Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-02-25
From the kichmond Examiner.
The hoard of PubIic Works.


the State Of Virginia may be afflicted with
three Commissioners, whose utter incom-
petence will lead to change even of the
organic law to get rid Of them. It'll very
obvious that old fogieism-now in the
sere and yellow leaf-with trembling,
yet eager hands, shaking legs, and shrlll,
creaking voice, will attempt to lay claws
upon the nice morsels, The political de,
functs, the illustriously named old stalk
ing horses, with distinguished ancestors
and names of terrific sound, will try, as
they have often done, to get upon the
back of the State,
We look to the organization of this
Board with the most profound interest 1t
is TO deal with the future. 1t looks to the
regeneration of Virginia-to the develop
ment of her material wealth and vast
physical resources, The purposes OF the
Board will be perfectly utllitarian. 1t
looks singly to the capacity of Virginia
for Improvement. The spirit of the age
in which we live looks hopefully to the
future. 1t is connected with the metallic
ring or the trip hammer-the whistle of
the locomotive-th clangor of the forge,
and the sound of the pickaxe and shovel.
Virginia is to be made physically great
by wise and judicious system OF i'm
provements.
The unitarian spirit which is to enrich
Virginia, is the cool indifference, the ut
ter disregard of romance and poetry,
which would make an engineer force a
railroad plump through Paradise.
This spirit must exist among the Com
missioners of the Board Of Public Works.
The members of that Board should be
men, young, active, intelligent, with rep
utations to make by enriching their State,
and identifying their names with great
schcmed of improvements. They must
be- men who look not back to the phos-
phorescent glare which proceeds from the
decaying bones of our mighty dead
but men with industry and energy to
build up new affairs, and lay the founda-
ton for new strength and greatness for
their State.
There is but one place in this State
where old fogicism can be usefully and OK
ccllently employed. The Historical So
ciety furnishes an admirable common,
where the incurablcs of the State can qui-
euy Craze for the balance of their lives.
Relics themselves, they can, with lively
feelings of sympathy and interest, dis
course concerning the adventures of
Smith and the discoveries of Columbus.
To this Chelsea Hospital, founded eX-
pressly for the unlicensed defuncts, we
call the attention Of those indiscrete
friends who arc constantly engaged in
putting them forward Tor places for which
they arc not at all suited.
As political question, the organiza-
ton of the Board Of Public Works is one
of very deep interest to the Democratic
party, The power and influence of this
body will be much greater than any in
the State. 1t takes precedence of the
Executive and Legislative branches Of the
Government. 1t will possess the greatest
of all agents of political power-the dis
pcnsation Of patronage, 1t will possess
powers OF appointment and distribution
of power, which will be felt in every por-
ton of the State. If this power should,
by any chance, fall into the hands Of the
Wing party, it would strengthen that par
ty incidentally. No one in his senses
doubts but that they would employ it at
once. The history of the manner in
which this influence is exercised in New
York. furnishes evidence enough Of the
danger to which we have referred. Pat
ronage in this country, is regarded by
both parties as one of the sources Of pow
er The Wings, conscious of this, have
systemaized prescription. Party politics
must, from the very nature Of things, en-
ter into every election. 1t rarely hap
pens that there is to be found in one par
ty man Of such transccnlant merit, as
for his claims to ovcrshadow all Others.
We are not aware of the existence of any
such men at this time in the Wing party
Of this State.
1t is highly important as matter of
policy that the members of the Board of
Commissioners should be members of our
own party. We would not fill these Off
ccs with brawling politicians--but should,
at the proper time, select competent and
efficient men from our own ranks as can
didates, The people have lately express
sed their confidence in the honesty and
wisdom of the Democratic party by
placing the Executive and Legislative
Departments of the Government in our
hands. There is no reason why we
should not have the selection of the Com
mssioners Of the Board of Public Works.
We express the desire that the mem
bers the Board should be Democats,
not that we wish the high duties OF
the Board shall be forgotten in the miro
and dirt Of political intrigue, but that the
Democratic party may be secured against
the constant efforts of the Wings to get
into power. We are now in the asccn-
dant in this State. We have the Wing
party under our feet, crushed and mutila-
ted by two overwhelming defeats follow
ing in quick succession. Ifthey will lie
quiet, and submit passvely to the will of
the people, we are not disposed to be
cruel-we are mercifully inclined towards
the hnatnn If thnN are submissive We