Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-03-10

PosrA throughout the State OF Virginia are au
orized to agents. and iperal commissions grant
upon all monies received.
Mr. J. T. BKlGHrwELL. of Danvle, is specia
cent in that section of the State.
Gen. Pierce's Inaugural Address is highly
uded by the Democratic party for the alleged
ankness, candour, and explicitness of its avow-
IS. A person who had not read the inaugural
oud be led to infer from the comments of
lese Journals that the President had boldly and
isincty announced his views all the import
ut questions eff the day, and unreservedly laid
bare the future policy of his administration to
be public eye A very superficial examination of
he address will suffice to show, however, that
|uch is not the fact.
In the first place we beg our readers to note
hat Gen. Pierce does not condescend to make
bveu the remotest refere nee to those great ques-
ions of domestic policy n which the people of this
Union deeply interested and which pos
pess living and practical importance to every
section of the country. He is silent the tariff;
he is silent on internal improvement; he is silent
on the public land question He speaks OUT
boldly and fearlessly on the Compromise, we
admit but with this exception he strangely ig>
uores the domestic policy of the country. Had
Gen. Pierce been disposed to deal openly and
candidly with the people, he would gladly have
ayailed himself of the opportunity recently af-
forded him to declare his sentiments in reference
to the questions to which we have alluded. Why
should he not have done so Are not the peo-
pie of the United States as vitality interested 10
tile domestic as in the foreign policy of their go
vernment! Is it not as important that we should
know what the Executive thinks of the great is
sues of free trade and protection. of the improve
1nent of rivers and harbours and of the admins
1ration of the public domain, as what he thinks
nflthe Monroe doctrine and the acquisition of new
territory Let it not be said that Gen. Pierce's
opinions In reference to these domestic topics,
were known to the lntry, and that therefore it
unnecessary that he should indicate the policy
OF his administration in regard to them. The new
President stands upon the Democratic platform,
and it has never yet been determined what that
platform means. Southern De mocrats say that
it repudiates projection but Pennsylvania De-
Inocrats argue that it sanctions that doctrine
Southern Democrats say that it denies the right
of the Federal Governmental construct works of
Gratis contend that it afirms that right. Now if
(ien. Pierce be the paragon of candour and sim
certify which his friends represent him to be; if
he scorns all disguise and concealment of his Opt
MONS, why did he not throw into his official pro-
gramme some intimation, at least, of the inclina-
ton OF his own mind in reference to these con-
troverted points Will it be the policy of his
administration to discourage aud break down all
protection whether direct or incidental, to our
domestic manufactures Will he resist appro-
priations from the Federal treasury for the
improvement of rivers and harbours? Does he
favour the policy of granting away the public
lands to the States in which they lie, for the pur
pose of building railroads and canals! What
does he think OF the Homestead bill and its kin
bred schemes of national spoiasion Does he
approve of that gigantic Pacific railroad plan
which, according to Senator Mason, embodies
worse principles than the Alien or Sedition law
and threatens to annihilate the Constitution p
In respect to all of these questions we are left in
state OF blissfu ignorance, and are constrained
to accept In lieu of a precise definition of Gen.
Pierce's position good deal OF vapd declan a.
ton about the stars and stripes on our national
banner. The President has evidently
shrunk from an open and manly avowa of his
sentiments in relation to the questions on which
the Democratic party divided. He has
esinced disposition to play out the miserable
game of deception and mposture devised bv the
politicians of his party at Baltimore Knowing
that wide diversity OF opinion existed in the
Democratic ranks touching certain important DO
litica questions, he had not the moral frrnne So
even to make allusion to these topics, lest he
ahould thereby give offence to some section Of
his supporters On no other hypothesis can we
account tor Gen. Pierce's silence in relation to
the leading practical issues now before the coun
try.
'ihe inaugural is more full and explicit in its
treatment OF the subject of our foreign relations
but even here the President deals somewhat j.;
vague and uninteigble generaties. He reaf-
firms the Monroe doctrine, but he does not toucb
the practical questions at issue between Great
Britain and ourselves. He declares that there
are certain foreign possessions that we ought to
acquire. but we are not informed to the extent
of these possessions The Conservative Democ-
racy of The South, with Mr.. Mason at their head
will say that Gen. Pierce has his eve on Cub,
alone, but whit will Mr. Geo. n. Saunders ane
Young America say Admiral Saunders" ad
vocates the annexation of Cuba, Canada, and ths
rest of British America. Haysi, Mexico and tn,
Sandwich Islands, &c. This conscientious fill
buster will argue that the Presidents anguae
was intended to incluee all of these countries