Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-28
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.


The call tor q con INVENTION 10 81. Louis, to
con nsider the question Of tbs removal OK the
IatIonal capial to that city, is not meeting
with the unanimous response SO desirable as
an aueur of success. The truth is, there are a
great many other locations which are lust as
suitable for a pasional capital as S.. Lsuis, and
without an effort, consent to have IFS claims
ignored, and with one accord endorse the
stock Joboing proposition OF the enterprising
city On the Mississippi. The ide1 of a geo.
graphical center for capital, or c.nter OF
population or of commerce, Is good, but neither
rs conclusive in itself. Other naLions as great
and as prosperous as our own have existed,
and yet continue, where capitals are situated
very far from the geographical center. Lon
don, PARIS and ST. Petersburg answer q coed
purpose for capitals, yet neither is the center
We do not affirm thai the time NAV mot cone
when the national capital sheuld be moved to
q more centrsi location; but certainly that time
has not yet arrived. The processes of exran-
sion and annexation are L OF yet cpmpie.ed;
migration is moving the csLter OF population
continually; our State or national boundaries
are by no means liked; new States are each year
being added on the West or Southwest; other
territory will be acquired from Mexico en- the
South. and the Canadas on the North mines
or divert the tide Of Immigration. We are in
bTief only in formative state, and our center
aOichere. To- day Cincinnati or LOUIS vile Is
prominent poin. or points, while geograph.
cally Omaha rs even too far eastward. The
annexation Of Cuba or Mexico would move
the geographical center southwlrd towar
santa he, and the center of population to-
ward Memphis or New OrIe ms. When
Canada becomes ours Detroit will be cen.
tral, beth Numerically and geographically.
Win all these forming, changing elements and
prob Utilities, 1t is folly to talk of fixing a suit
able location for e new capital work OF
this KIND, II done at all, must be Well done
benefit of stock jobbers or spec uIators, but doue
for the general benefit OF the nation, and up.
changeable for all future time In our present
condition as q ration 1t is worse than Jolly to
Inaugurace this new enterprise. Aside from
the want OF unanimity necessary to secure the
best results, there is no pressing urgency Just
now why this question should be spruug; and
hence we notice with pleasure that Gov.
erner Barker refQsed to lend to the scheme his
official sanction. II the distinguished author
of the Attica letter were Governor of Indiana
it is probable that he would favor the scheme
If for no other reason .han the realization
OF the proposition which he q score of years
ago brought forward In behalf OF abolition.
Inc gentleman referred to proposed, in case OF
the failure 70 secure the abolition of slavery in
the District of Columbia, TO advocate the re.
moval OF the Capital - free soil, and we re-
member the wood cuts of the time as repre- ent.
ing the valiant author OF the sentiment actual.
ly tuggipg al the Capital with a rope, from It's
stately dome 70 drag II to the land of the truly
free. IT was somew hat novel way to adyer.
tise the call to ask the Governors of the Sta es
TO appoint deleg gates, and a partial failure to
secure representatives In this way must be
mode OF these distinguished officials. or course
any committee of arrangements has right TO
issue their call IN any way they desire, but
this taxing of official station, and seml-com-
initial 10 the scheme is, at least, very peculiar
The present effort is entirely in the In
terest OF s.. Louis, and it is very doubtful
Wnether sufficient aid can be secured
from the various sections of the Union 10
properly designate il as a national movement
So lar as we know. there has never been an
important assemblage in the country, or a sin
LEGISLATURE. which
sp"cially for ST Louis as the locat on best
suited Tor national purposes, and hence 1t
seems somewhat over anxious to call Con-
yention of States in that city to forward this
particular plan. II a Convention Of the States
held In Chicago, Cincinnati or Detroit were to
d. clare In favor OF st. Louis, the declaration
would carry weight and might perhaps, in-
fiuence legislation in that direction, bat all
action of the forthcoming convention for the
same locality will be so much mixed with fine
drives, cellar stores and city hospitality that
much of their force will te lost. A new capi.
tai for this nation must be absolutely Iree from
all local or sectional schemes, or private ad.
vantage. An area sufficiently large for all
pre- lent and prospective wants should be Sc.
lected and the title vested in the General Gov.
ernment The serious blunder by which the
choice lots fell into the hands of spectators ut
Washington should not be repeated. Every one
is disappointed at his first visit to ashington in
seeing Pennsylvania avenue, the White House,
the Treasury building and the other public
buildings. in fact the city of Washington, on
the low grounds Of the "Tibsr' In the rear of
the Capitol, while the beautiful plateau in front
is SO sparseiy settled. These elevated grounds
were bought up by spectators as soon as the
site was selected, SO that even the Government
itself was driven to the marshes IN the rear Of
the Capitol. to escape the extortion Of lard
sharks. All this may be easily avoided in the
future location. When our national bound.
aries have become somewhat definitely estao-
ished; when our population shall have, in
great measure, ceased to migrate, and assumr1
the fix ed habits and habtations of older nations
then 1t Will be proper to select some suitable
site for new capital, situated as near as can
properly be done to the center area, the center
of pop ulation, and the center Of trade. Until
then we have little desire to disturb the present
condition of our national capital Cincinnati
Gazette, AUgust 26d.