Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-02-14


ference for this for that mode OF organizing con
,pi,tee. But on this occasion, and in relation TO Il,
inquiry proposed. It is a matter Of practical impol
,,pce The subject matter of that inquiry is III
purloning from the public treasury, through a seric
of years. by publis officer who came into Office il
tho great Of Reform" upon the Spoiis prin
slpIe, Of million and quarter of dollars-and it i
important tina, the investigation shall be SO conduct
ed as 10 elicit the whole truth not only as TO the a
mount Of money stolen. but also as to the mode b,
which, for period of nine years he con,rivsd to e.
iude detection, and to defy the Argus-eyed scrntn,
of the Simon Pures who hardly warm in the
seats before they had ferreted out poor Toby Wat.
tins and set upon him the whole pack Of ,reasur,
hounds" Tray, Blanche and Sweethsart--all -
The public desire TO know whether this systemati c
robbery remained so long undeecied, in consequence
Of defect either in the laws or in the rules of the
treasury departmsnr,-of whether there was wilful
COLLISION with the criminals, for political reasons
the part Of the legal guardians Of the public purse.
Aud how could this searching scrutiny have been
effected, had Speaker Polk appointed committee
~pon the principles avowed by the leaders Of the Ad
~ s.ration party in the House-to Wit, not only
ii is the usual practice of the Speaker soto ap-
point, but tina, it is his duty in making such appoint,
ment 10 select majority ofhis political friends =
In other words, that the inquest should have been
80 constituted as TO inerpose insurmountable obsa-
elss to thorough investigation into the only matter
connected with Swa,twoul's delaeaiion which it i,
inportant to know-lor il matters very little whether
he has expcnde the money or whether j, be in
his possession-whether, if squandered, other per-
sons, Wings or DeWocra's, participated in its bene
Answers to these inquiries might pcrchance Crafty
an idle curiosity, but they could lead to no beneficial
results. But, it specifically important to ascertain
whether tie default was known al the Treasury De-
pariment, fso, why tL4 dciaulter was not promptly
arrested and il not, to ascertain the defect in our
financial sysem,b by which he was enabled SO long
detected to pulloin the public money. But If Mr..
Polk had appointed the comnillee he would por-
posey have SO constituted il, as to shield the Ad-
minstration from reproach even though lis sul't
were MANIFEST and the direct effect OF Mr.. Stuan's
vote MAS give TO the Administration the benefit OF
q committee SO appointed as 10 make them adrocatcs
instead of nyers VI those whose supro ed connection
in some shape, with this gigantic delalcaion, is the
only important object Of the investigation. We do
no, pretend to say that this the intention Of Mr.
Stuart in giving that vote but, Whatever may have
been his intention, that was its necessary-nay, its
-aro,red consequence ayowed by the leading friends
Of the Administration IN debate, who commended 'ha,
it was more important detect Mr. Swartwout's
socatcs in the gigantic crime, il associates he had.
than TO ascertain The innocence crnlinauy otthe
Administration in so long permitting that crime TO
proceed The fearful extent which it finally reached,
without detection, and in afterwards, months aite,
the removal of the criminal from Office, suffering him
to escape foreign territory, where lie now laughs
IL scorn the harmless denuncalions f his swindled
county.
But sup osine Mr.. Stuart's motives. (Which we
will not mpugn) and conduct, we've both correct in
voting with Cambrelcng against Mr.. Wise's motion
10 appoint the committee by ballot. Wha, apology
will lie make his constituents for his vote The
Land Bill, for III our estimation the most objecona-
BILE vote given by Mr.. Stuart, is that agains, laying
the table, Equivalent TO re- ection and SO under
stood to be,) the bill for graduating Tie price Of the
Public Lands of the principal arteries Of that
slupendous system of fraud, by which Senator Ben
ton and his gang Of l. md Pirates endcavoring 10
squandsr away the Public Domain, and TO swinde
the old States Of their equitable interest IN that
great national inlerance--a system hich was ton
denned, but the other day, by nearly the unanimous
roice of our House Of Delegates. and which, we
have no doubt, is still more unanimously condcmn-
ed by public sentiment ihroue hout Virginia. We
are aw are that an ing nous man, such as Mr. Stu
MT confessedly is, may invent sunday specous pre-
texts to Justify this vote bu seen in its tue as
res, it is wholly ind,ensible, whether regarded in
reference to the influence Of principle Of graduation
al measure OF national policy, or in relation TO the
rights of the older members of the Coniedcracy 1t
at FIRST sight quite plausible to say that after the
Public Lands have been for long tine in market
and remain unsold at the minimum government;
price, Of 81 25 per acre, ii f,r presumption that
they are not worth that sum, and that the Price al
according to their supposed yalue-as the bill IN
question proposed, reduced to rs cents now, and TO
50 cents at not very remote period. But the Ei- |
fyof this reasoning is shown, by the fact that,
though these Lands may Tot have sotd for the
government price, that circumstance is no evidence
that they are not now uorM that sum, and much
less that they will be hereafter. 1t cannot indeed
be expec d. that after the lands in the longest set
filed of the new Staes which the graduation pln-
cple is proposed to be extended, have been picked
and culled the refuse portions although n,riusical-
ly worth the government price, will readily command
it, while the richer soils Of those more recently set
lied are prenaturely forced into market and
are subjected to the same ruin0us process