Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-08-27
The Pacific Railroad.
VIRGINIA DEMOCRACY AND THE
ADMINISTRATIONS.


between them and their chief We may expect
an entire concord of opinion in all the meas.
ures of his administration. But, we cannot de-
mand Of him to enforce perfect conformity OF
opinion on the seven gentlemen Of his Cabinet
on every conceivable question of public policy E;
nor can we impose upon his shoulders the bur
den of every sentmen; they may utter in post
prandial orations."
We clip the above from labored article in
the Richmond Enquirer IN which il happily
persuadcs itself TO the conclusion that Presi
dent Pierce does not approve the Pacific rail-
road scheme. We are told that we cannot de-
msnd OF Linn to enforce periec, conformity of
opinion on 1" seven gcntlement of his Cabint
on every conceiva qnes on of public
policy And, SO it would seem. ii there
be any member of the Cabinet who differs with
the views of him who spoke for his "honored
chief" at Philadelphia. Bot is IL not high
probable that the apprehensions Of the Enqni
Ter are premature ir regard 10 ultimate non
conformity of opinionl The tactics which Gen
Pierce has practised seeminglyl o gather togelh
or the meteorc fragments of the democratic
ly as may be applied for bis own guidance
There were and are thousands of those who
look upon the compromise as a violation of
Sta es rights and the constilulion--yet. to ad
vance the harmony Of The party they have full
ly acqniesced we are told, IN that violation. and
the administration duly rewarded them there.
for.
Then why may no, the President and Messrs.
Davis and Guthrie, aud Buchanan and the
"Union" avail themselves of the same proper
resort, and Climb back--al of them, 10 insure
the harmony Of the party. upon the rickery
platform from which they have I'M ulclously or
accidentally sliddenl Surely. the Enquirer 3
sober second thought was not exercised in
its implied confession Of non conformity of
opinion between the President ana has Cabinet
But the Enquirer speaks Of concord Of
opinion on "measurss' of tho administration
Is that the issuei Is approval or disapproval
OF the Pacific Scheme, a measure. the point
of difierence-lhe gulf, deep aud impossible
which lies yawning between Virginia Demo
crazy and the Presdentl-Do inca snres,in the
estimation of the Enquirer, constitute have
they ever constituted The fundamental, disrin
gushing lines between political parties in this
countryl Louis Napoleon ar the Russian
Car may look alone to measures" and their
expedency; but here we had thought there
was an organic law to be consulted, question
OF constitutional poorer to be decided. Docs
the Enquirer believe, assuming that S, creIary
Davis did represent his " honorod chief" in
advocating the Pacific Scheme-supposing
even that the administration may ultimately OPP
pose the measure as inexpedent-we ask, in
such a contingency. does the Enquirer believe
that the President will have become in fact
less convert to the dogmas of federalism y
than if he approved that measure Will the
anjagonism between the Virginia school and
the President be less irreconcilable Thai
is the point In be considered. The measure il
secondary consideration; and TO bring it for
ward now, in consideration of the position
THE President on the snhject Of internal i'm
provement by the General Government. cun on
ly serve 10 mys,ity and to draw attention from
the true issue involved. The issue is one o.
principle--,he Substance is presented to then
but our Virginia abstracIionist prefer the milo
sport of charging on the shadow.
But,whilst the Virginia Democracy now re
gard with such holy horror the project of i'm
provement by the Federal Government, it is q
curious matter ofresearch, says the Nationa
lntelligencer, 10 go ba, k some twenty or thirty
years to see what they thought ofthe question
when this power was then under discussion il
Congress.
In 1924 the Hon. John S. Barbour, then q
Representative from the Culpeper district
when a bill was before the House of Represer
'atives to authorize Survey for Roads and
Canals, took decided ground in favor of tn.
power. We refer especially to his opinion
because he is still on the Stage Of life. is still
leading Democrat of the Old Dominion a nd
was one of the first and most efficient support.
trs OF the nomination OF Gen. PIERCE in the