The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-01-09
Reconssrucffng the Capital.

aIr. John \. Logan, who miSrepresents
Illinois 'at large in congress, recently
proposed a resolution (which went to the
committee on ways and means) to appoint
4 committee '-to inquire into the expedi-
ency OF relocating the clpital of the United
States"
There is no originality in Mr.. john \.
I.pgan's proposition Il has been advan-
ced twenty times before but never enjoy
ed the honor of Il serious consideration.
This is nothing against it. IN the estlm l.
tion of such members rs llr. John y. 10
gan. While Jacrt,iuism is occupied in
rec0nstrUcting the form OF government,
why not also reconstruct the seat Of gov
ernment? 1t would lie most convenient
way Of liing twenty or thirty millions
to The public debt. and would furnish an
cxcu-e for increasing. rather than dmln-
ishing, the puplc taxes. Besides. it
wouid opeu the way for a host Of loyal
contractors and sreculators te become mil
liunares at the expense OF honest labor.
These are convincing recommendations Of
the scheme to the minds Of men who. like
Logan. entered the war poor democrats,
and came out rich JacobiRs.
Nor is it at all strange that Nr. Logan 5
proposition should be favored by such or
eans Of public plander as the Jacobn
newspaper concern at Springfield in this
state, which argues that the national capi.
tai ought to he removed from Washington
because Washjn- ton is an out-of-the-way
place, and place that, were it not for the
capital. would 20 TO grass
This. in fact, is the best reason in the
world why the national capital ought not
to be removed from Washington Th :
evils ard dangers OF having the national
capital situated in metropolitan city. like
New York or Chicago, are seen in France,
and are expressed in the well-kuown PROV
erb TAT Paris Is France" \ revolution
in Paris has a'wrys been Il revolution in
France. When France was mscaled a
republic. il was nation for which law,
were made, not by the deputies OF the ma
ton. but+by the mob Of Paris Paris not
only overturned the monarchy, but ren-
dcred it Impossible For anything but Il
monarchy to exist in is stead. So it
would be Ia Awerica with the capital sit
uatcd where it woui become Il great city.
One of the safeguards Of the republic is
the fact that Washington can never attain
to anything more thaa ''onc-horse town y
II the capital should ever he removed
from Washington. instead Of locatiny 1t
as one Jacobin suggests in New York,
Ohio. or Illinois. the course II WISDOM
wonll be to locate it somewhere in New
l;ngland Any place in New York, Ohio,
or lIiinios, where the capital might be
placed would speedily rise to the danger
ous greatness Of Paris, or New York. or
Chicago, jeopar'l;zing the dcstinies .: the
republic Ia New England the case would
be different. New England is played
ont" Iicr f.ctn,;es are gong 10 decay
her inhabitants are going 40 seed; her
cities are growing to weeds. aui therein
the owl snail build her uestanl the wild
beast shall make his lair" Even the ma
tnnal capital. wlh al It's advantages oi
corruption and raScality, would not rescue
.-ihe hub" from he Oblivion toward which
i, i, fastening So long a. men are sent
tn congress who for their crimes deserve
the penalty of banl>hment the capital
ought to pem1in where it i. Or be sent to
3 )sion. Che :gI T,m:s.