Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-10-10

ebbinr and flowing of opinions leave his principles
as firm and mistaken ~ the ocean rock, "lne tic
empty spray serves hnf 10 cleanse them ri ihefr
dro,s. In the administration Of MIR. Adams, he
opposed the extension Of Executive patronage opnn
priscioie In 1885, ,hesa principles Lad 10,
changed. and he opposed il again. 1l,osc VIM
thrive and fat'en by iawning and sycophanov. and
1oai ga the tile oi party through every adminbra-
ton, call this adhesion 10 principles, .deseron Of
+ the ranks" Hugh l.. White belongs ranks,
and never did, hui The ranks of the Constitution.
And when man, of those who ma, lave happened
Ia agree IN opinion with him, found sliding into
error, he asks only IL he permitted 10 retain hfs
original ground. But r, not The subject be too
closely sled, lest il BE- found that his accuSers have
deserted principlr-and they may find that The
charge OF inconsistency is more easily imposed
upon others. than IL IA shaken oil when truth la,
fastened il upon themselves.
70 the calm and phosophc observer OF the
! iidc Of human affairs, who is nnacqnainted with III"
moral code, aud the pauey ot conscience OF the
humble fatrrnity who live by sveophanc. on
one hand and dciracion on the other, 1t would APP
/ pcar a strange pcr,erson of the laws of society,
that such man u, the Western Cincinnatus, now
when lac is grey with honors and wears, should
need u iri.ndl, hand 10 repe dcfaciion and dc
fln,atlon. But the ianaicism OF party stops not nj
Inconsistencies md ab,urdirics. II the Father Of
malignant SANDER, and charges Of inconsistency and
fceblcnrss, in those DAYS when an adherence toprn
cipln had not ceased To be virtue, surely We need
not wonder that the thrice heated furnace otmod-
.rn pari,anship should be no rsssparne otrphcl',
more scrnpnlons OF conscience. Bun II nnbro-
ken confidence, from the earliest TO the latest pc
rod Of his public life, he "A mark Of consistency,
such IDLE charges need not be attempted 10 he re-
PEELED. 1t would attach an Importance 10 them
which they do not deserve.
Hugh l.. White has h,d moro Offices of trust,
and probably refused more, than almost any liv-
nc politician. lie has been twice upon the bench,
and elected . third time. lie has been Senator in
the Legislature of his own State. lln has been
District Attorney Of the United States. H."
has been President of the Bank OF Tennessee.
He was elected Commissioner between Virginia
and kcniuck, in the serlomcnto Of important land
claims. lie has been Commissioner under the
Spanish treaty He has been thrice elected Sena-
tor Of tho United States, and has been President
of the same bodv.--lir has refused place in the
Judiciary OF his own State, and also upon the Su-
ptcme Beach of the United States lie has more
than once refused a seat in the Cabnc, of Presi-
dent Jackson But Hugh l.. White is no seeker of
Office or Of honors. lie has shown no kccnness
of relish for tho gathered fruits Of his famr. They
have been showercd upon Inn in rich prolusion b,
/
with the sacfrdnr,s of trust, which he held ior
| his country and which he WAS always ready To re-
store with usurs. There i. harmony, an Order
an lo,Irrd purpose in the character oi Hugh l..
White, which cannot be appreciated hy those who
breathe thu atmosphere of fierce contention. They
cannot conceive of sincerity being allied 10 mode
ration, and they feel suspicious OF the fidelity OF
hu, who does not prostitute every faculty of mind
aud soul 10 the coe>soi every cphrn'"ral party
measure. Bat the great ma loriy OF the honest
and Intelligent i,ccn'en OF our country, who are AS
lutte perverted by the bitter rvalrrs of the press
and inferior politicians, ~ they infected wtl,
their corrupton, have affixed that estimate Upon
III, character, which r,acd worth has never fail
ed To receive in this Land of liberty and promise.
Another traIi ia the character OF Hugh l.. White,
which Distinguishes hun from most pplnlcllns, is
III nitnse denofion ~ me dafg 10 rhich he has
bstn cdUed He u the first man in hi, place in
the Senate, and the lII to leave ii--a1d, saws Il
distinguished m, mbcr of Congress, 81 know OF no
man, except Judge Marshall, who rides about the
city so liite in carriagc>.' When in the public
pay, he looks upon his time, every honest man
should, a no longer hi. own bat his connirv's-
AMI ncltlirr pleasure, nor private business. nor
even the hecncst and wcichiicst affection. have
drawn hm from ir.--\nd he has borne n share of
the Latter which seldom falls The lot of humanity,
lie has followed ia" greatest part of large family
o1 eM'ren, and tirr mother 10 the grave--and
tins during the course OF hs public HE.
One OF the most powerful efforts he ever made
~ the Senate, was on the morning after he rccc.-
I'd the tidlnes ,la, the hand of dca,h had torn n
snndrr the tcnlctcN ihrcs of human affection Ii
was his speech ON the Indian bill This question
had occa>oncd great cmbarra >Snrnt and concernto
President Jackson. Hugh l.. White was Chair
man Of the COMMUNICATIVE weight Of the measure
drvolvrd upon him, and procra,lination was Ger
tam defeat. But he appeared in his scat-a,ked
no indugcncc-madr no apolon,-and showing "A
fortliuic worthy Of his character, made one of the
ahcSt and most successful efforts ever witnessed in
that body, and carried the measure Such lofty
and honorable views of the nature and obyation
OF irn,t-Suoh intcnc devotion to its fulflmcnt,
oil ms colleagues III station OF life. Ii may
be affirmed ohim, and he record, othc nation will
bear ont the assertion, that in whatever station
high or low, he has been ENGAGED IInrh L. Whit,
! WAS NEyER KNOWN To FNL TO DO Ills DUTY -
This honorable and cnvablc fact in history. i,
these days VI political vaccillaion drsrrtioh md
change, will bc remembered when this generation
shall hay" passed away. \ rare instance of hi,
delicate srn>r Of honor and strict integrity in the
private relations oi life, deserves to hc recorded
While he va. Of the Commissioners under the
Spanish treaty, he also President of the State
Bank, Which station the friend. Of the bank prcvcn-
| ted him from rc>ienng. While absent ON the
Commission. he still continued To correspond with,
and advise the Directors, by which the bank re-
manned IN very Furnishing condition. After the