The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-18
-l For the InteIligencer.l
Location of the State Capital.
o the Legislature Of West VIrginia

tention of the people. The future
growth and prosperity of this infant
State may be made 10 depend, in a
great measure, upon the wise choice
the Legislature makes in locating the
State Capital.
which is now creating so much interest
is, certainly, deSiderGtum of the high
est importance-for,n unless the people
are satisfied with its location, it will
breed great discomfort, and its PeTmd-
Hency become the subject of future dis
satisfaction and injury to the growth
and prosperity of the State.
1t has occurred to us, that the capital
to be permanent and meet the popular
approval, should be located as near the
centre of the State as the country and
capabilities will admit. A central sit
uatiOn would at alltimes QetIhe growth
and prosperity of the State becomeeVer
so great,) accommodate the greatest
NUMBER OF his citizens, and consequent
ly, would not fail TO command the gem
eral approval. The capitol buildings
are erected and kept up at the expense
of the whole people, and are therefore
their property-the place where they
send their representatives to make
their laws, and where they may of
right go to watch over the acts of their
public servants.
The seat of government in many OF
the States has given rise to much angry
legislative controversy. In some of
them, owing to improper and hasty To-
cation, the seat of government has been
changed as MANY as three times; and
this, too, after having incurred heavy
expenses in erecting public build
ings. In Ohio the capital was first loca-
ted at Chilicothe, next at GAINESVILLE
and then at Columbus. So, too, with
the thriving State of Iowa, her capital
was first at Burlington, on the NIissis-
sippi river, next at Iowa City, farther
toward the interior, and lastly at Des
Moines, near the centre of the State.
The experience has been that the seat
of government, when located near the
border, is only temporary, and never
fails to follow the march of improve
ment. The peculiar condition of our
infant State at this time, should be duly
weighed by the legislature. 1t may
very justly be said that one half of the
State is in an eclipse from the ravages of
the destructive civil war through which
it has so recently passed, and that
many of her citizens have not had an
opportunity to be fairly heard upon
this vitality important question. Thus,
we propose, briefly to state why, in our
judgment, the seat of government
should be located near the centre of the
State. II is an admitted fact, that a
large portion of the territory of the
State, south of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, including its Northwestern
branch, for the want of legislative pat
ronage, has been permitted TO remain
in state OF nature; but at the same
time exhibiting unmiStakable physical
evidences of great future wealth and
population. Indeed the immense can
mel coal fields (the final and ultimate
with petroleum) which underlie the
contiguous lands OF the great Kanawha,
and which extend for miles up its tribu-
tnrieS, and upon Coal river, presenting
in many places surface thickness of
ten or twelve feet, constitute an ele-
ment of modern civilization, wealth
and power, that would, in short time
by proper development, invite immi-
grafton and capital from all parts of
the world, .
a glance at the map of the
State, will show to the most casual OBJ
server, that at least three-fouythS of the
territory of the State, is South of the
aforesaid lines of railroad-that by an
examination of the census of 1860, it
will be seen that full three JifthS of the
whole population of the State, is also
South of said road, and that if we take
the amount of taxes paid into the treas
ury of Virginia in 1850, as basis for
be seen, the people South of said roads
(it a liberal system of internal improve
ments be adopted, and theyHreceive a
Just share OF legislative patronage
would pay, in less than ten years, at
least taco-thiTdS of all the revenues of
the State.
These important, and, doubtless to
many, astounding facts, we contend
should not be lightly considered, or si-
lently passed over by the Legislature.
They constitute the grounds of argu.
meRt in favor of a central locality,
which, it does seem to us, is unanswer-
able And this position, too, is greatly
strengthened by the fact, that the coun-
try North, and in immediate proximity
to these lines of railroad, had been long
previously literally provided for, in
Turnpikes and M'Adamized roads,
constructed at the State expense-and
by making due allowances for the ad-
vantages which these various classes of
roads have long since conferred upon
that favored section of the State, we
may very justly presume that it has
attained maximum standard ofwealth
and population, SO that in future but
little additional resources to the State
would be derived from increased values
of lands and other property; whereas,
in the large undeveloped Southern por-
tion of the State, these inequalities
would, by the rapid rise and growth
of the country, be rendered much
greater, and the permanent location of
the Capitol in central locality, be
made still more manifest. Local laws
and local interests may very Justly
claim individual representation efforts
in behalf of ones immediate cOnstitu-
entS;-but upon matters which affect
the people of the whole State, the rela-
ton which exists between representa-
tion and constituent should always
give way, and merge itself in a well di-
rected effort to advance the interests
and promote the welfare of the whole.
The location of the capital in some
undeveloped portion ofthe State would
determine the building of good roads to
and from it in all directions. 1t would
open up all the surrounding country
and infuse new life into all indus
trial pursuits-it would increase popu-
lation-enhance the value of lands and
by augmented and newly developed
subjects of taxation fill up the public
treasury. And if this be true, may it
not well be said that practical states
manship and sound political economy
require the adoption OF central selec-
ton.
1t has been thought by some, that
the capital would be located without
first sending out commissioners. Such
a proposition ought not to be enter
tained for n moment. The Legis-
lature should have some fixed
data and some special organ
by which to found its action. Com
missioners should be sent out to look
at the country and examine suitable
lOcalities-to ascertain the price of
lands, material for building, and the
approaches to and from it by roads,
now made, and such others as the spirit
OF Improvement and the speedy devel-
ODmpnt of the cOuntrv thTOuOh an an