New-York tribune., 1870-12-05
THE CAPITAL REMOVAL QUESTION.
TO the EDITOR Of The tribune.

to say few words.
The declaration OF The Gdsette ia without founda
on OF truth No prominent advocate of Capitalremoyal
mas discussed the subject on any other grounds tho,
those OF the broadest and truest patriotism
The friends OF ,Captalremoval are not ALI confined q,
the western States Thousands upon the Atlantic slope
are led in this movement by The Richmond Eno,tirer
THE NEW-NoRK TRIBUNE, John William Davenport
LID, The Troy Wing. The Rochester Democrat The Bos
ton Herald and other leading journals and men east of
the Allegheny Mountains Therefore, cannot be alone
the work OF western sectional spirit in hostility to
the East" In further to The Gazette leus look TO
the fundamental argument underlying the whole agta-
ton and see what error, if any, 1t contains.
l. II is assumed by the friends Of Capalrem that
the fathers Of the country in the exercise OF the power
to remove the seat of the General Government, from
NewYork to its present place. egslated for themselves.
as they thought best and selected for the seat Of
Government place central to the then existing States
of the young Republic II their right to legsate
for themselves they did according to their Judgment
and their wants.
H. 1t is assumed by the friends of Capital removal that
this people have the same right TO legsate for them
selves as our fathers had for themselves, and that II Is
their right to egsae for themselves according to their
Judgment and their wants. and that the wants of this
people though the same in character are not the Sao
The CAPITAL that was then suited to the wants Of an in
fant nation born narrow strip of land on me edge
Of the ocean not suited to the wants OF Keupc
almost embracing an entire continent, and commanding
the commerce of the world and the admiration OF the
iii II ia assumed by the friends Of Captal-removal
that the seat of Government at its present place Is not
adapted 10 the national life TO the wants OF our con
tnental people; that at every stage OF the natOnal
growth Washington City is rendered less and less nj To
be the capital OF TINS nation ana that neIeOIe tS
ital ought to be removed TO some more central ana con
venient place in the wide domain OF this continental
" 1t isaSsumed by the friends Of Capital remoyatha
inasmuch as this is Government OF me people ana Py
the people and for the people lts Caphl Oust 20 no
central and convenient TO the great majority OF the
people, who are to be its guardians ana defenders.
V. I is assumed by the friends OF CaptalrenONa tla
the center Of human power m TINS naoh VIII De Neu
and organized i'm the center OF the productive energies
Of the country and that against the truth OF this asSunp
ton no argument can De made
The foregoing statements are the strong reasons WhGh
the friends of Capital urge, and, without eab
Grating either of the propositions into iOrual arS-
ment feel confident that men Of more wisdom than the
editor Of The Gazette viii comprehend IN thcu puIey
national views and fundamental facts and not such as
any reasonable man would found western sectOhal
agitation upon "iu hostility to the East"
But let us little further, and ascertain what test-
mOny have in favor Of tins mOyement-whlch testl-
ony has gone to the record as prophetic OF The coming
change. Since the days Of Jefferson, farSe ing men
have from time To time declared that the Catal OF the
nation would some day be moved from the Potomac
to the Mississippi. At dinner given TO MI Jefferson IN
FredcrickstOwn, Nd. in honor OF the Louisiana pur-
cuse, Selllendl "hose HdIc IcsIct - 4u5 WIZ
voluntarily defending Mr. Jefferson against the silly
slurs made about his purchase sald TO tle guests,
a. he unrOled the plat OF grant ot and - miles square
including the site of Alton, Illinois, " You need not
laugh at Mr. Jefferson for some day-polntlng to ms
upon this land" Le laugh forthe moment was turned
I
ever get tberet Tine stranger answered. " dOh KhO"
but think they will 90 there by steam This occurred
about 1904, long before railroads were constructed even
IN the very infancy Of the Republic. All along the line
Of historic march, have men declared the coming
transfer Of power from the Atlantic seaboard to the
In our own time thousands Of the wisest men have
declared the removal Of the Capital % be inevitable.
