Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-09-17

cause Tor expulsion, and the reason was obyions
Many OF these gentlemen had been in office for
more than twenty years. When they entered
there was no distinction Of parties, and they were
generally of the old Republican school-the Fed-.
eral party being extinct. When the present d..
VISION OF parties took place, it was quite nature,
that The officers OF government, like other mon
should entertain their own views OF men ana
measures. Nolaw, nor custom, prescribed a for
muia OF political any more than Of religious faith
The I'd rule, though apparently in conflict with
the above nevertheless grew gradually in strenotI
and may be now regarded as formally established.
1t was, that, in making new appointments. none
should be chosen but genuine Democrats and
this TO apply TO all offices, judicial as well as min
Isteral. Does any one remember, within the last
fifteen or twenty y~cars,-the Democrats being in
power-the filling of any office, by a Whiq II The
political opinion Of the candidates were know,
OF brought into question :? On the contrary. veal,
the Wings were in power, did they ever pusc CO.
man into office, merely because he pas a WHIT
This last mentioned rule will become the settled
policy of the Democratic party whenever in pow
cr-especlally in relation to judicial and perhaps.
military appointments. We say military appoint.
ments because it has been seriously apprehendcd
that the course of Mr.. Polk in the Mexican war
was not without lis influence in Virginia. Who
does not remember that even many of the friends
OF that gentleman were disguised al the pertina-
city with which he urged the degradation of Scot,
and Taylor, by placing them under the command
OF a mere civilian-a man who by his recent
Free Soil sympalhies may yet bring woe upon
his country. Who does not remember also that,
out Of fifteen or eighteen General officers, made
by MIR. Polk, there was not one Whig-unless
Gen. Cadwallader may be classcd as such.
We have, heretofore, spoken of Offices in the
gift of the Legislature. We regret that the adj
mlnistratlon of Gov. Smith presents no exception
to the rule, so far as Executive appointments are
concerned. His first official act was TO turn out
of office the accomplished surgeon of the Public
Guard and Penitentiary, and such of the Direc-
tory OF the latter institution as were Wings, for
the sole and avoved object Of putting in Demo-
Gratis. A sick soldier, or convict, could not posi-
bly, be cured by a Wing physician-nor could the
sale of Penitentiary goods be managed by Wing
supervisors. The general disgust with which this
petty prescription was greeted, in Richmond and
throughout the State, sufficiently showed that his
Extra EXceleney was a little in advance of pop
ular sentiment, and the subsequent efforts which
he made, in some memorable cases, to democra-
tic the County Court Bench, were not calcula-
ted to reconcile the people to the new policy
How far the rumored caballing, at the Fauquicr
Springs, aided by the frantic cries for vengeance
of the Ledru Rollins Of the Democratic party,
may effect a radical and dangerous change in our
policy remains 10 be seen at the approaching ses-
Sioi VI tIC It5iSldlllc. Ills cNlucnt lldl lueIc
are many who are in favor Of ultraism on a variety
of subjects. To say nothing Of the new born and
most anti-Republican zeal 10 concentrate in the
hands OF the Governor provided always that he
be a Democrat-the little patronage of the Com
monweath, there are those who desire to see ey-
cry office of trust, or emolumcnt, great or small,
put into Democratic keeping. They desire to SEQ
every Canal, Rail Road, or Turnpike Company
every Bank, or other corporation, in which the
State has any interest, placed under the exclusive
management of Democrats.
Now, as conductors of a press and guardians of
what we believe the true and permanent interests
OF the Commonwealth, we protest against these
narrow and s~ectarian views. If Whigs-consti-
tuting a powerful portion of the State, and repre-
sentlng, by the most modest estimate, one-halfof
its wealth patriotism and intelligence-are really
to be put under the ban; excluded, not only from
all State executive and judicial offices, but from
the management of all institutions for banking,
internal improvement, education, or any other
municipal purpose-if this be the cold-blooded
and despotic machinery by which public opinion
is to be moulded, and the minds of freemen enslay-
ed, let it be so proclaimed from the house tops, in
i, language not to be misunde rstood-and then
we, as a great party, shall not surrender the coun-
try in which we have an equal interest, without
f at least a struggle worthy of our principles and
professions.
But we hope better things. We trust the social
fabric, at least, already too much shaken by po-
litical agitations will not be entirely demoliSh-
ed by the ~iIotspurs and mad caps ofthc dominant
party. There are honorable, h~igh-minded and
intelligent Democrats. who will frown upon eve
ry effort to bring about such a state of things
They will not, if wise, countenance measures, the
effect of which will be TO aggravate more and
more the divisions which exist in our Common
wealth. Each OF our great political parties has,
within itself, elements of dissention, which re-
quire reconcilement The two great geographical
divisions of the State stand towards each other
in an attitude, if not of i'll will, at least of distrust.
How much wiser it were to harmonise, than run
the risk of adding t. ,and aggravating existing, ele-
ments of discord.
Our views of prescription remain unchanssnf
Whenever it is carried, by the existing Admins
%tration, beyond the equalization of the Offices of
the country, we shall raise our voice against the
policy. But no matter what course be pursued
by the General Government, we protest against
the proscriptive policy being applied TO Virginia,
as h%umbling to our State pride and as savoring
more of a spirit of impotent revenge, than of a
+ manly assertion of supposed rights and principles.
&G, The Republican asserted that the Govern
, ment had lost fifteen and a half millions of dollars
by the use of State Banks rs Repositories. We
denied the fact, and challenged the production of
, the evidence. A report of Mr.. Woodbury., of