rebels were suffered to take
the city, We elould at once be in favor Of
putting the .scat Of Government where the
people possess sufficient spirit to defend 1t.
And II they suffer the rebels to ,:maraud
about It as Of late, SO that few hundred of
grnybacks, With what help they can get from
tlclr 6ecesh conspirAiors and the towards
who aid them by running away and spread
ing fightful stories, can keep the whole
nation In alarm, II will not take long to get
the people to wishing that some other place
be selected for the scat Of Government
We know Of no claims which that place
possesses other than its name, to be the cap
ltal. 1t is not the natural site Of city
of any pretcnsions. 1t has no COM
mercia1 or other advantages. It has been
uursed into city bY Federal pap; and,
as is always the case where towns are created
by being made political rookeries, 1t has be-
come the center Of meanuesses and corrup.
tions numerable. Such places have noastural
current of honest business of sufficient vol
ume to give tone to the occupations Of the
place. The business is partisan and Is al
most OF noosssity corrupt. Everybody Is
somehow fed by the Government, and every
body becomes naturally scheming, dishonest
or orsycophantic- 1t is not necessary to dwell
on these matters now; but we name snM-
. cheney Of facts to show that the matter Is
appreciated, and that our interest In Wash
ipgton ia not so deep-acated and tender as that
our joy In Its safety is more than moderate.
II the rebels are allowed take it, let the seat
Of Government 60 either to the commerciai
center Of the countrY-Ne4 York-or what
is more rational, let 1t take journey west.
ward to the geographical center. Cincin-
natl, Chicago or St Louis would accommo~
date the country, ana we bslieve, d<tsnd the
Capital
1t will perhaps be remembered In this con-
ncction, that Washington was once taken and
burned, and that not for the want of defend
crs, such as they were. Those heroes who
ran like deer at Bladensburg seem to have
begotten prodigious progeny. Al in that
line are good at running yet.
We do feel, however, a very poignant grief
"a to the pigs, turkies, hens, horses, cows,
steers, shoes and groceries the rebels have
run out Of Maryland 1t cute us to the heart
that the 1ascals should have gotten such
booty in their raid. Whatever be our sym
patby for those who have lost these things,
it is matter Of profound SORROW that Lees
army will taste beef and pork once more,
his cavalry will get new horses, and the
Richmondttes will have new lease of life
5or TWO months more. Over that We grieve