The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-24
tFor the Republican,
Removal Of tho Capleal.

Mr.. EpiroRi Tho venerable "Commis-
sioncr Of Customs" comes out In a late issue
OF your journalin coustit utional Argument
against The removal Of the eapitn from Ne
prcsent location, In which he laborp ia prove
that the Constitution forbids my such sacri.
legious attempt. Now, cir, no one doubls the |
sincerity and patriotism which Influences the |
worthy commissioner in taking up the cudgel |
against the aspiring aud speculative real |
estate agents Of the great West who have |
taken OIL their coats, rolled up their sleeves, |
and waded Into this grand and magnificent |
scheme OF removing the great head centre Of |
yankcedom to the fertile valley Of the West, |
While this is generally acknowledged by
every one acquainted with the venerable
Commlsslonor, the progressive and restless
yankee Is not fully prepared to take It for
granted that he has taken the right "bull by
the horns" The Commissioner must re-
member that In these "fast times" constitu-
tional scruplcs must be laid aside, now that
the important question has been sprung
upon the yankee nation as 70 whether the
interest OF tho "corner lot' speculators of
our western cities IL not OF greater import.
anee than sticking to the old fogy Constl-
tuition.
When VIC behold that glorious American
eagle OF ours with Its wings stretched from
pole 70 pole, covering over the Chinaman,
tho EsquimauS, the Ethiopian, and tho eau.
casian, and then look upon the Capitol over
which our eagle flaps his wings, located In
this isolated spot, with the Shrinking Tiborr
and "Murder Bay" In full view Of the God.
dcss Of Liberty as she proudly balances her
Joyelike form upon the dome OF the Capitol,
we believe, constitution or no constitution,
II Is time that the building should be removed,
so that our colored brethren Of China and
Africa, as well as our candle-eating neigh.
bors OF Russia aud the fishermen OF Green
land, may DO In closer proximity with tho
Capitol. Docs the Commissioner imagine
that Young America" can be gullcd By such
| washlngtonian fogyism and twadde about
the Constitution, when there Is such mag
nihcent chance In tho prospective for making
q big haul out Of "Uncle Sans" treasury iu
the way OF contracts for removing the Capt.
toll and other public buidlngsi Then again
our Representatives and Senators who favor
this change Of location must be taken into
consideration.
The honorable commissioner must bear In
mind that II by his constitutional argument
he kills this progressive idea OF "Young
America" by the Far West, these distin-
guished gentlemen will lose the heavy fees
they expect to realize or compcnsations for
their bunkttn speeches and votes. To in
dict such calamity upon these self-sacri-
Gclng Representatives OF the people would be
| tIuiy uistItsslup 10 tntT ueuCAtc feelings.
| Apart from the constitutional objection, ii Is
alleged that General George Washington
located the capital where II now Is, and con-
secrated 1t to his name; hence to remove II
would be an insult to patriotism. This kind
OF talk Is all well enough for Fourth of
July sprcad-cagle speech, but It will not do
In these fast days. The cry OF patriotism
will do for your political stump orators,
Treasury clerks, Postmastcrs, DC. To US
I q n N 10 1f
| this proposed change, patriotism aln't con-
| sldered, neither Is II Of any consequence
| whether old George Washington or Christie
pher Columbus located the capital at Wash
| ington.
Another old fcgy patriot screams out, ''the
immortal remains Of the Father of American
Independence Is entombed within sight of
the Capitol, and his spirit would never rest
easy when 1t was removed" These old
woman notions might have weight with
Americans, but that stock has played out;
Europeans, Asiatlcs and Africans rule the
roost upon which the time-honored old
American cock used to perch. The boastful
young America" OF the West Is an ANAL
gamatlon Of these races. 1t cares not a
hddler's curse for the historical associations
which surround the Capitol, and not even as
much as a continental red cent for ancient
patriotism or the bones Of dead heroes, when
the sale and price Of "corner lots" arc at
stake. The great question Is not whether
the capital shall be removed, but when and
where. Isuggest the following named places
for the confederation OF the public.
"Long Branch" Is a desirable location.
There our public functionaries might enjoy
the sea air and salt water bathing without
neglcetlng their official duties, as they now
do. "Blackwel's Island" is convenient to
an excellent institution, where defrauding
officials and swindling shoddytes could
De taken care OF at moderate cost to
the Government. "salt Lake City" is in a
very healthy latitude. Our "pub. fumes. -
could there sport plurality OF wives, and
then pass OIL as "virtuous old buffers" The
stronghold Of Chinese plg.tails, San Fran.
cisco, is worthy Of consideration. II these
points are too near the present site, "Muddy-
um-Slushy," on the south coast of Africa,
would afford an admirable location. There
young America" could purchase "corner
lots" cheap and colored voters at reduced
prices. AJAx.
Communicated.
Inc writer OF this has read all that he has
seen regarding the removal OF the capital to
some Western State. lie agroos fully with
those who take the ground that removal
would be unconstitutional and cannot be ef-
fected without an amendment to the Consti-
tuition. But he has formed his own conclu-
enced the tremendous Missouri hullabaloo
| now being made on the subject.
| Those reasons arc not that st. Louis wants
| the capital, or that she wants any other
Western State to have 1t, or that any other
Western State wants Missouri to have 1t.
oh, no. This is not the game. But the game
10 secession, and nothing else. Mark my
words, and believe that / speak from. knopI.
edge OF what say. How much soever the
rebels may exclaim, ave accept the posi-
tion;" 1--WE are ready to fall back quietly
Into the Unon;" awe will be good Union
men In the future,'' rely upon II that at the
fret opportunity to belle these promises
they will be bcied. Secession still lives, and
Is as rampant in many Southern bosoms as
u ever was. And 1t will not only seize the
urst opportunity that offers on which to hang
the banner Of secession, but 1t will seek with
all possible eagerness to stir up questions
which may lead to sectional bad feeling,
and eventually again shake the Union to It's
very centre,
This removal of the capital Is one of those
very questions, and ii is now mooted with nc
other view than to create feeling between
the North and the South which shall re-
open the old question OF secession.
"The snake Is scotched, not killed." and
these dlsunionists knowing very well that II
they can get the country well aroused upon
such question as the removal of the capi.
tai, II must create dlssenslon which shall
stir up all the bitterest feelings between the
East and West and become tremendous
wedge with which to split the Union.
The prime movers in this matter are seces
sionists-quasi rebels. They know yer,
, well that the action of Congress, a few year.
; before secession took the bold and decided
ground of disunion, retrocedng the count,
of Alexandria to Virginia and thus m.consti
taioHdIIy reducing the ten miles square to III
present Trohlfnly accepted limits, was q
very scientific rebel move OIL the political
chess board, by which 1t was hoped that q
checkmate TO the Union might be eventually
accomplished; and II Grant had not been
called In at the last moment to redeem the
game, II Is not improbable success would
have followed that very astutc move.
The game Is again taken up at that point,
and now the entire ten miles square instead OF
one bali OF 1t Is the stake, Let all In favor
of the preservation Of the Union of these
States look at this project In this light and
frown II down at once, as they should do II
they really believe In the perpetuity of this
great nation.
| CONFERENCE WITH THE ISDIASs.-Mr