The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-07-17
Removal of the National Capital.

Inc chicago 1rl6nne, IN series OF very
ably written articles, has commenced agita-
ting in favor of removing the national capital
from Washington to St. Louis. Its arguments
in favor of such step are numerous and forci-
Bile, based ON the indefensible position of the
present capital its isolation, the unstable and
shifting character of its population and the
resulting decentralization, and 50 on. One Of
its arguments against Washington, land o
strong one it is, unquestionably,) we are al
most surprised to see in the Tribune. 1t is
given in these words:
The country at large contains about 35,00O.
600 of whites to 100000 OF blacks, or not more
than one black to seven whites. Washington
contains about five blacks to four whites, and
the ratio is increasing. The presence Of 90 large
preponderance Of blacks would Be demoralis.
ing, and would tend to prejudice the future leg.
islation OF Congress against the blacks them
selves. .tta
By way of illustration OF the importance
of this argument, we append an extract or
two from very able Washington letter pub
lished in radical paper Of Cincinnati, giving
some account of this negro population, that
is now in the majority and controls the local
politics Of the national capital
They live in that part Of the city known ~
"The Island" which is formed by the Potomsc
on the one side, and canal, which traverses the
town lengthwise Of and about hundred yards
back from Pennsylvania Avenue, en- the aor,h
The canal-which, originally intended for pur-
poses of navigation, has declined into An cfial.
ditch and drain receptacle for all that part Of
the district it bisects-marks, ~ distinctly
"As the boua .ary line
Between Coils patience aud his WRATH
The confines separating the clean from the un.
clean, the safe from the dangerous portions of
the capital.
These people here at least have no idea Of
social morality Every black woman OF 1.-The
Island" with only such exceptions as age and
sickness make, prostitutes herself gratuitously
to every solicitor for mere love of lust. Ehe men
are only less bad because the black women desert
them in favor of their white paramours, Of whom
there are plenty. These negroes, irrespective of
sex, herd as animals. Marriage il not even
name among them. "Wife" means q 'woman
sar, dat took up wild, down in Werg;uuy wen
de army moved Oft" The children all know
their mothers, but no child has yet been found
On "The Island" proverbially wise, enough to
know its own father. Az a whole. these negroes
are mass OF thieves, murderers and bawds, the
lowest of the low and the vilest Of the vile they
only need years residence to nullify with
the ballots the votes Of w. NJ. Corcoran, Mont.
gomery Blair, Caleb Gushing, or any other
citizen"
The dream of the founders OF the republic
was that, by the selection of rural site, they
would subject our Legislators to the purifying
influences of rural population. Instead,
Washington presents disgusting picture
like the above, and in addition, is notorious
ly nothing but a rich placer, as the Tribune
expresses it, "for gamblers, prostitutes, thieves,
and brokers in the moral virtues of every kind"
There is evidently no cure for it but the re-
moval of the capital. We cordially wish the
Tribune God.speed in its agitation.