said the Hon. william II. Seward, in political speech
Paul in 1860: "The power Of the Republic being
will come the capital OF the country"
said the Hon. Charles Sumner, g have no love for
tho ff A.
said Dr. DTancr in sroabng OF the Capita AT Washing
ton, has ceased he the appropriate site for the
euce DISCRIMINATING will draw the Capital into the Mis-
sissppi Valley in absolute security from all foreign at
Aud testimony after testimony might be added, from
every part Of the country support OF the ustnes OF
the cause of CaptalrcmOyal but these utteances
feel that the movement is founded upon the broad prin
cples Of patriotism ana calculated 10 proons the ma
tOual life by wiser equalization and distribution OF
10 satisfy the public mind upon this point have only
10 refer 10 the address OF the National Executive Com
Inittee CapalRcmoval, issued to the people OF the
United States last February. quote from that address
as fOlOws Aside r0u lhe question ol numerical anu
political power which belongs To the west ana ITS claims
s the Of territory, there - paramount ne
cesslty Tor lOcatnE tht seat Oh lc ir, tS 20 ~
Nation in the midst OF It's material power The lte or =
nation is made dOuby secure, when united Win the
strongest and greatest commercial ana material interests
Of her people; for, thus united they complement each
other and the security and perpetuy OF the one becomes
the security Tor the peTpetuiy OF tne o,tI 10 .n5 s
can be absurd than 10 imagine that the nie ana
I
with the seat OF Government NJ Washington ui'lan
place. on the outskirts Of the country. with no material
power or prestge-as IL would be IN central position IN
the Mississippi valley, Where tne Etat WANING ~ h'atI
OF the Republic destined 10 heat in harmony with It's
Last Of aIl it is believed that genuine patriotism
sincere devotion TO Republican institutions and puIe
mat the Capital, the home Of the Government shall no
longer rest exposed outpost hut should be removed
10 some secure point in the heart OF the country safe
against both foreign and domestic foes surrounded by
those who yield to Of their brethren in devotion 10
Does this look like Western sectional agitation, IN
hostility 10 the East r. Not at all. The error OF me
Cincinnati gazette, in this matter, s found IN lie ma
by TO discuss subject which II is neither famIiarwth
Tber ere mo- evidence whatever Of the sectional charac
Of the subject Of the removal OF the National capital
10 the Valley Of the Mississippi, say what demagOgues
may The whole scope Of the argument is based upon
broader nationality and genuine patriotism. Let those
WHO do moi cOnprehend the magnitude Of the subject,
and are therefore opposed 10 the removal imagine for
moment the Capital 10 be located at some central
position IN the MISSISSIPPI Eaey, say aI 81. LDuls;
the cOntnent central % the greater portion OF the
aon river and lake. central TO the railway power Of
ION ana vim mighty cities growing M around H. soon
10 m more popu0us than those upon the sea-shOrc Who
then would be audacOus and foolish enough to propose
ths central place. to that f0rsaken OutOfthe place
ia he boie cSnntry outside OF mad house who would
he lv enough 10 attempt argument in favor OF such
removal. Then is not the cause Of Capltal-rem0val
strengthened by this reversed view Of the subject thus
the unsultableness Of the locality OF
washington City and the appropriate place in the
NJ issssipp Valley? -
All arguments turn upon the nftncss Of Washington
10 be the Capital Of the nation, and the fitness Of some
central place the great valley To be the future home
of the Government Then let the agitation on, and
100 wears from the Declaration of Independence will see
thp Capita in the valley Of the Mississippi under the
rue of the new liberty which this nation has given 70
mankind The thought is sublime. IL is prOphesy OF
the future growth and grandeur OF imperial Republic
OF States 0verarchcd by Constitution aud reNoN
ing around central moving heart-a Capital worthy
in majestic character the Nation, the symbol OF
" hose p0Wer n is Faithfully l.. l.. REAyIs.
THE BOSTON L1TIN SCHOOL.