The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-01-09
THE VTRGTNTAN.
LYNCHBURG. JANUARY o, ra2c.
TIE PENSION SYSTEM.

inc history even 81 Our own tunes, know
enough of the derterlous consequences of
giving encouragement II a system of pen
slons, 10 dlsoonntenauoe the first move
mrnt towards ENGRAVING II on our mstitu-
lions or our practice aud few arr hardy
enough To advocate lis adoption. Yet,
there are few, whose knowledge of IT,
lmpoliry, gathered from experience and
research, aud whose convpct,on of lis total
nnsnitahlIits, not IN say hostility, To The
genius of onr government, has not been
powerful enough To induce them 10 lend
their aid in defeating aproect So dsgracc-
ful and 80 roinaus. Thus, ever aud anon,
we are called on 10 give pensions 10 our
eX-Prrsdents-and y certain Editor, "a
nous for his tory principles, has gone SO
lar As To sly, that h. derms this measure
so lndisprnsaby necessary, that, at the
com mencrment of every session Of Con-
/ gress, he shall renew the discussion If thu
! subject. aud cndeasor, by dint of argu-
mcnl,' 10 procure lts layorahle reception
! bN that body. FMS Editor is Robert
Walsh, Of Philadelphia, who has hugh re-
pulatlun for talents, bat whose aristocrallc
and anti-republlcan notions are of at least
equal celebrity. W. introduce hi. namr,
not because the proposition derives aDy
clam 10 particular attention from fs con-
nrctlon with HIM, but rather because thos,
who know any thing Of his history viii be-
disguised tn 'lew with susp,clon and dr.
trust, any proposition whose origin might
less TO enquire irbo and lohm Mr.. Walsh
has BEEN, and what hr IS IL his been
every thing by turns, AID nothing long"
to day me9hcr Of one puly aud To-
morrow handling The Cads,s against
IT. and, esrnt1,lly dloclalnad by all,
h" moves IN an atmosphere Of MS owo, an
ISOLATED and almost unnotlccd politician
Ne may a1X IL his name the same TILE
when Mr. Rlch,e, of the " Enquirer. "
oncr gave Mr Randolph, any Ning agi-
m''-a man, VINO for stipend, w.old
copy Bellal, and strain every nerve IT,
mak" The worse appear the better rea
aou But let ns leave Mr. Walsh, and
speak of the proposition iterlf, which, AZ
nos been aptly observed of it, 10 be unlvrr-
sally exeerated, needs only Ia b. universally
Known. If the salary "hlen IL allowed
10 our officers be insufficient To enable tnem
To dclray the expense necessarily mciden-
tal Ia the performance of tacH du,lrs, let
us lnTease them. In thus there would
he neither lmpoIlcy or danger. We do
not, h0 ever, wish IL be understood
rs gong even tins Ear. In our opln-
ION, the salaries, PARTICULAR, Of The higher
grad" OF our officers, are amply suiIiclrnl to
drlray all the expenses winch arse, aud
handsomely to femuneraio them for thrir
labuis, however ardnous. There appears
10 us. too, to he something udious IN the
discrimination which would select tn
| highest officers OF the government as thr
objects upon whom tn lavish the sinrcarr
bouullrs ul the aatIon, while the drudgas
| OF Office, upon whom the heat and burden
Of labor has fallen, are permitted to rctir.
in poverty and obscurity, wilh'ut exciting
the least comm strrdlion or com assIon
from the worshppers Of pnr or. So =
men can only STE merit II an cm5rpldrr, Il
coat aud cpauIctle, and others are never
disposed to reward II, unles, ls native
beauty be accompanied by the mr. etri-
clous glare of power aud pomp. Thus, i.
II uot untrrqafut hat W. hear Of propo7l.
lions made IN Congress 10 coofcr pensions
IN the widow, Of oBsrs who have been
slain in battle, W5jc IL" C,mly of the sol.
der aud the soller, who fought with tn,
same hon-heartcd energy, aud fell co"rrrd
with as many wounds, * wholly unnoriced.
This clrcumstance, however, IS consequent
upon the constitution Of our natures. WhicA
eytr d7posrs ~ II pay more regard To cx-
trrnaI badges of distinction than To inttin-
SIC worth However objectionable even
the giving of pensions II the fatuiIies Of
those who have been slain in the service of
the country may be, yet there j, something
rrdrrmin. about the character nf the act,
winch will protect il from the opposition