The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-21
The Removal of the Capital.

That the Federal capltal VIII po 10
moved from its present locality is one O
the certain future acts Of this nation
The late vote on the proposition to trans
late it to some place in the Mississippi
Valley ought to satisfy any man of this
That vote was strictly sectional, and stooc
II to 81 in the lower House of Congress
majority of 20 only against the change
and that, too, upon the first occasion o.
tho serious agitation of the question. we
have but to note that the vote was sectional
and to remember that the controlling
power Of numbers in this country is last
settling in the great West, to convince US
that the days of Washington as the Fede-
raj capital are numbered.
We have not regret at this phase OF
the question. Let the capital go. There
are very powerful reasons in behalf Of its
removal to the Mississippi Valley; and
now that railroads make oil places accessi,
BILE, none against it except the loss of mo-
ney which has been expended on the build
ings at Washington. That objection Will
not weigh feather with the people of the
West, who have the decision OF the ques-
ton, and amongst aohom the money to ou@d
q ne,o capitol aoM be discussed!
There are many reasons why the people
of Virginia should desire to send away the
capital from their northern border. Its
corrupt Influences and it's expressions ex-
cite not only our prejudices but our rea-
sonable aversion to its remaining where it
is, and our ardent desire that it shall be
conveyed to more central locality-yes,
more central, by all that's just and sacred.
We desire to see it particularly beyond
the immediate supervision of the great
Atlantic cities and the heartless New Eng
land tricksters, who, through the States
riqhts feature Of our Government, have
control of the Senate, and thus give tone
to tho policy of the nation. Establish the
capital on the shores of the Mississippi,
and the great moral and political power of
that Valley, with its constantly increasing
strength and boldness, will end the At
lantic tyranny, from which the whole coun-
try now suffers nigh unto death.
The great West will be generous. 1t
will have the vigor and magnanimity of
youth. 1t will not be driven to tricks and
fraud to maintain supremacy which can
only be supported in that way. The
western people will not find it neces-
sary to destroy the Constitution and laws
that they may perpetuate their power !;
nor will they be driven to seek alliances
with savages and negroes to get the advan-
tage of their white fellow-citizens of other
sections, even were they so debased as to
resort to such monstrous expedient The
power of the West will be open, frank,
conscious, and genial-fearing nobody and
threatening Notwithstanding that their
rights cannot be taken away, and not
being disposed to take away other peo-
ple's.
Under these circumstances, We con-
slider that the change Of the seat of 60
vernment to the West would be the best
possible step in any effort to bring the
Government back to its truly republican
character. The old, besotted, greedy
corrupt, and inhuman leaders Of the East
would, in the halls Of the Mississippi, be
tanned down, and shorn of their power to
arrogate authority and hector over down
tredden sections, and might become wiser
if not better men. The measure would
be gloriously beneficial to the whole nation,
and it is gratifying to feel that it must
succeed. 1t would be releasing the fair
captive-the genius of Liberty--from the
cave of the monsters, to the general joy Of
all men! TGs