Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-04-11
ADDK H2S<
Ofhe Wig members Of The Legislature,
TO THE PEOPLEOF VIRGINIA.

You in relation TO the prominent, topics Of pub
lie interest that now agitate Tho country.
The lieods of the present Administration hsy,
recently held Convention in this place, constituted
partly Of members of the Legislature, and partly
delegates from several OF tho counties, appointed IL
conformity with the invitation of those members, fo
tho avowed purpose Of harmoniziug the discotdan
materials of which their party IL composed. aud oil
conc'lIatine those who had been alienatcd by SONS
Of the measures which had received the sanction oil
a majority Of that party. Ii WAY doubtless anti
cipacd, too, that one, aud not the least important OF
the effects 10 be produced by this unusual eonvocs-
ton, would bo the creation Of an artificial excite
ment among tho people, NJ all times so uniavorAbc
10 correct judgment upon the measures which they
are called upon. at tho polls, To sustain TO reject,
with tho hope that, in tho whirwiud OF party pas
sion. they might be able To procure reversal OF tho
decision Of the people, rendered twelve months ago,
under circumstances 80 much more propilious TO a
calm aud dspassionate consideration OF tho issues
then presented 10 them, and which once again To
be sub ccted To the same ordeal. before tho
ve,eign tribunal II tho Wing members Of tho
Legislature have not followed the example OF their
"Democraiic" brethren, by inviting, on this ocea.
sion. the corporation OF their fellow citizens Is
not because they are cnsibe OF the important in
trrcsts involved IN the result Of tho approaching
lection but because they not Of any spe.
cal necessity To call them from their homes aud en-
ploymcnts, with the sole view OF maxim an imposn <
array OF numbers They would indeed have been
Iheasth ~ HaNc cnJoNeu'ue DrncHt OF TUG COUNSEL
and advice OF their friends from every section OF the
Commonwealth hut they feel well assured that.
animated by common purpose, they will not the
less certainly speak the sentiments OF tho great body
of the Wing Party of Vngini'. because special de
lcpates, appointed by that party have not assembled
with them 10 unite IN their expression aud they do
not apprchenh that those who concur with them IN
opinion, viii be less jealous ant active IN the mann
tenance and support Of their cherished principle
simply for the reason thai they have not mingled IN
the rxciiemcnis OF the metropolis, and imbibed y
morbid enthusiasm from ihs INV hoesome fires which
ever rage IN this the centre OF political intrigue aud
chlcanery.
Last Spring, fellow citizens the principal qucs
ton which you were called upon 10 decide, was.
qther you would give your appreciation aud con
sent to that thorough revolution IN the financial ss
TEN of The general government, proposed by the pre-
sent Administrations and adhered TO with nnyieldpc
obsnacy in despite Of its repeated rejection by tho
Representatives Of the People, whose sentiments
majority OF those Representatives faithfully reflect
cd. That decision was against the measure thus
recommended, and thus persisted in, by the Admin
istration. Your proclaimed you hostility 10 IL IN
the most decisive aud emphatic manner. And II il
only because, from. the popular constitution of the
State Senate many of the members of which body
were elected without reference to this question: and
some OF whom. II Is believed, do not fairly represent
the opinions Of The constituent body that decis
ion. thus unequivocally made. has been edoctuay
" check mated" That issue then, is again fairly
and fully presented for your decision. our are TO
determine. thus Spring, whether your judgment,
socmnly pronounced in April last, was wrong, and
whether you ave now prepared to reverse IT, and, by
its reversal 10 add another To the long list OF Execu-
tive triumphs over the will ofihe People, as made
known by thcn, both at the Polls and through their
Representatives. In Congress. vitality important rs
tho SubTreasuiy question $50 called inrinsically
is-obnoxious AS II is otbe most imposing obec
tons-it becomes question Of far deeper interest
dad fI,pA and
unring efforts Of the Administration TO force II upon
the People. against their WILL by the combined inllU-
ence Of government patronage and parry discipline,
by which the vcnal are purchased, aud the timid are
dragooncd IN the supper, OF men whose measures.
they confess. are both unwsc aud mischiev GUS
Casting aside old landmarks we have seen that this
question, although occasionally treated Ms one Of
" subordinate interests, whenby so representing, its
opponents. otherwise friendly TO the Administration,
may be induced, by that deeeptive assumption, to
support men whose policy they condemn, has been
M eto absorb all others and that II now constitutes
new ana arbitrary test Of political orthodoxy! This
cannot be ol,stioned by the most superficial obscr-
yer and we re eat, therefore that the question Of
" Sub Treasure or no Sub 1redsnry"Is one Of the
most i'm Porlant which the people oil Virginia VIII
be called upon once moe 70 approve or 10 re-
ject. We vail not permit ourselves to doubt that
their decision will be in entire CONFORMITY WIN the
previous action Of Vmgna-hat this measure VIII
be ag ain repudated-and that the Federal Execu-
tive will be distinctly appraised that the people Of tbls
good old Commonwealth. true 10 then ancient prl2-
ciples aud Jealous, rs their fathers were. Of the
inroads aud encroachments of Power, and Preroga-
tive upon popular rights, will sayo him. THUS far
mayst thou go, but no larlhorlleie shallthy proud
waves be stayed !"
Intimately connected with this subject, as illus
raliye of one of the most peroicous consequences
which may be expected TO result from its adoption,
are the heavy deialcarions that have occurred with
in n few years past in the Land Offices aud in the
Custom Observation-Disclosures amounting, in the
aggregate, 10 millions 81 dollars. ii has been said,
and we may perhaps be again told. that these de-
falcaions occurred while Banks employed rs
the fiscal agents OF the Government. But the Oh
vious reply this mark is, that these repeated rob
berries perpetrafed 10 despite Of the checks and
safeguards afforded by bank agency and the fair
presumption is that these frauds upon the public
treasury. but for the existence OF those checks would
have been greatly multiplied. In every instance,
whenever a delaoalion has occurred il will be
found, upon examination that the tequsItlon de-
posite the money in Bank, had oot been
Piled with by the deauller; and that not of the
money. so deposited, was ever pufoined or lost 1t
was always stolen while il remained in the custody
Of The Collector Receiver. Had been dispos-
ted in Bank as it collected. it could only have
b withdraw from its vaults "upon the check OF
the Treasurer" aud hence, could never have been
reached, except for legal and legitimate purposes,
by the subordinate officer. Abolish Bank agency
now. and leave the public money in tile chests safes
and vaults Of individuals and the inevitable result
will be the multiplication Of defalcaons to extern
limited only in number and amount by the lempta
tons and facilities which this system will present tt
the avarice The necessity Of the Sub-Treasurers
The reply which is generally made to this objeclio,
is absurd as il is is irile We are asked ifBsnl
officers are more honest and trustworthy than o,he