Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-04-21
POLITICAL.
Erom tie Riehmond wig.
SENTIMENT or THE WING PRESS.

press Vi the Ctale--oearing, mainly, upon
the faulty Of the Locos in rejecting the
Land money. A party was never SC
stricken with Judicial blindness. The
Wings have them hopelessly upon the hip
If they will press them hard. We hea
that the Loco candidates in several Coun.
ties are attempting to save themselves by
avowing their willingness to take the mo
ney. Such is the case with Col. White
/ in Hanover, one Of the candidates in
Buckingham, one in Roanoke, another in
Bath, and generally throughout the West.
Let not the people be deceived-Som Of
these gentlemen, whilst they court the
popular breeze. by expressing a readiness
to take the money, are intent upon a re-
peal of the Distribution Act--by which
alone the money is TO be had. Keep q
bright lookout
From the Lexington (Va.) Gazette, AprR7.
DISTRIBUTION.
The rejection, by the Virginia Senate,
Of the Money coming TO Virginia from
the Land Fund, has met with the decided
Reproduction of the whole Wing press oil
the State, and is condemned by portion
even of the Opposition party in differen,
parts Of the State. A measure more sui
cIdal both to its own interests and the in
terests of the State, we venture to say has
never before secured the appreciation oil
any class of politicians, and we hope that
the people of Virginia, at the approaching
elections, will set the seal of their con-
demnation upon the folly which has rob-
bed the State of its rights, and place men
in power who will not reject the magEifi-
cent income to which Virginia i, Justly
entitled.
The objection is often urged against
this Wing measure of distribution that the
General Government needs the Money
derived from the sales of the Public Lands
to supply the demands upon its own Tfea-
sury, and that if it is paid to the States,
recourse must be had to an increased tax
on foreign goods. For that matter, Vir.
ginia needs it as much as the General
Government. But which has the right to
the lands, the States or the General Gov.
eminent? We answer, in the language
of the resolutions, adopted by the House
of Delegates of Virginia, in 1889, unam.
mously- without one dissenting voice,
Wing and Democrat for once uniting on
the common, and at that day the undisput-
ed ground, that they "belong to the States. !"
IF then the lands belong to the States,
why should the "nesds" Of the General
Government overbalance the needs and
the rights of the States?
d.. H., Ok
this money will not go to relieve the Fed-
eral Treasury, if according 10 the propo-
sition OF Opposition leaders in the Senate,
il is to be set apart as fund for the erec-
ton Of Notifications, &c. These gentle.
men would deprive the States of it, bene.
fit, and would also prevent it from admin
isterng that relief to the Federal Trea-
sury which they claim it SO much needs.
For if the fund is applied as they would
have il, "what then becomes of the reue.
nue. How are the ordinary expenditures
to be met, but by an increased tarfr?'
The objection that distribution will
have a corrupting tendency, is too idle to
require serious refutation. Let this mo.
ney be appropriated to our works Of in
ternal Improvement, or to the payment OF
the public debt, or to diminish the burden
of taxation, or to the purposes of educa-
ton, and how is it to corrupt Whom
will it corrupt? On the contrary, we be-
ieve its influence will be an elevating and
purifying one.
But under what circumstances is the
money refused? One would think from
the scornful rejection il met at the HANDS
of the Democratic Senate, that Virginia
aud her people were in no need of money,
that the Golfers of the State were full 10
OVERLOOKING, that the industry OF her citi-
zens was amply rewarded, that the work
Of Internal Improvements was advancing
with unexampled rapidly, that railroads
and canals were traveTsing the State IN
every direction, and that the blessings OF
education were extended TO every man,
woman and child in the Commonwealth.
But, unfortunately, picture the very re.
verse of this represents the condition OF
our affairs. So far from the State being
in no need of money, her Treasury is
empty. So far from the industry of her
citizens reapng just and adequate re-
compense, every man sees, no one has the
hardhood to deny, that the most appalling
pecuniarv difficulties are pressing upon
evory class of the community. The
cries of distress, from every part OF the
State for relief, must have reached the
ears of our Legislators, if they did not
penetrate their hearts. And in regard 10
our internal improvements, it would seem
as if the hand of death had checked them
in their progress. Whilst other members
of the confederacy, with not half the nat
ural advantages Of Virginia, are rushing
onward with railroad speed in the race
for wealth and power, Virginia, the moth
err Of States, totters feebly along in the
rear of her more vigorous offspring, ant
permits others to divert from her the rlcf
trade which, by executing her plans o
internal Improvement, would make hel
one of the wealthiest and most powerful
States Of the Confederacy. And as to ed
ucation, so far from her people being
blessed with the opportunities Of acquiring
knowledge, $4,000 OF them can neither
read nor write. An army of ignoran
and uneducated men is rising and increas
ing within her borders, and TO such hand
shall the destines Of Virginia and Of lib