National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-29
THE CArIrAL IN SUMMER.


DIP Into 1listory-Pnrsimony OF the Ger.
eral tisvernmeut-A Glance 81 the In.
provemeuis-The Great Regeneration. li
"olivia" writes ~ ioiows TO tho Phiiadciphis'
Press:
II the shah Of Persia should visit our republic
we should take him to Philadelphia and Chicago
to show him the prosperity Of our people, but 10
give him an understanding OF our national power
we should bring him to Washington.
A.lhe beginning Of the present century the
matter wasin dispute as to the location OF the
national capital, and the point ut issue came
very near dismembciing the infant Union. Gen
eral Washington said at was matter Of the
gravest import; we must neutralize these sec
tional differences" There were good reasons
why Philadelphia should be the seat OF Govern
ment, but South Carolina bitterly opposed the
movement because .the Quakers were In favor
OF emancipation Even at this time every State
In the Union made haste TO cedo territory and
offer money In order 10 have the seat OF national
government within Its boundaries. THIS bit OF
history is revived to show what may be expected
II the project to remove the capital Is seriously
undertaken. In those days Congress was not
disposed to act upon the question because illfeel
Ing and spirit OF dlssensl0n had arisen among
the members upon the funding act. An amend.
ment providing for the assumption Of the
State debts 10 the amount Of f2l,00o,oOo was
favor Of the assumption and the South were
opposed to the location OF the capital at the
North. At this interesting point OF the disputes
cold Norihnan el5cwed The iiefy sontheTn ,se
In the meantime Jefferson and Hamilton had
fixed up plan by which the Gordian knot could
be severed without the knife. And 80. between
slices OF turkey aud sips Of old port, IL was de-
cded that II the South would vote 70 assume the
debt, that the capital should be located within
the slave dominion.. Twenty-one million dollars
selected the locality because he had been struck
with It's peculiar advantages when he was q
young surveyor. II 10 also known that he had
great personal feeling In the matter, and brought
n heayv weight n hat
he really meant 10 be lobbyist, but this fact
does not detract In the least from the honor
which Philadelphia enjoys as the home Of the
By the advice Of General Washington to An
drew Elicott, the capital was laid out on plan
To contain several millions Of people, The
streets and avenues are OF greater width than
those OF any other city In the world, and, with
the alleys, comprise an area equal TO about one
half Of that contained within the city limits,
There are pictures e1tant OF Jerusalem In her
glory and Jerusalem in her decline. Where Is
the artist who Will give us Washington in her
rags OF poverty and Washington In her robes Of
rogress7 And now there may be seen hand
ful Of human beings who flourish at the feet Of
the public buildings attempting 10 make the
capital Jewel worthy to adorn the nations
brow.
time, hut so giudgIngly that not enough was
given TO improve the public property, and here
are the figures; Total amount expended by the
General Government since 1909, 81, 1871, 2ss Ji; by
Gems paw 90 and the GoyoTnment Id per cent.
il Is human to err, and the new city govern
ment has made mistakes; but, notwithstanding
this, all things considered, let us thank God foT
giving Us Inc present Boari OF Public Works Ii
Is true we are taxed until we faint beneath cur
burdens, but we have the glory OF being spared
the shame that would follow the comparison OF
our capital with the capitals OF the Old World.
The General Government owns four teuths OF
the property, and gives ten per cent. for city i'm
proyements; the properiy-hOiders contribute
ninety for the Temaner. II there Is any patriot.
ism or pride left In the country, these mag
nlncent improvements, so economically ron-
ceiyed, must be finished before the Centen-
NAL dawns. TO Illustrate, my own beloved
home lies within six blocks OF the Can-