The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-08
The Navy Yard at Norfolk.

The Richmond Wing copies our late
paragraph upon this subject, with the fol-
lowing comments
1--WE stated it, about one year ago, as our opin-
ion derived from observation, that the people did
not feel any sympathy for those who were removed
from Office, and that il vain To appeal TO them
upon such grounds We were bitterly assaulted by
the Enquirer at the time for expressing this opinion
When Messrs. Heath and Lawson were elected from
office, the act palpaby one Of pure proscrip-
ton, that we hoped and believed it would form an
exception to the general rule. We could not be-
lieve that the people Of Virginia would sanction the
bloody code which the Legislature established, and
10 which they chung with much pertinacity, that
they were on the point ofinhcting upon the public
service man, who, whatever he may claim To be
notc, had at one time been avowed Abolitonist.
We see now, however, that our first impression was
right, and that the people of Virginia lat least)
have no sympathy for elected officers, let the cir
'cumstanccs under which they lose their places be
as henous as they may.
This brings to speak of the paragraph
from the Republic, and Of the subject to which
it alludes. We have long been accustomed TO hear
complaints Of the extreme unfairness with which
matters managed at the Gosport navy yard,
and the system Of prescription which has been
practised there for a long series OF years OF our
own knowledge, VIC can say nothing with regard
to the justice Of these complaints; but they have
been the subject of much heated controversy in the
newspapers, and IL is fair TO presume that where
there has been so much smoke, there must be
reasonable quantity of fire. II s very certain that
Mr. Cowpcr lost his election last year, from causes
connected with the navy yard, and that the county
Of Norfolk was lost This year from the same causes
This is not at all astonishing. The Wings of that
district, when they saw Wing President inauqu-
rated, had undoubtedly right 10 expect that
Wing mechanics, of equal skill, would be allowed
to take share in the abors Of the navy yard; and
when they saw that IL produced no alteration, but
that the same system Of prescribing Wing work
men persevered in with ruthless pertinacity, IL
was quite natural that they should feel no great
disposition 10 exert themselves.
cit is understood that so few removals have been
made in Virginia, because il believed that the
sentiment Of the people, which every republican
President is bound 10 respect, was opposed TO the
system. The late elections have put the right face
upon that matter. The people of Virginia had two
cases before them Of wanton unustifiabe proscrip-
ton, and they soemnly endorsed the act We
hope this fact will not be lost upon the Cabinet AT
Washington, and that IL will serve to remove any
scruplcs they may have had heretofore upon that
head II all accounts with regard 10 the navy yard
be true, there never was 'Augcan stable which
stood more in need Of the broom. Yet the navy
yard is only point, and there are many in viz
ginia The public officers, both here and in the
other States, far from being equslzed; and IL
is the duty of a mo party President las the En-
qnirr is fond of calling General Tayor) 10 see that
they be distributed with exact regard 10 equal
ity."