, 1869-07-10
REMOVAL OF TIE NATIONAL CAPITA,

REMOVAL OF TIE NATIONAL CAPITAL
| We gave, N former Article, few Of the
REASONS why-the remosal Of the National
Capitalize tho Mississippi Valley, and especial
ly to St Louis, should. ba taken up rs q
matter requiring ia,1,ediate discussion by
the people, and carly action by Congress.
There hrc other and national reasons which
~e did not then touch upon.
L Washington is one of the most exposed
and indefensible positions in time of war
that could possibly be selected for
the capital The Potomac forms
a short and easy means of np-
proach for hostile vessels and expeditions
frcm hc sea- The location Of the city is
such that, though, during the Last WEI, q
hundred and fifty forts were built arounlit,
it WIS never wholly secure, and, though this
number OF forta should be doubled, it never
could be rendered entirely safe from for-
eign attack. Tho who!s topography Of the
surrounding country is admirable for its
capture, md miserable for it's defence. 1t
| las not, and will never have, local popula-
ton large enough to assume any important
share in its deferce, and hence, In
time of any war, domestic or foreign,
it will be the drst point Of attack. Iusignia-
can't in itself, but rendered important by
the location Of the national et:sces md
the presence of the Executive, the Depart
Inents and Congress, it subjects the govern
ment to The weakness Of being compelled
to detail very lhzge army for the defence
of point Of no strategic consequence, or
to the humiliation Of seeing the President,
Cabinet and Congress taken prisoners, or
fleeing as fuglhves, and the National Capt.
tai and archives falling read1y, by tho first
skirusish, into the hands Of M invader.
! The wur Of 1872 Illustrated the latter con.
tingency, and tie war Of 1eG1-5 the former.
The easy capture Of the capital by the
British in the former war, and their de-
struction Of national buildings, because the
forces which we're adequate for its capture
by them were wholly inadequate to prevent
lis recnpture by us, and the fact that dur
ing the war for the Union nearly a year WIS
wasted in fortfying the capital, and often
10000 men were withdrawn from critical
military operntions to defend it, leave no
room to doubt that the milton can
never again afford to 40 to
war with ita capital at Wash
ington. Including the delays, the loss
Of ren in the Chickahominy, Bull Ban,
and Wilderness campaigns, by the adoption
of conflicting md weak military policies,
for reasons which grew almost wholly ont
Of The political necessity for holding WASH
ington, and the typographical indefensi-
lility Of the place, it is reasonable esti-
! mate to say that the location Of the capital
1t Washington cost the nation, in its efforts
i" subdue the rebellion, one full year Of
time, hlaf the national debt, md thirty to
Afty thousand lives. And yet, in any fu-
tuse foreign war, the exposure Of the c2pi-
:ul. by reaaon Of its location at Washing
ton, would be Just as sudden, disastrous
and expensive us in those through which
We have passed In vas With England or
frnnce, Washington would be, as in 1879,
ihe 6rst point Of attack The Thunderer
VI LIE Gloise would EteaD up the po-
t"snac, and there would be precipitate and
penicky call on the country to rescue the
capital, which would require five times as
many naval and land forces to defend as to
endanGer OF destroy. In n purely military
point Of view, the cost Of removing the
capital would be slight compared With that
Il holding it. The cost Of holding
it for twenty days during war would pay
the entire expenses of removing it to st.
Louis, where it would need little or no Do
fence.
H. The location Of our government at
central point relatively to its area
and its present and future popula-
t'on, would tend to nadonalize,
Americanize and equa.ize its leg
,slAt'on, and to give its Legislators reader
means Of studying the ~ants and rights Of
the whole people. Without this, legislation
will be subjected chiefly to The outside or
lobby influence Of that limited section Of
the country located near the capital. But
if the eapitnl lie central and within equal
reach Of the whole people, tho lobbiea from
various sections VIII counteract, and in
general ncutrnlize each other. While the
committees with whom they work will hear
all importuueEH and beggn1s, and get, per-
lsapE, much useful information from them
relative to local interests, they will be less
apt thnn Bow to be drawn by the supposed
force Of 1uisiute,pteted public opinion
into the ndopion Of sectional policies,
which public opinion, rightly known and
measured, would condemn. Al present
Pennsylvania practically euvirons the
Satioual Capital, and c1cra strong
cr lobby influence than three