Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-09-30
GOV. GILMER IN INTEREST,".

tn re Is DO paii # our professional duty more
painful han hal which sometimes brings US in con-
illc' with gentlemen towards whom personally
entertain the klndesi feelings. We have the hghes,
respect Tor Gov. Gllmer; yet We cannot pc,m,, his
recent course 10 escape without auimadyfrsion. 1t
is due 10 III party 10 which attached, aud oil
which he was 50 long distinguished and honored X
"icwardsd' member. ha, expose The lallacy o,
some OF his allegations, al least far as lis tight 10
urge them is involved. We do no, intend 10 do this
nov, however, by labo,ed argument; rs we have
neitle, leisure 10 wfite space To publish il but
simply by reference TO lew indlsputabe facts,
some oil them drawn from very recent histor, all
winch lie saw,and pan OF which he WAS
We are sony To lear that Mr. Gllmef condescends
on all OCCASIONS 10 apply TO lis old associates the
stale and thread bare eplhet Of Ftderaiists-an cpl
thet which his ne" friends once branded upon his
brow, with as lilte ceremony lie himself now ex-
libs in its application TO others. lie then denied
the justice Of its application, not only 10 himself
but TO his friends. Nay, he went step farther aud
hurled II back upon bis present allies 1t is mani
fest, therefore, that this term, originally ofhonorbe
Specification, but which has nov degeneraled into
one OF reproach is d al captandum rutous
wofi,-''ihe counter Of wise men," who play with il
IN the game oil politics. 10 dure the fools who deem
IT sill nnadulteraled con,-the sign Of something
definite aud certain. Gov Gllmer calls federal
lists Iowa short Time s ce he applied the same
term 10 hs then opponents. Is he right now he
WAS wrong then. Is he wrong now he was night
then. Certainly he unjust then OF now. 10
our own opinion. II shows that he is without fixed
principles himself; else that the word "federa-
s.' has become Of mad dog" cry. by the use
of which il is sought, not to designate opinions and
principles, but to calch votes from the ignorant and
the prejnd,ced. We regre, to see Gov. Gilmer
opening the hunt with this false cry, after having
himself expressed his contempt oil sila, conduct in
otbers, who SO long endeayored to run him down
with ii IN yaln--decn1ed and shielded as he was by
the party, whose kindness AMI confidence he repa,s
with such sham ful ngta tuJe.
But Gov GiImcr cndeayofcd, in his speech al
Amherst, 10 prore that The Wigs are Federasrs.
Aud how? lie first defined, and If we have been
tightly informed, correctly defined The meaning oil
the leim-to wit, that he IS Iederallsl who does
mol coniine himself, in his measures of public pulley,
10 the powers granted by the consultation, or such
as are "necessary and proper To carry the granted
powers into effect. And he then referred 10 the
prominent measures adoI ted ur- ed by the Viii
AT the extra session, 10 show that they have trans
ccnd'd ,hese lin its. These measures are-l The
National Bank Q the Distribution Bill 3, the
Loan Bill and A. the Bankrupt Bill. Let us look
nj housekeeping in view, as 70 along, Gov
Gilmer's test.
As loa National Bank, We deem il unnecessary to
c.arene The question OF It's constitutionany. We
cheetuy admit that # Gov. Gllmer de- rms il uncon-
sulutioual, lie 1ud be lederalist il he were 10
sanction its Incorporation. But they are not lcder
st>. "ho b. lleve h'l The constitution either by ex-
press grant, rby necessary inference, coniers upon
Cong,ess the lower TO incorporate il. Aud all
such persons may in defence Il This construction,
appeal 10 weigh, of authority, such cannot be
lnsaldaird by sneer. OF oycibalanced by The cha
ract'r and Ial' ns OF lis opponents. We have been
mlsntormed, moreover II Nj. Gllmer did not him
SELF so late as last Spring, regard evena National
Bank, per Sc" among the aHe,nai,reS, aud even
the first among them which lac should be willing 10
adol t.
.. The Distribution Bill cannot certainly be
deemed unconstitutional by Mr. GiImcr, and lis
supporters are not therefore, according his own
t'nd the only uue) test, leJerallsls. We say that
Mr. tln CT oannnol believe the Distribution bill TO
be unconstitutional; because find on referring 10
tic proceed ngs o; the Virginia Legislature in the
Session of 1879 thai he voted for series of n, snlu-
tons iisltncIing our Senators IN Congress TO wore
tor The Distribution bllli The first of hcs. resolu-
lions declared that 'hc Pubc Lands BELONG
10 all The States IN cominon,' (Which, by the WV
was adopted nnanimousiy, not single Loco
Foco dissenting II this be true, IL surely eannul
be uncol sttuonal TO give back 10 he S ates that
which "bctonSs" TO hem: bu II would slrke US as al
taking OF ultra federalism TO wIest from The States
| ven 10 supply a ficiency III the revenues (should
sUeh deficiency exist, in the federal rcasn,! The Sc
cond resolution, therefore, WAS cofrolary from he
s,,-decaring that the public lands should be so dis
posed OF as 10 enutc equally the benz fit all the
SHles, and dePr eating The adoption by Congress
." all such measures migm have a contrary ten,
tetcy-and this u snluiinn adopted by a vote Of
ia 10 10 )! The 81 Resolution, (which was the eist
Of The whoc,) Urged uron Coneres, "hc speedy adop-
on Of some eqa'abte plan Jr The distribution Of he nH
proceeds of The sales ofMc Pubhc Lands" which was
adopted by vote OF n 10 49, ma Jurily OF % in a
House about equally divided in politics. showing ,h,
before II was made apriy guest n, many of the Ln
CO ocos were 10 idyur Of II. II, then To be IN IA
vor Of Distributions max Il man a fcde,ai,>t wI,t
i becomes OF Gov. Gmer him>eIl1 lie ccltaiul, ,eas
! a iedeiaii,t IN 1889, when is la div long ,nongh
aso 10 en- tile hh 10 the ben, tit If lie statute al ll