Evening star., 1921-11-06
Early Efforts to Change Capital

ternal or internal enemies, by which
means it might fall an easy prey to
either.
because it is inconvsnisntly sit.
uated for Congress or heads OF de-
partments to receive intelligence,
either foreign or domestic, the roads
tremely bad. the travelling expense
and living at the city 20 high that q
citizen from q distant state, having .
just claim on the United States tun.
less 1t IL very larGe), had better stay
at homo and lose it than risk the
enormous expense Of coming to the
seat Of government and staying as
to stay to support their claims; hence
few except inhabitants Of the city,
rich spectators, Office hunters or
subtle intriguers frequently sent and
supported by parties in different
parts Of the Union) have q chance OF
representatives. which ought to DC
exposed in as public manner as pos
sible to free. unbiased and independ-
ent citisens, and consequently In
place cheap and easy OF access Mnd
where their necessary business col
lects the greatest number of freq tn-
habitants.
Because, after fifteen years futile
attempt to counteract the dscrees OF
God and nature and expending ten or
fifteen millions Of dollars to force into
existence a city. in the recess Of Con-
gress it wears the appearance Of q
number OF deserted. decayinE vii
culation Of some Of the best calculators
In the United States that have attend.
ed the general government both At
New York and Philadelphia, there 10
an annual loss sustained Of more
than half a million Of dollars.
4 +
Because, instead Of consulting the
convenience of members Of the leEis-
lature and officers Of government in
the erection of public buildings, the
interests Of rich landholders and
spectators have been consulted, by
which means the Presidents house
and the public offices are fixed one and
half miles from Georgetown. the
Capitol one and a half miles from
said buildings, and the navy yard one
mile from the Capitol: hence It is
plan to accommodate the legislature
Of the United States and officers Of the
general government conveniently, and
with the least possible expense. the
reverse is the fact: every feature Of
the plan exhibiting at the nrst view
most extravagant, absurd and incom-
modious of human genius could pos
sibly invent. calculated for the ex-
press purpose OF drawing not only
from the public treasury, but also
from members Of Congress and other
citizens whose business might re-
Quire a temporary residence in the
city as much money as possible, to be
expended for the purpose Of support
ting and increasing the number Of
servile dependents upon executive
patronage; who have in all ages and
civilized nations been considered the
most dangerous enemies to the rights
and liberties OF the people"
The interesting document concludes
the argument against the city Of Wash
ington as follows:
* 4
Finally. because taking = view of
the whole plan, with the appurte-
nances thereunto belonging. and the
consequences inseparable therefrom,
it exhibits a system as contrary to
the genuine principles of our gov
ernment as is the frigid to tho tenn
perate zone-insomuch that II q real
whig of '76. possessing the primeval
virtue and economy Of the noble
patriots that acquired our independ-
ence. could be suddenly transported
from distant part OF the Union to
the city OF Washington, and there
be presented with a navy yard 800
for the President equal, II not ex-
ceeding In expenses anu magnifcence,
the palace Of an eastern monarch
and two massy piles Of stone. which
had been fifteen years putting TO-
gether, and under the names Of the
north and south wings OF a Capitol
to accommodate the legislature Of
the United States-that they had al
ready cost near q million of dollars
that to complete them and fill up the
space between would probably cost
two millions more-then cast his eyes
upon the numerous unfinished empty
and decaying buildings and the sur.
rounding. worn-out and impoverished
tional beings had laid the plan? OR
that honest republicans had carried
1t on? Would he believe that the
wise, the virtuous and economical
Jefferson and his supporters had law
ished away mlliiens NIL nn,.,po upon SO ,an an:urd.
plan to raise in the center of the re-
public costly monuments similar to
those formerly erected in what are
now termed the dark ages Of the
"Ori0 Oy tyTAnHlCAl QeSpOt6 10 per.
petuate their crimes?
X
x
would he not turn with disgust
and indignation from a scene SO re-
plete with evil consequences and ex-
claim in the bitterness Of his soul,
oh. ye representatives Of the people,
who hath bewitohed you. SO soon to
depart from the original and genuine
virtue. plainness and economy Of .
republican government. to obtain and
establish which I Fought bled?
Hasten. oh. hasten to retrace your
steps, to close this Pandora's box
cease to lavish away the revenue OF
the United States upon courtly eyco.
plants and to pay servile dependents
FOR forging chains for me and my
posterity! Leave and consign to
eternal infamy those yet unfinished
monuments of monarchicAl tyranny
let them henceforth be considered
only as beacons, to warn our political
mariners-let the tall trees of the
forests grow around them-let them
be speedily enveloped in the dark
bosom Of the wilderness, that the
eyes Of republican travellers may not
be disgusted with the sight! Remove
with all possible speed to a place
where government can be admins
tered upon genuine republican prfnci-
pies and consistent with the interest
and liberty Of your sovereigns. the
people!"