New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-15
Richmond. 1t will prove well for Lee IL no does
not delay that purpose too long.
ORR sTATB CAPITAL.

tne IeOpie may Also Rouuoi wv f''s ~
be prepared to exert an influence over its de-
cision, do we proffer few words on the subject.
OF course, Albany is not near the geographic
cal center of our State. On the contrary, it is
scarcely q cannon-shot from its eastern border.
And vet hold that city decidedly preferable
as our capital to Utica, Syracuse, or any other
point in the interior. capital is <ot to be
wisely located up a tree, though that tree stood
in the precise geographical center Of State.
London is not the geographical center OF
Great Britain, much less Of the British Empire.
Paris is not the center of France, nor Rome OF
Italy; vet each is the natural and proper capi'
tai of its country. Geography is but one among
many considerations which should determine
the location of a capital and is in fact Subordi'
nate to several others.
1t is mistake to suppose the location of CAPT.
tails arbitrary or dependent on will. Constan'
tine contributed largely to the ruin of the Ro-
man empire by abandoning Rome and building
a new city to suppant it by the waters OF the
Bosphorus. Peter misnamed the Great made
like blunder in DESERVING Moscow for the costly
exotic that rose at his despotic fat from the
marshes of the Neva Tennessee tried for years
to make Murfreesboro' her capital, but Nature
was too strong for her and compelled removal
to Nashville. Michigan has removed her o'a'e
edifces 10 O hole cut in the woods ana nalned
Lansing; but Detroit remains her real capital,
and will have the State edifices back again with
in a generation. These backwoods locations OF
cspitals are usually begottcn Of bribery on land
speculation, and are. in the nature OF things
eyanescent. Stubborn Fac. refuses to recognize
and conform TO them.
For q true capital is something more than
place where State edifices have been arbitrarily
located, and where Governors arc compelled to
reside, and where you may, at certain seasons,
find Legislature in session. true capital is
the natural focus Of the Wealth, Art, Culture,
Refinement, of State or Nation. Where these
are absent, you may have the marrowlesS bones
of a capitalize body without the soul.
Albany is goodly city; so is Syracuse; 80 is
Utica; yet if you ask every deni1en Of either
who is qualified and fit 10 assist in making laws
-" Where in ouu State, other than in your own
city, would you prefer to spend Winter as a
legislator i"--nine out Of ten of them would
snswer-"In New-York."
For this choice, there are ample reasons. We
believe stranger who wishes TO live Clearly
and comfortably at moderate cost, can 90 IL
here as cheapy as he could in either of the
rival cities aboye-namcd, provided tho Legsla-
ture were there in session. And here are great
Public Libraries, Galleries. the Opera, Theaters,
facilities for rapid and cheap locomotion, &C.,
&c, which none of those cities can pretend 10
rival. Every selfrespecting visitor to our City
can find here the church wherein he would
prefer to worship, and facilities for pursuing any
investigation, mastering any science, or pursu-
ing any lawful pleasure, unequaled By the cities
Of the interior.
Our State with most others eminently needs
to attract higher order Of intellect ard OF
culture into her Legislative councils. We
mean no disparagcmcnt TO any when we affirm
the obvious truth that the average Of Legislative
ability, experience and character, Is not so high
as it was sixty or forty years ago. And one
eminent reason for this is found in the fact that,
whilo hundreds Of our best citizens from every
section choose to spend at least part Of each
Winter in our City, no one abandons his rural
home to spend of choice his Winter in Albany,
or Utica, or Syracuse. Ask theme who ought
to 20 to the Legislature to run for the Assem-
bly,, and "they all with one accord begin to
make excuse" They are too busy, or cannot
leave their families, or are invcterately averse
to public life; when in fact most of them are
simply averSe to spending Winter where they
must forego at once the elegant enjoyments Of
great capital and the comforts OF good home.
The time cannot be distant when these consid-
erations will compel attention and respect; but
We apprehend that it is not yet. We suggest,
therefore, that those Members Of the Legisla-
ture who think as We do should quietly wait.
We are opposed to all schemes of indirect bride
ry, and quite content to bide our time. A new
census is to be taken this year, and new ap-
p0tonment based thereon which can hardly
fail to give at least third of subsequent Legis-
latures to the counties below the Highlands. Let
U.S. then, simply resist, firmly and unitedly, all
appropriations Of public money to build or on
large State edifces at Albany and await the
developments Of the future.
STATE RELIGION.
We will ask our friends who are organizing
to agitate for the Interpolation Of religious test