Year: 1869

THE National Capital Convention, re-
Gently in session at st. Louis, unanimously
adopted the following resolutions:


WHEREAS, The present site of the National Capt.
tai selected the most central point when the
people of this Republic, only few millions in num-
ber inhabited only narrow strip OF country along
the Atlantic coast; and,


WHEREAS, The popu alton of this country hasin-
creased thirteen fold since then, and spread over
vast continent, of which the States in existence
when the seat of government was located form only
the eastern edge: and


WHEREAS The present location of the National
Capital is notoriously inconvenient in times of
peace, and the darkest stages of our national his
tory demonstrate in time of war or domestic turD-
ulence is so dangerously exposed, as to require
vast ornaments and untold millions OF money for
its special defence: and


WHEREAS The reasons which caused the loca-
ton of the seat of government where it now is,
have, by the enormous development OF the coun-
try, and the corresponding change in the wants Of
the people, become utterly obsolete; therefore,


ReSOLUed, That it is absurd to suppose that the
handful of inhabitants in 1889, just emerging from
colonial vassaage before steamboats,, railways, tel
egraphs or power presses were dreamed of, or
mile of turnpike or canal constructed, possessed
the authority or desired to exercise the power of
fixing the site of the Capital forever on the banks
of the Potomac against the will and interests Of the
hundreds of millions who might come after them.


Resol0ed, That the people have endured the
present illlocated Capital for three-quarters of a
century, patiently waiting for the vast territory OF
the Union to be peoped and organized into States,



could be determined, when permanent place OF
residence for the government could be selected.
That time has come. All sectional issues are set
tied; all dangerous domestic variations disposed
of; new era has been entered upon and new de-
parture taken.


hesolUtd, That in the language of James Madison,
in the Congress of 1853, equal attention to the
rights of the community is the basis of republics "
II we consider the effects of legislative power on
the aggregate community, we must feel equal in
ducements to look 10 the centre in order to find the
proper seat of government. This equal attention
has not been and cannot be, given to the interests
and rights Of the people so long as the Capital il
located in an inconvenient section of the Union.
| ResolUed That the vast and fertile region known
the Mississippi Valley must for all time be the
seat of empire of this continent and exert the con
trolling influence in the nation because it is homo
geneous in it's interests and too powerful ever tc
permit the outlying States to their connection
with the Union. This vast plain will always be the
surplus-food-p producing portion of the continent
and the great market for the fine fabrics aud tropl
| cal productions of other sections of the Republic
| This immense basin must have numerous outlets
and channels of cheap and swift communications
by water and rail, with the seabOard for the egres
of its products and ngress of its exchanges. There
| fore, whatever policy the government may pursu'
that tends to multiply improve or enlarge those az
teries of commerce, must result In the common ao
vantage to the whole Union, TO the seahaard State
! equally with those of the centre.