Nebraska advertiser., 1869-10-28
Resolutions Adopted by the
Capital Convention.

Resolutions Adopted by the
Capital Convention.
WHEREAS, The present site of the
| National Capital was selected as the
most central point, when the people of
this Republic. only a few millions in
numbers, inhabited only a narrow
strip of country along the Atlantic
coast and, e5n5a so aalt .
WHEREAS, The population. of this
republic has increased thirteen fold
since then, and spread over vast
continent, of which the States in eX-
istence, when the seat of Government
was located, form only the Eastern
edge; and. s1 5.g.go ,I3L
WHEREAS, The present locations
the NotiOnak Capital, is nOtOriOusly ~
convenient in timesOf peace, as the
darkest pages of our national history
demonstrate, in times OfWar, or do
mestic turbulence is so dangerously
eXpOsediNs to require great ornaments
and untold millions OflhOney for its
special defense; and, rpd-
WHEREAS, All the reasons which
hcaused the location of the seat of the
government wherei it new is, have, by
the enormous deyelOpement OF the
country, and corresponding change
in the wants Of the people, become
utterly absolute; therefore,
ReSOIUed, Thatiti is absurdt to suppose
that the handful of inhabitantsin 1879
just emerging from colonial vassalage
before steamboats,, railways, telegraph
OF power presses were ever dreamed of
or a mile of turnpike or canal con-
struction, possessed the authority, or
desired to exercise the power of fixing
the site of the Capital forever, ON the
banks of the Potomac, against the
will and interests of Hundreds to come
after them. .n
ReSOtUed, That the people have en-
dured the IMPLICATED Capitalize for three
quarters of q century, patiently wait
ing for the Western Territory of the
Union to be peOpled and organized
into States, aud until the center of
population, areaand wealth could be
determined, when a permanent place
of residence for the Government could
be selected. That time has now come.
All section issues are settled a new
era has been entered upon and a new
departure taken.
ResOIued, That in the language of
James Madison, j the Congress ofl789
ian equal atttentiont0 therights ofthe
community, " is the basis of republics.
If we considerthe rights of legislative
power ON the aggregate community,
we must feel equal to look
to thercenter i'm order to find the prop
er seat of Government. This equal.
attention has not been and cannot be
given to the interests and rights of the
people so long as the Capital is located
in an incOuVenient section Ofthe I'm
ion. 'gf fi t.i4I
ReSOIeed, That the vast and fertile
region known as the Mississippi Val
ley, must for all time be the seat of
the empire of this continent and exert
the controlling influence in the nation
because it is homo genius in its inter
ests and too powerful even to permit
the outlying States to sever their con-
nectiOn will the Union. This vast
plain will always bethe food and fibre
producing portion Of the continent
and the great smarket for fac fabrics
and tropical productions of other sec
tions of the republic. This immense
basin must have numerous outlets and
channels of cheap AMI swift eOmmu-
nicatiOn by water and rail, with the
seabOard, for the egresS. of its products
and the ingress of its exchanges.
Therefore whatever the Government
may pursue that tends to multiply,
or enlarge those arteries of commerce,
must result in common advantage to
the whole Union-to the seaboard
States equally with those of the CEN
ter.
RcsOlued, That the natural conven-
lent and inevitable place for the CAPT.
tai of tho republic is In the heart of
this valley, where the center of pOpu-
lation, wealth and power is irressista-
bly, gravitating; where the govern
ment, surrounded by numerous mill
ions o brave and UniOn-loving citizens
would be forever safe from foreign foes
or sectional seditiOns, and where it
need neither ornaments nor standing
armies for its protection.
Resolved, That while advocating
the removal of the seat ofgovernment
to the Mississippi Valley, we do not
mean to serve the interests ofany par
ticular locality, but that we urge Con-
greSs to appOint,a commission for the
purpose of selecting convenient site
for the national Capital in this great
Valley of the Mississippi, pledging
ourselves to be satisfied with, and abide |
by the decision to be arrived at by the
national legislature.
ResOLUed, That in urging the re-
movalrof the National Capital from its
present inconvenient out-of-the-way
and exposed 10 cation in the far East,
we are i'll earnest and that our efforts
shall not be ceased until that end is
accomplished, firmly believing that
the absolute necessity for the removal
Will become NOR eapparant every day
and the majority of the American
people will not long permit their in
terests and convenience to be disre-
garded.
ResOlged, That the removal of the
national Capital being only a question
Oftime, we emphatically oppose and
condemn all expenditures of money
for enlargement of government build
ings, and the erection of new ones at
the present seat of the national Gov
eminent, as q useless and wantOn
waste of the property of the people.
In speaking of the result of the
Ohio, Iowaa and Pennsylvania election
this fall, Wendle Phillip says:
The real issue is, and has been,
therefore, the negro. The XVIII
is a simple proposition,
but really means fair play for black
and at the South. 1t means ld1U,
peace, industry, social regeneration,
schools, capital active and abundant
because pTOtected-all the elements
which make up the civilization of our
century. Those who support it re-
gard itasth stepping stone to all these.
They are pledged to continue the
lghU till all these are secured at the
south. ut is harvesting the results of
he war. Il is taking bond of the fu-
,ure that it shall give us peace. union, +.