The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-06-02

the Legislature or West Vlrginlal1St
winter by L. A. Martin, Esq, ofsthls,
place. We regard it as strong nrgu::
ment in favor Of tho Capital Of tho
State being located mt this place !;
and hence give it to our readers, and
ask for it careful perusal. .2.5':
Mn. CHAIRMAN: The question Us to where
tho scat Of Government should be located is ono
which has for long time been nsitatlnS tho
minds Of the people Of this State, and - a
question which should bc determined by this
body as soon MS possible. It is the cause Of
much expense, from the fact that much time
is taken up at every session in lcsSlatlnS on
the question. 1t ought to be decided at once.
Governor foreman in his message rccom-
,ncuds that the capital ought to be located,
and the public buildings erected. That point
being settled, then, TINT the work ought to
Gc done, the next question that naturally
arises is, where would it best serve the inter.
csts of the whole State? Inc natural con-
cluSion would seem to be that it should be
in central position, that is, i'll a place where
all the people, rs far us possible, would have
the same advantages in travelling TO and
from the capital Of their State. When /
say central, | do not mean the center Of
population, or the commercial center, because
that may change what might be the
center Of population to-day, might be very
fur from it five or ten years hence.--But, sir,
mean the geographical center OF the State,
where it will 10 OF equal Importance to the
different sections Of our young common
wealth. | do not mean that the Capital
should be stuck down in the center Of the
State, however, without rrgar.l to anything
else. We should have m eye to the facilities
Of the location. 1t should have some means
of accessibility to and from it, either by
water navigation or by railroad. II ought
il possible to be located on some navIsablc
stream, for that will have much to do with
making it place Of wealth, Of note, and oil
interest, at home an,l abroad.
Now, sir, believe can prove to you TINT
Charleston, in the county of kanawl'a, pos
ScSScS advantages over all other places
throughout the State Of West Virginia.
Charleston is located in the desirable part
Of the Great Kanawha valley, being imne.
diatcly on the Great Kanawha river, one Of
the largest and most beautiful rivers in this
or any other State in the Union, on whose
bosom the vast wealth Of the kanawha val
lev is iloa,cd out into the great Ohio anil
even down to the broad Mississippi. 1t Is
one Of our fine navigabIc rivers Steamers arc
plying the year roun'l. On the waters "'
this stream the wealth Of other States may
he ilDatcd into our own on It's bosom.
This is not all; we have the Chesapeake "
Ohio railroad which will bc soon com.
plc,c,i, which runs light by the SIDE o'
Charleston, conncclin. with other roads cast
and west, and siyiu. IL, Intercourse with all
parts o; this wide extended lanl
There is no point which is as near the &C.
ographic;! center tIlrt can begin to compare
with it. There is l}ucklannpm, ClarkSh'lr:,
Flat WoodS, ParkcrsLur.:, aIh various other
places that arc asking Tor il. but none OF
them have the Argument or advantages that
my section has. Parkcr>hnta is on the vc'
~ niirsin Of the Stat, whis' the other places
mentioned have no hranS NJ Accessibility
whatever, that can ut all compare With those
Of Charleston.
l:ut one at the main interests I" =" S'r''
cl bY the location Of the Capital = the ~
turc extension III the territory "I The STATE
Under proper management S"nti'. west
Virginia will cYcntlla!ly com to Us, anI the
location oG the Capital at Charleston. cen
trail position, will do much To accomplish
tl.i.., .nl tho l""niin al ia" Capital nj TIC
Northwest will Tc;ald il not entirely defeat
it.
Sor,hwc$: Virginia, embracing the c"lin
Ties from the Blue Eii:c summit To lie Ten
nr<>ce liuc, is in sympathy with West 'Ir='aI
alrl is Il country of great wealth, III land. IRON
copper, tin, lca,l AMI suit The krnaw!Ia AMI
New rivers lnck.al AMI drrnucl to the A"r.l
Carolina line, Of which they "lc easily SITS
ccr;hl", will aIIorl Transportation hy steam
a.d llu hoa;., from the old North Car"l'n;
State To the ohio nml Mississippi, AMI u!
this r,rllrrrii"m tlc States "I Ohh". Virginia
West Virginia. N"ilh Carolina AMI Ici'IirN
S,", will he thrown into constant c"mincr
cial intercourse. Aml social pnjnd;ccS undc
the influence Of commerce, in the heart l."
the Union, woull rive way 10 sympathy
ru;crss; AMI nationality. Were there IL
other considerations influencing us, Is n"
this one grand design enough 10 control ON
action in this matter? Wherever the Nc"
river and it's waters run from head branches
in North Carolina, the highest point II
North america, to It's mouth 1T Pom
Pleasant there is Il COMMON sympathy o
mountain Iilt' and these elements forming tn
SYmp,hirs Of common nationality, ]
is the duty OF every patriot TO all by ever!
artificial means III his power, anil to neglect
such an opportunity is but to sin against on
country.
From these stand points, with these mlu
raj bonds of nationality in orr hanl|, poo
rs We arc compared with the cultivated Sis
ter States around Us, We cnn du much t'
give America that perpetual union whlcl
secures to her prnct ut hnnn and pnwc
abroad. II the cnpithl OF the State IN l'ncr'
ut Charleston, that " III do much To attract
the attention Of capt. hli,tI to the kanawh'
region, and their aBiIaI will lock and dan
the Kanawla and New rivers under the CHAR
ter YOU have granted. 1t il the duty OF tn
State to develop NIL her energies IN all hcI
parts ,
The uorth.wcS, has all cady received mucl
aid from foreign capital, as 10 place her in
course Of successful dcvcloGmcnt.
My section and the section soHtl OF I'M
looking to Virginia since the formation o
thu, commonwealth, has lived to meet re-
y,rt and disappointment. When We Sepa
rated from the old State We hoped Tor
change Since the formation OF this STATE
the Northwest has had all the Offices botf