Removal of the Capital.
--The vexed question of the removal of the
Capital, which has naturally ‘ "exercised"’ our contemporaries, and the good people of
Montgomery, has at length been settled.
We presume that Congress was, of course, influenced by no other consideration than that of the public good in the action thus had, though we are unable to appreciate fully the reasons that prompted it. We hope, however, that the removal may not prove detrimental in the least to the public interests; and that, being nearer the border which promises to be the seat of war.
Virginia and the border States of the
Union may derive fresh encouragement and renewed determination from the presence and proceedings of the
President and Congress.
We understand that the act authorizing the removal appropriates $10,000 to defray the expense, and provides for selling the unexpired lease of the ‘"
White House"’ and Department buildings at
Montgomery.
This would seem to indicate that the question of removal will not be agitated again until the
Capital is located permanently, which, we suppose, will be referred to the next Congress to determine.
When the question of selecting the site for the permanent Capital comes up for consideration, it is quite certain that some other one than
Richmond will be chosen.
It possesses all the advantages of healthfulness, accessibility, &c., but its want of centrality will be an insuperable objection to it as the permanent location of the seat of Government.
We copy the foregoing from the
Columbus (Ga.) Sun. Our own opinion is that the ‘"want of centrality"’ will be more than counterbalanced by other advantages, and that ‘"the
Government"’ will be pleased to make
Richmond its permanent home.
