Evening star., 1870-02-04

If this country is destined to surpass every other
i'm wealth and importance. New York il just As
surely destined to be the leading clty OF
the world. With all the unequaled adj
vantages which the West has enjoyed,
in an unoccupied and fertile country,
i'm the very midst of the latest civilization
aud activity, close by the enlighto ned energetic
and rapidly advancing inhabitants OF the East.
who Lave built it up with their wealth, who
have peopled it at the expense of their own
popula alton, and who have amazing infatua-
on OF self-sacriiicing bcnevo!ence, have given
il nations Of the public lands TO build its rail-
roads and endow its schools, while forbeariny to
take any themselves for such purposes-except
recently, to establish agricultural colleges-and
with The principal portion of the immense i'm
migration from Europe to swell its tide of
advancement, none OF its cities, rapidly a.
they have sprung mp, have compared with the
rapid progress OF New York during the same
time. I'm addition to this, New York already
has the start and prestige, which it would be
difficult, if not impossible. for any other city,
under the most fsyOring circumstances, to gain
The tendencies of business are to gravitate to
the largest centers, thereby continually aug
menting their preponderance. And this process
is constantly going OH toward New York by the
inevitable law of individual inclination and in
terest. Thus, if an enterprising man is doing
a business OF five thousand dollars a year in "A
small city, and has the means to move to New
York and carry on the same business with the
probability if not certainty, of doing five times
more, he is very apt to go there. The climatic
law, also, has its fullest favoring influence on
New York, which is situated exactly on the ther-
nal line Of greatest human activity. No other
position on the continent, with equal advan-
tagcs as TO harbor and centrality, can compare
with it in this respect.
The above reasons, and others not necessary
to cnumerate, point out New York as the great
commercial metropolis Of this continent, if not
ultimately of the whole world. for all future
time; and its claims to become the national cap
ita are and always would be strong. Ii there
arc other considerations which render it proper
to have the capital located somewhat apart
from New York, il is apparent that the distance
iherefrom should not be incenvcnicntly great
that the capital should be within, at most a
nights travel, so that no day should be necessa-
rily spent i'm going between the capital and the
metropolis.
REASONS FOE LOCATING 1T AWAY FROM NEW
YORK.
The main considerations which did and should
determine the position OF the capital somewhat
away from New York are e:-First, that the legis-
laton for the whole country should be carried
on calmly, apart from the feveri.h intensity and
excitement Of the concentrated activity of the
great metropolis; second, that it should be aside
from the immediate opportunities OF the great
interests accumulated and eliminating there.
which might have undue influence on the lecis-
lators; third. that the government might have
exclusive control over the capital and the imme-
date country around it, a supervision incom-
rathle with the free self-contrOl, or State con-
troll which a commercial metropolis should be
under; fourth, that, the capital being the head,
and the commercial metropolis the heart Of a
nation it is not advisable, i'm the possible event
If invasion by an enemy, to hazard both
together. But, though these reasons are suffi-
cient tO determine the position Of the capita
out OF New York, neither one nor all would
necessarily separate it far thcrefrOm. Hence
this idea should not be lost sight OF, in com
paringth the other points next to bc discussed.