The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-18
THE GREAT WEST.

The Removal Of the National Capifnl-Gene.
rai Opinisn Fnvors St. Louis-W ouid Not
This City be n Loser Rather Than
Galner s-iIow Its Becoming the Metropolis
Of the Nation WomId Affect This City-Eic.
ments of Greatness In and About st. Louis
Reflections That Mast Command Attention.
ST. LOUIS, Sept. II, 1859.
question that now profoundly agitates the West
Is the removal OF the national capital to some point
in the Mississippi valley. BY general consent st.
Louis Is looked upon as the most appropriate Sc
lection for the new Washington. Up TO the present
time, however, think this matter has been treated
rather superically both By the people OF this city
and the press generally. orators and public
writers seem not to have been imbued
with the spirit Of manifest destiny, with the
greatness and grandeur that the future has in store
for US as people aud nation. Twenty years from
now ST. Louis will be looked upon as an Eastern
city; indeed, already II has been pronounced by
few journals too far east for Its selection as The
national metropolis, while, as we have said general
consent looks upon the proposition in rather fair
light. To become great, powerful and influential
80. Louis needs not the national centre In It's midst
Looking over the ground calmly 1t is q question II
the removal OF Washington to this point would not
be most serious drawback to Its moral, intellec-
tual social and political progress. st. Louis Ia now
q city OF splendid regulations its public mo-
raity Is equal at least, TO that OF any
other city in tho republic, wniie the
standing and position or private families have
sayory and healthy flavor that makes
private residence and association here highly
coveted The influences and the natural
evils of national capitol at this place
would seriously strike against the barriera that the
best society has built to protect itself against the
encroachments and assumptions Of outside uncon-
genial powers. BY the removal Of Washington here
Tor when you remove the capital you remove oil Its
features-you bring horde OF political thieves and
lobby scoundrels who have no other aim in life than
In making living out OF politics. IL Is
notorious that the city OF washington Is
To-day the worst governed, most immoral and
drtiest metropolis OF the Union. The reputation OF
81. Louis as the national capital would DO exactly
what Washington Is now. This city ia great com.
mercla metropolis 1t Is the centre Of vast interests,
which If left free to develop themselves must give 1t
interests with political intrigues ana political machl
nations ana ST. Louis would be ruined. The nlu-
ences would be such that hundreds OF her best able
men now engaged In mercantile and commercial
pursuits, would turn their attention TO politics. and
while they are now respected and esteemed, thcs
at their price," And we think the influence
woulu DC sun more serious ana damaging
upon the rising generation OF young men. In q
country IKE ours, where deep rclgous convictions
are neither matters Of conviction nor education,
youth are apt to embrace that which tends to the
purely material In life, regardless OF moral Influences
ana moral results, Take then, and remove the seat
OF government nere, with all tho influences nOto-
riouslJ corruptjDg and you would aim q blow at