Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-07-23

strangers De pteseDi oH
but 40 there is uncertainty on the subject, it is
not positively announced. Should they arrive.
means will be taken 10 give as extensive notice as
possible Of the fact. Gov Barb is expected. and
possibly Gen. Waddy Thompson Of s. Carolina.
PoINSETl'S MILITARY SCHEME.
The course pursued by the Administration
presses in reference TO the Army Bill presented TO
Congress by the Secretary of War sworthy Of spe
oial attention. AT first all illusions to il sub
United TO with perfect silence. When i, was assaiI-
ed they uttered not word, in explanation. defence
or paalion. Had 1t been left to them, theii
readers would never have known that such
scheme had been devised by the War Minister
Presently however, they began 10 hear The mnr
murs OF popular dlsapproba,ion, which gradually
grew louder and louder, until they found that
some effort must he made to stem the swell
ling torrent. The sagacious Secretary of the
Democratic Central Committee in Richmond, who
is a sort OF Caleb Quo'em in politics. then hit up
on the happy expedent Of generating the PreS'-
dent from all responsibility for the act of his Sc
crelary. And, in the very teeth Of the Secrstarys
Report to the President. and OF the Presidents
Message TO Congress, in the former of which "the
Plan was summary skctched, and in the latter of
which 1t was declared that The President could not
oo strongly recommend' that plan 40 the conslde-
ration Of Congress- the complying Mr.. Ponseu
asserts that the President had never seen eIfher
it' (the pan) "or its detdiis" until he il ain
print" Some people say that This was a mere
equipoque on the part of the Secretary-a specimen
OF dexlerous special pleading, inasmuch as the
iJ ,l,, ito
not IN The newspapers, before the Presidents Mes
s'ge was sent 10 Congress. And This presumption
rendered AT least plausible by two facts-frsl that
is customary for the Secretaries have their re-
ports &c. printed be lore they are submitted to the
President, to be by HIM transmitted To Congress
and secondly, ina, II is dio ult 10 believe that the
President would recommend 10 the consideration
of Congress- plan which he never saw, and Of the
details of which he profoundly ignoraut.-
However this may be, il is evident that the Presi.
dent recommended something. And he is fairly
hung upon the horns of very unpleasant dilemma.
Either he reco mended this scheme, KIN wing what
was, and is therefore responsible for lis characters
or else exhibiting himself in the nnenyiabe attitude
OF recommending a measure of vast magnitude and
consequence, about which knew nothing, he
virtually coulesses that he has been ciminally neg
gen, of the duties of his high station. The for
NERVE believe to be true. We believe it, because
the language Of the Message. in adverug to ''the
Plan" Is IN perfect conformity with the plan itself
which could not have been the case if he had not
seen ii,-not before it .'in print,"-but before
thai Message was written We believe it, because
the President himself has said that lie was ig
nDran of The pla or It's det,ils vbnn no ,ro,,,ed
his Message. We believe it, because Mr.. Poinsett
retained in office, which would hardly be done if
he had as umed the responsibility of presenting such
scheme without consulting the President We
believe tbecause is in entire consonance with the
general policy OF the Administration, which betrays
uniform and underwriting purpose to srens, CITIZEN the
General Government al the expense OF tn e 5 .ates
and to concentrate all power n the hands of the Fc-
deral Executive
The next step, however, to show that, # Mr..
Poinsetts scheme is such an one ought justly 10
excite the appIehen'ions of The people, and "a
rouse their opposition to the Administration BY
which i has been prepared, Gen. Harrison once
accommodates measure identical 10 its character
and equally obnoxious therefore to public oondcm-
nation. Unable To defend tins monstrous sohe me
u-"hum6ug" as It's calIed--lhe champions of .he
Administrator hope to shield the President from
the storm OF public ind snaliOn, by ho ding up Gen
HarfIson's plan as worthy OF equA reprobatlo n
1t would be but poor defence loi the bad acts of
an Administration. even If II were Just one that
siniar propositions had been years ago advocated
by some OF ITS leading opponenls-since II shows,
II II shows any thlng, not that that Admiuis-
tr1tlon is worthy oil public ohflence. but that II
Is hoi 'oerSe than other people! But weak this
defence IS, II Is utterly untenable when compare
some oil It's leading features. cores pondenl ir
TINS mornings paper, ('Jashce," IN IA letter 10 WIN.
Daniel, Jr Esp adverls to two essential points in
which these schemes differ, and we beg leave 10
call The public attention TO Two Other provisions in
which the plans OF Mr.. Ponsct and ol Gen Ha,ri.
son are wide as the poles asunder"
l. Mr.. Polnselt's bill requires every militia man
to 'prorade himself with the arms d accourremenis
OF war, which he proceeds minutey 10 describe. A
bill reported by Gen. Harrison from the military
committee OF the House, in 1917, is sometimes quo
ted 10 show that he contemplated similar requisi-
ton But ii swell known that every chairman Of
committee is under an imperative obIiya n TO re-
port any bill, even though he may be personally op-
posed 10 all Of its provisions. which majority Of tina,
committee may approve. And, although we should
not be al liberty TO assert that Gen. Harrison did not