The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-20


sion Of particular States and the acceptance Of /
Congress, become the seat Of the Government of |
the United States; and to exercise like authority
over places purchased, by the consent Of the |
Legislatures Of the States In which the same
shall be, for the erection Of forts. magazines.
arsenals, dock yards, and other needful build. |
ings." The recognition of the authority of the
States over their own territory in this passage
is very complete; but the expedienoy OF the
Federal Government having full control over
the place where IL is located Is recognized with
equal olearness. The transfer of the Fadsral
capital from washington to New York would
immediately raise the question vhether Con.
gress should exclude State authority and
Danish all State Jurisdiction from Manhattan
Island; would the Legislature of New York
cede the oity to Congress In order that Il
might be made the national capitalP Would
Congress transfer the seat of government
without such oession? Before oeptraliza-
tion had made such gigantic strides az Il has
of late, removal would not have been con-
sented to without cession of the city; but in
the present temper OF Congress, it would pro-
badly be regarded as a matter OF indifferenoe
sinoe,that body would not scruple TO assume
all the authority which could be rightfully
acquired by the voluntary consent of the
Legislature. If the Federal Government were
once here, II would not ask leave of the State
to exercise exclusive jurisdiction. It would
rely on the intrinsic propriety of the autho.
rity, and treat State remonstrances with oon
tempt. The argument of the Federalist for
the necessity of suoh authority could easily
be pressed into the service of the cousolids-
tionists. We insert the comments of the
Fed,rGlist on the passage of the Constitution
which we have copied
''The Indispensable necessity of complete autho-
rty at the seat OF government carries its own evil
dence with it. 1t is power exercised by every
legislature in the Union-I might say Of the world
by virtue Of its general supremacy Without IT, not
only the public authority might be insulted and its
proceedings interrupted with impunity; but a de-
pendence OF s the members OF the General Govern
ment for protection in the exercise of their duty
might bring on the national councils an imputation
of awe or influence equally dishonorable to the Gov
ernment and Unsatisfactory to other members
of the cOnfederacy. This consideration has
the more weight, as the gradual accumulation OF
public improvements at the stationary residence of
the Government would both be too great pledge to
be left in the hands Of a single State, and would
create so many obstacles to removal of tae GOV
ernment, still further to abrdge its independence
The necessity of a like authority over
forts, magazines, ETC., established by the General
Government, is not less evident. The public money
expended on such places, and the public property
empt from the authority Of the particular State Nor
would it be proper for the places on which the
curity of the entire Union may depend to be in any
degree dependent on particular member of it."
Certain it is, that if the national capital
is ever transferred to New York, Congress
will claim, and will exercise, full authority
and jurisdiction over the city. The practical
result will be the same whether the Legisla-
ture cedes the city or not; and it is not easy to
overrate the effect of such transfer in hasten
ing the consolidation of all political authority
| In the Federal Government. II would over
shadow the most important of the States-the
| one most capable of maintaining its separate
autbority-in the chief seat of its influence.
1t would associate the Federal Government,
in the popular imagination, with that mighty
commerce which, having its centre here,
| spreads its ramifcations through every part OF
the Union. It would convert the vast influence
which this city is destined to exert upon the
country by it's wealth, its intelligence, its
civilization, its commerce, its social pre-emi-
nence, and its public journals, into a strong
ally and supporter of the political authority. At
| present the centre of intelligence civilization,
and social influence being different from the
centre of politics, the Government acquires no
dangerous hold upon mems imaginations; it is
| credited with no other influence than that
which it actually exerts; nothing radiates from
| Washington but mere naked authority, with
out that grace of attire and surroundings, and
that despotism over dszzled imaginations,
which it would have if Washington were the
chief seat of the national culture and the
great focus of refinement, splendor, and social
display. The fact that our national capital
has been a small provincial town has saved
the country from many illusions. We have
been under no temptation to attribute the
enormous growth of the Federal authority to
anything but the sordid motives and vulgar
ambition by which it has been produced.
Seeing how powerful and how dangerous the
consolidating tendencies already are, no sim
cere friend of liberty can wish to see them
reinforced by such an alliance with the COM
merce, wealth, and cultivation of the country
as would result from transfer OF the seat OF
government to New York.
Up to within recent period, we have had
nothing in this country corresponding, in any
respect, to the great capitals of Europe. The
intellectual and social cultivation of the coun-
try, like its political authority, has been
widely distributed; its numerous cities having
no marked social pre-eminence or inferiority
as compared with one another, any more than
the several States have had in respect to po-
litical authority. This wide distribution OF
culture and authority is one OF the favoriDg
circumstances which have contributed to the
strength and the rapid development of the
country. Whatever there has been of good in
the character of our people-self-reliance en-
terprise, love Of liberty, intellectual cultiva
tion, social refinement-has been equally active
in every locality, as there was no temptation
powerful enough to drain it away into cen
trail vortex. Oar country has, therefore, beer
like Milton's angels, who,
... ''Vital in every part,
Cannot but by annihlatlng de-
| When the British took our national capita
in our last war with that country, its capture
: was of little more consequence than woulG
3 have been the capture of any other city of the
same size. There has never been a time
until since New York has grown 30 large
when the loss of any particular city to {
foreign enemy or a domestic rebellion WoulC