Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-08

what an Old Time Statesman Thinks
About IL.
Letter from Hon. Thomas Ewing

Although the Southern Commercial Conven
Ion (neid at Cincinnati during the weekly seems
ID have adorned without falling any action
upon the m alter, it evidently regar ded the ques-
I on OF tie removal Of the caIi a. as q legitimate
''pie Tor It's consideration, and accordingly ap-
Pointed a eommittce on the subject, composed
0f'he following named gentlemen: G orge f.
Dodge. Arkansas; j. NJ. Humphrey, Alabama.
X IL. Hilton, Florida; III. ID. Capers, Georgia;
III. w. Rotheii, Iowa; A. Dixon, Illinois; s. E.
GlbeIt, Indiana; Judge j. ID. Pendery, ansas;
DIT John Carter. louisiana; g. A. Foster, M.ss-
IPi; K. c. Holiday, Maryland; Barton Able,
M'<: ouri; VIM. A. Butler, Michigan; n. p.
Barts, Me @achusetts; j. II. Drake, New York;
John g. Fox. Maine; j. q. Mills, North Caro-
Ira; n. Z. Mclean, Ohio; William L. HASTE,
Sou'h Carolina; j. A. Warder, Tennessee; G. G..
For ha, Texss; j. @. Hill, Virginia; j.. ID. Will
ton, Washington, ID. c.
Hon. Thomas Ewing, who was invited to be
present, addressed a letter to the convention, I'm
which he resIe.'cd b's inability to participate
in Its deFberatiors, and expressed his opinion
on two or three Of the propositions selected for
consideration. Among others he DISCUSSED
With hrs usual force, clearness and ability, the
scheme for removing the capital. We give so
much OF bis letter as relst-s to that subject, az
follows:
" AS for the removal of the Capital, see no
good reason for it. Ii Is well where II il, OF easy
secess, and IL connects different sections of the
Union which ought t. be thus united and IL the
agitation for its removal were ended il would
steaduy improve, SO as to meet all the wants of
seat OF government, which are not extensive
but peculiar. 1t can never he commercial or
manufacturing, therefore never q great CITY
which, like London or Paris, could, in times Of
excitement, take the control Of the nation and
overrule or compel governmental action. We
can nave IN WsShiD., IN no powerful acobin
cluts or Lord George Gordon riots. For luxu-
ries like these we must so int? some ropulous
city. But OF this there Is little danger No
statesman would consent to surrender Such CITY
to the United States, soil and jurisdiction. the
last OF which Is absolutely essential, and thus
make his State at home Of secondary coDsIdera-
ton.
Nor would it be wise to give spot of ground to
the United States whereon to build up CITY. II
city arise, the comparison also arises and the
State is the inferior within its own limits and
the removal of the capital would remove at once
and take with it all its anDoyances, its thieves,
Tvs Deggars, Its applicants for office, and the dis.
ue:-e families OF removed officeholdsrs. TO de-
probate upon and to live upon the CHARITY eff the
new community. Besides, if we make the capt
faith enough in its permanence to BALD a GOOD
hotel within the first twenty years. The nj. C.,s
and those that visit the new capital on business
must be content to camp out.
II removed, Fort Leayenworth would be the
most eligible point. 1t il not quite far enough
wet TO be central, but it would do. The bar
IdChs WOulu dnsWtT LOT puOllc OmceS. and the
United States has soil and jurisdiction over
space enough for camping ground. Bat
waving tie inconvenience, it were well to sit
down and count the cost and profit of the pro-
posed Capitalization. All east of a line drawn
i've hundred miles west of Washington are bet
ter accommodated than they will be when the
capital is moved TO Fort Leavenworth or Omaha
or the more central point still, Fort Scott. West
of I'd at neutral line there are probably ten thou
sand persons who visit the seat of government
annually on business or pleasure, paving an
average of fifty dollars each more railroad fare
than they would pay if it were centralized.
making an aggregate excess of five hundr al
thousand dollars paid annual for railroad fare
because the capital is not central.
To remove 1t the United States must sacrifice
at least 500 900 coo of property, worth an an
nual interest of 80, .0DO-twenty timcs the
excess paid by visit Jrs from the Far West-be-
sides an immense sacrifice or private property,
liked there in the faith of the perm snence of
the Capital, and our noble editice, of which
every American Traveller Is proud, would slowly
fall into ruin, its halls and rooms usele T. eI-
cept as place for foyes to litter and snakes and
toads to ''knot and gender in"
A resolution Of your convention condemninp
the proposition would quiet the agitation which
is do'rg some evil, and 1t would be acceptable
to the re9'oning portion of the community.
am, very respectfully, yours, L. EWING.