The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-19
REMOVING THE CAPITAL.

From the NJ y. Sun.
A meeting was held at St. Louis few
evenings since to consider the subject of re-
moving the national capital to the Mississippi
Valley. committee was appointed to
gather statistics and to induce the Legisla-
lures of the various States to srequest Con-
gress to make no more appropriations for
public buildings at Washington. This is one
of series of meetings held at various points
in the West within the last six months.
Taken in connection with private advices and
the discussion OF the subject by newspapers
throughout that region, it leaves little room
to doubt that the people of the Mississippi
Valley are really in earnest in desiring the
capital TO be located in that region. The
reasons given are various, but the one upon
which they place the most stress is that the
capital of great nation like ours should be
near the geographical centre OF the country,
whatever and wherever that may be. They
argue that in the Mississippi Valley the capi-
sal would be free from the danger of capture
by an invading army, while at the same time
it could be more readily and quickly reached
by such citizens as might have business with
the Government.
In this day of palace, hotel and sleeping
cars, steamboats, and telegraphs, the geogra-
phical idea in point of convenience is scarcely
worthy of consideration. Travel from any
part of the country to any other point is re-
duced to a amatter of perfect certainty. The
Hon John A. Logan can travel from Illinois
to Washington in half the time to-day that
Thomas Jefferson consumed between Month
cello and Philadelphia seventy years ago.
When mileage is considered, the advantages
are greatly in favor of the members from
Illinois and the Far West, and they will
doubtless perceive it before the capital is re-
moved.
The consideration of safety from invasion
is one that may safely be left out of this dis
cussion. Since the termination of the Rebel
lion, it may be confidently asserted that all
the underwriters in the world would not
guarantee the return cf any European army
which should have the teinerity to trust itself
on the main land within the borders of the
United States
: New York city has no direct interest in this
question. The removal of the capital cannot
affect our commercial prosperity to any ap-
preciable extent, even were New York the
point selected; and this is out of the question,
as we, at least, could not be induced to part
with our sovereignty over our own affairs.
We don't want to be governed by Congress,
and hence what we have to say on this ques-
ton may be regarded as impartial. The in
terests of the people at large would be Sc
riously jeoparded by any change in the loca-
ton OF the capital, now or hereafter. Mag
nificent and commodious buildings have al
ready been constructed for the accommoda-
tion of every branch of the Government at
Washington, at a cost of at least hundred
millions of dollars. These buildings could
not be removed OF rebuilt elsewhere for twice
that sum. Elegant hotels, lodging-houses,
and gambling houses are found in abundance
the climate is mild and, salubrious; and what
is better than all, Washington can never be-
come great commercial or manufacturing
centre, and this is its strongest recommen-
dation.