The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-27
REMOVAL OF THE CAPITAL.

moro Wow d CofrespOudemts- EN.
sracts frss. nevapnpsrs, Il
We give plaes hsiow TO further CORE
spondeuee lu relstioul 70 the rcmovalof The
capital Anhavs right to b heafd, and
a. indepcnasnt JOURNALISTS, we agree that
they shall be. u
| WASHING ON, n. O Aug, A. $50
EDITOR REPUBLICAN; That portion OF the
Constitution Of the United States which dc.
clarcs that Congress shall "exercisc cxcu-
sive Jurisdiction, &C., over such district (not
exceeding ten miles sQuare) as may, by ces-
sion Of particular States and the acceptance
OF Congress, become the scat OF Government
| OF the United States" seems 10 be the nail
upon which the future dcstinies of Wash.
ington hang, at least iu the estimation Of
some. ru.' I"ut
cannot agrce with Mr.. Sargent In be.
lieviug that the removal Of the national cap
ital cannot be accomplished ut all, nor can I
coincide with Mr. Buckley In the opinion
that to change the seat Of Government from
this city will require an amendment to the
! Consultation.
To my mind that portion Of the Constitu.
tion referred TO above simply provides that
rhsrsrer & capital shall BE- located, there Con-
gress hdU hare crel,tsire Jarisdieiion oger a
district Of an erteH mol 10 creed ten miles
square, rhieh shall hare been ceisd by pdrtieu-
lar Statts aud accepted by Congress for tie seat
| Of Government.
Farther than this the Constitution does
| not 70, There Ia nothing contained therein
making the seat of Government 40 selected
| permanent, there Ia nothing 10 show tbat /,
was intended TO be made so.
The proper place for the location of the
capital 1t was LEFT within the discretion Of
| Congress to decide. II Congress had power
| to decide in tho bepinning il mns, bare
norcr In change thai Jccisio, whan .nah a
| ronrse becomcs desirobIc
That bosv entered into n co,trac, With
tho States ~ Na,v,ona and yt,n,nia -.
The nrovis,ons ~ wh,c,, rh,, -, LII, ,h.
DIs,rict Of Coiumhia w,. s.ana NV ~ Wv, ,he
| Ifn,,ad s,.,.s ~, ,h,sa We q, vou s"e
yalnss,s rons,Ssroiion IN rs,urn " M snoh
cession ,be Goxcrnn,nn, Iooatsd ,ha 10 =. s ni,ai
At ,bis n,acs Wv N"'""'
To effsc, ,,ls .oro,,i .o,. ,,,o hoo,
n..sod he rnnara". IL ,sh,o,, ~ 80,
Wnerm,nc,, scst ar f,nve,n,nar,S COON
avina rasoronco a.noosaus a., mi. n,.,.,a,'
| -, ri. ~ Ss.. ,. w s' 49,
,,a, ba.. su,o ~ s =. aap, W asue
, IN ~ oa'neo,Io P,,n.ass app. .as
| oan nossiII, ran,s,,a ~ ~ nt,oI y -, 49,
w. bino,n, '"' '"P'A' """' "o1'
"Tha ssI,o .,,,., r. ,,.
an r,anIras, ~, i, hsi,,. u y, a,.e.'.S
n an la. qua. haIuiy n1cus at'cnt'on.
VIII yust say, hoHevei, tnat l nave always
tne rnrd :. ,r ~ ;n No. w o,, VI
wv, "e III " ~ y, a,.ot-
NY, VI "oIu VI anu'osoue meaning III
written contract, would not prevent the one
oeing revoked py the givef or tine DINER De-
ing cancelled upon settlement oil whatever
damages might accrue to interested parties
by reason oil It's termination before the time
specified therein. In other words, have
been taught 10 believe That " tue creature Is
not superior TO the creator.
To reduce the question OF the title OF the
government 10 the District OF Coiumbla
down 10 point-plalnly stated, II Is THIS:
AS long as congress pernts the capital 10
remain mere, SO long the title rests In the
1oyernment, and the Jurisdiction, asa mat
Ter OF course, IS conpie,ei ott when Con-
gross, one OF the original contracting par
Ties, secs III TO cancel the obligation by re-
moving the capital, then, rs In cases between
man and man, damages may be assessed,
ana inc party iaillng 70 comply with, or who
breaks the contract, must pay them.
II The eession by the States OF Maryland
aud virginia wac made conditional upon
the capital being located here, then, In that
, case, the territory would revert back to the
States, respectively, upon removal Of the
seat OF government TO some other place;
otherwise II would remain as II Is now under
ths control OF Congress, as the property OF
tue Quilted States.
", Mr.. Buckley Bays in substance, the
Constltut'ot made this the permanent seat
OF government upon Its being accepted by
Songress, What Was the necessity Of such a
conspicuous use OF TIE word "permanent"
~ the acts oil Congress relating hereto and
tue trainers OF the constitution did intend
! tnat thls should DC inc permsoent scat of
! governmen,, or rainier, thnt the hrst sclec
uoh and acceptance by Congress should be,
' why ald they not, as with reference to the
, snlaiy OF Tue PRESIDENT Tor Instance, expi.
) GUY declare IL should not be changed, etc
I the Interpretation OF the Constitution so
, much as upon the power OF one Congress to
pass an act SO worded that II cannot be ma
terlally altered or repealed by subsequent
, congress No one, think, will attempt to
, DENY the right OF congress to review, revise,
or annul any OF Its acts when the interests of
, the country demand such n course, for the
same section OF inc constitution that gives
exclusive Jurisdiction, &C., also gives to
congress general power to provide for the
general welfare OF the lnited states"
IN conclusion, believe that If tho States
OF Missouri and Illinois, for Instance, were
10 cede 10 the onited states district OF pro-
per extent, Congress would have the power
and legal right to accept the same for the
seat OF Government OF the United States, by
such acceptance caneelling the contract now
existing as herein already stated, and, upon
such ceeslon ana acceptance, by virtue Of
the clause OF the Constitution quoted IN the
beginning, would Immediately assume ex-
elusive jurisdiction MS therein required. But
although peiieVe IL may be done, and with
out amendment 10 the Constitution, yet do
not think II would be advisable, on account
OF ,ne enormous expense IN the lrst place,
au,,hto', liz p. ses""se tnls Is the
no"hn'eIt wy N','hos', ~ NOT 1uite,) upon
the continent, ana no place can be found
possessing so many advantages, save that of
| I1a. a. ls-n, al.
IA u. r,i,,. "A. x,,I,,,, ,...,,,-
40 ,N hanor % &c ndhonH RsPhbfedh:
DEAR SIR; whilst some OF our lellow-citi-
zens with varied ability and earnestpcss are
discussing the ourstIon of sstbe re,noyai or
~ 49, ~ !, 1880. u w 'o'ho'ai oi
,no eap.a,, may not NC uu,hteresting TO
know what the more sedate and dlscriminat-
ing among the Western people think of that
wild and unreasonable measure. The intel.
Iigent corrasnon5on, 81 ~ D.'.I,, ~ .n'eI
iISI q, ~ @ ~. Vi .'.o trespvsrmn, re-
siu'hs atSnirago, ~ letter 10 that lnnuen-
tial and wldely.eXtended Journal, allules to
| that subiact In Tho fnllo In ~ n mn rnnri,,o a -,