The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-11-06
The Capital Convention,

| 1ne clpitIi convention.
The National Capital Convention, recently
in session at st. Louis, unanimously adopted
the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, The present site of the National
Capital was selected the most central point
| when the people of this Republic only few
| millions in number, inhabited only narrow
strip OF country along the Atlantic coast and
WHEREAS The population of this country
has increased thirteen fold since then and spread
over vast contincnt of which the States in ex.
is'ence when the seat of government was located
form only the eastern edge and
WHEREAS The present location of the Ma
tional Capital is VIGOROUSLY inconvenienr In
times of peace, and az the darkest staues OF our
| national history demonstrate in time OF or
| domestic turbulence is dangerously exposed,
as to require vast ornaments and untold millions
of money for its special defence; and
| WHEREAS, The reasons which caused the To-
cation of the seat of government where it now
| is, have, by the enormous development OF ths
country and the corresponding change in the
wants Of the people, become utterly obsolete !;
therefore,
Iteso,red, That it is absurd TO suppose that tho
handful of inhabitants in 1883 jsst emerging
from colonial vassalage, before steamboats,, rail.
ways, telegraphs or power presses were dreamed
possessed the authority or desired TO exercise
the power of fixing the site of the Capital for
| ever on the banks of the Potomac against the
will and interests of the hundreds of millions
who might come after them.
| Res0lged That the people have endured the
present ill-ocated Capital for three-quarters of
century, patiently waiting for the vast territory
ofthe Union to be peopled and organized into
States, and until the center of population, area
L
nent place of residence for the government could
| be selected. That time has come. All sectional
| issues are settled; a new era has been entered
upon and new departure taken.
| Res0lye9, That in the language of James Mad
| ison, in the Congress of 1882 an equal atten.
ton to the rights of the community is the basis
of republics" II we consider the effects of leg
islative power on the aggregate community, we
must feel equal inducements to look 20 the CEN
ter in order to find the proper seat Of govern
ment 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 in.
convenient section of the Union.
Res0lced, That the vast and fertile region
known the Mississippi Valley must for all
time be the seat of empire of this continent and
exert tho controlling influence in the nation, be-
cause it is homogeneous in it's interests and too
powerful ever to permit the outlying States TO
sever their connection with the Union This
vast plain will always be the surplus-food-pro-
| ducing portion Of the continent, and the great
market Tor the fine fabrics and tropical produce
tons of othei sections of the Republic. This
| immense basin must have numerous outlets and
channels of cheap and swift communications, by
water and rail with the seaboard for the egress
Of its products and ingress of its exchanges
Therefore, whatever policy tho government may
pursue that tends to multiply, improve or en-.
large those arteries of commerce, must result in
| tho common advantage to the whole Union, to
the seaboard States equally with those of the
center
ReS0iced, That the natural, convenient and in.
evitabe place for the Capital of the Republic j,
in ths heart of this valley, where the center OF
population, wealth and power is irresstibly
grayitating; where the government, surrounded
by numerous millions of brave and Union-loving
citizens, would be forever safe against foreign
J foes or sectional seditions, and where it would
need neither ornaments nor standing armies fol
its protection.
Its0lced That while advocating the remova
Of the seat of government to the Mississippi
Valley we do not mean to serve the interests y
I any particular locality but that we urge Con
gress to appoint commission for the purpose o
selecting a convenient site for the National Cap
ital in the great Valley OF the Mississippi
hesolred, That in urging the removal of TIL
.. National Capital from its present inconvenent
! out.of. the.way, and exposed locality on the ex
. treme border Of the Union, we are in earnest
and shall not cease in our efforts until that emf
Q Is accomplished, firmly believing that the abso
Lutte necessity Of the removal will become NOR