The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-02-01
The CnpitaI QuesIisu

DR.. A. +. BARNES, of Clarksburg, has
written al address TO the members OF
the Legislature concerning the location
Of the Capital. We publish, by request,
the main portions Of his argument.
Dr.. BARNES says:
There are three things necessary, aad
bu: three, 20 be considered IN tue ioc1-
ting of the State CspiJal,-they are
geographical ceUtva.Ity: amount and
point of population, and easy access,
bilI-v:-tL-se things must uecessar. ',
in common justice and equity - a.,
govern the selection. Now, We have,
- candidates. 10 receive aud oest0N
tavors 10 this CONNECTION. PICheCsouCg,
Clark,bu-s. BGckhaun)n, BeaIngton.
Charleston. and, perhaps, Grafton aud
Fat-u0r-. I am the humble advocate
of ClarksJurg. and IN sustaining her
claims. DO not wish gC intend 20 dis
pArage the claims set up ~ any other
point, or treat such claims uuk.ld.E-
bat 20 se- forth IN frank, manly aud
tru;htu. manner, why II :, 10 my opIa-
ION. that C.arksbuTg must and Wi. be
cuss.ug this question, We should take a
broad, comprehensive, generous view
Of the subject, aud entirely discard al.
narrow. selfish views of the question
before u.
Now. as to geographical position let
u laok, for example, (Which should 10
some extent govern Us 10 the location
Of the capitals ID many other States
Beginning at Maine, and glanClng over
the map. you find twenty-seven States
with capitals less central than Ciarks-
burg would be 10 this State, ana many,
10 order 20 accommodate their popU,a-
ton, lar indeed from 4 geographical
centre.
A. the onset, in naming the three
p75pOs. .tgous 70 be considered and acted
upon, l placed geographical position
ngst, when, in truth and IN fact, it
should merit aud receive the very least
consideration of the three. Population
d anu access. .bi,.ty are OF paramount and
ta7 greater interest 10 the people. And
'ooA io7 a nsment 20 see where the pop
u.Auon : II this State, and where they
i've. IL boxing over the ceUsus of
l-Cv. ,a.t taS census of TO-DAY, would
, undoaoted.! show still larger margin
, north we md tweuty-oue counties
containing al Aggregate population OF
2UO, +S9, on ana EoTth Of the B. & O. p
Z. and y. ". Va. 4. K. aad I'D. .l--l 40.
gregate population IL g.. the corntie.
south of the above railroads. The tb,-s
and last subject We have u consider
and by the by, one OF great lmportauc-
and vital interest, : sCCess, ba.ty. l.
locating your Capital. yOu must place
il where is can he gotten To, AMI ss easy
Of access IS possible 70 all. The Bl,-..
more aud Ohio and Northwestern VIZ
GINA railroads pass through the entire
State from the extreme east 10 ParAe7s
burg on the Odio river IN the west an
the city Of Wheeling in the northwest
Upon the North bvesteru line and wltA!I
thirty minutes ride Of the junction o
the Wheeling stem. is located the toTI
Of C.arksburg. easy Of access By rail- alI
water TO the representatives of the be
fore mentioned 10000 people living or
the north of said roads, besides being
easy of access TO those counties below
Wood on the Ohio river, aGd mp the
hauawha TO its highest navIgab.s
point, representing Q still further pop.
ulation of perhaps 81, 900 or 10000 more
And. again, we have some SIX or seveu
counties lying south of the railroad:
and within one days ride on horseback
either Of Clarksburg or the railroads