North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-02-23
Special Message Of Governor Merrill.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
DEsM ONES. Jan. Al. 1870

Special Message Of Governor Merrill.
| ExEcUrlvE OFFICE,
DEsM ONES, Jan. 81, 1870
Gentlemen of the Senate and House o.
Representatives.
In accordance with the request made ia
the Governors of the several States, with
reference to convention summoned to
meet at st. Louis, on the twentieth and
twenty first days of October last, ap.
pointed four delegates from the State al
large, and two delegates from each Con-
gressional district, to attend that conven.
sion. have the honor to transmit here
with brief report of that delegation
made through its chairman. Ex-Governor
Ralph P. Lowe.
The convention was called to consider
"the expediency of removing the Capitol
/ of the United States to some point in the
valley of the Mississippi" The people
Of Iowa have as much interest in this
question as those of any other of the
states, which have now become, by the
progress of territorial acquisition and of
population, the, central States of this
Union. While the center of national ter
ritory lies west of the Missouri river, and
there is no probability that future acqui.
sition, or the north or on the south will
ever carry it east Of our western State
border, the center of population is rapid
ly approaching the Mississippi from the
east, and will be and will remain perma.
neatly in the vicinity Of that river, al.
though there is no present probability
that it will ever pass to the westward of
that stream.
Lying between these to points there is
no commonwealth in the land the people
Of which can have greater interest than
Iowa in the permanent location Of the
National Capitol.
In this great valley, the center of pop
ulation, of political and industrial power,
and eventually of wealth, will certainly
be. 1t is steadily moving thitherward.
Twenty years hence, and probably forev.
er thereafter, the heart of the nation will
be not far east Of the southeastern corner
of Iowa.
Every consideration of the fitness of
things, the equitable and just conven-
ience of the different parts Of the country,
the benefit of communities, the distance
of whom from the capitol is now so re-
mote and burdensome, the economy of
time and expense in the transaction of
public business, the military safety of the
national property and archives, all point
to renewal at no distant day.
The seat Of government, once establish
ed here, would be surrounded, in the Ian.
guage Of the resolutions OF the Capitol
Removal Convention, "by numerous mil
lions of brave and union.loving citizens,
would be forever safe against foreign foes
or sectional seditions, and would need
neither armaments nor standing armies
LOT It's protectlonnt
The question is a national, not sec.
tional one. The citizens of New England,
of the old Middle States, and of the
whole South, have an equal interest with
those of the central valley, and of the
Pacific coast, and of the new territories of
the mountain interior, soon to become
States, in placing of the National Capitol
where it will forever meet the wants, and
unite the interest and deliberate convic.
tions Of all.
Our nation is one, made so by the Dec
laration of Independence and the War of
the Revolution, organized as such by the
Federal Constitution, and forever sstab-
lished as such by the War of the Rebel
lion. To strengthen this oneness we
should harmonize, as much as possible, all
geographical interests, and remove every
cause which might lead, however remotely,
to sectional divisions. The location of
the Capitol, far from the centre of the
Nation, indeed at one extremity of the
country, has tendency, l fear, to create
feeling that the more distant States and
Territories are regarded rather as depend
Sncies Of the government, than as integ-
raj parts of the nation. Locate the Capitol
centrally, and no matter how extensi We
the boundaries of the republic, each Sec
tion would feel that it had an equal part
in the government, equally participating
in its benefits, and sharing equally in its
responsibilities. This valley, too, it
should not be forgotten, will furnish the
proper point for centra! capitol, even
though our republic should be extended
over the whole continent of North Amer
lea.
Local interests, and the anticipated cost
of new buildings, obstruct row the &C,
complishment Of this object. The forms
er should, of course, have no weight
whatever. The cost of new structures,
greater than that of all now belonging to
the government, must in time be incurred,
and would be no greater at the new capi-
to'. 1t is expected that some one of the
States in the valley of the Mississippi
will offer the nation suitable and ample
piece of territory in place Of the present
District of Columbia. / cannot doubt
that the proceeds of such gift, properly
managed, would fully defray all expenses
incurred by the removal.
1t woald seem to be the clear duty Of
our Representatives in Congress to de.