Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-03
,;,---.--.pSTAUNTON:-
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 3, 1883
SO. Yo,,ro.a and the Democrats Party

x,.,,road and the Democrats Party |
The Pacific Railroad scheme is likely 10 in-
yolve the great Democratic party IN consiuefaole
difficulties. 1t has been cardinal doctf'ue WIN
that party in the Southern States to deny TIE cO'-
.stimtioual right Of the General Government 'o1
nr,secu,e works Of internal improvenent-ln the
w., more liberal views have obtained Several
members of President PrERcE's CABINET now
ever. have recently come out IN favor ot we Z d
:c;6c Railroad, and Secretary DAVIS lntiha'eu ''
PHILADELPHIA that he spoke uae sentiments Vi '''e
President Here is something Of dnenlra 'oi
the Southern Democracy. WIN 'ney ''Ne 'N'>
$all their denuneatious ofinternai Improvements
:,pd acknowledge that the wing ooc'r'"e y" "''
.,,,h;,..t ia constitutional and right, or Will they
presume to differ from the powers mat oe anu
Sh,e,k with the Executive? The eNpedleht re-
esorted to by Mr.. DAVIS TO get round his cO''S'''u
.sional; scruples-deEiSing the r'ght 10 MAKE '''
:road from the war pOwer--ls very ingenious !" 0e
Nsuse and may be reso,edTo In nearly every case;
sn,, = did not occur last winter to Senator's MASON
and HusrEa and the Democratic press OF Inc
Estate which unanimously apPauded their course
.Inuhe mean TINE this Pacific scheme Is gelu"9
10 be popular, and if the Southern Democracy cont
take passage in the cars they VIII most Pro"eoty
be left in the lurch.
For several weeks after the Philadelphia ban
enst. at which Secretaries DAVIS and GUTHRIE
.diyulged their sentiments, the Democratic organs
in Virginia maintained profound silence On the
subject. Some of them now begin to refer to 1t.
The Norfolk .7rgs prOnounceS tire enterprise
>-'pregnant with threatening i'll" and hopes 'he
~P,esident will isterpose the ''egs of the Constl-
rution.'' Rather too late to make that appeal
we should think, after the President is comnltted
by the members of his Cabinet in favor OF the en-
tsrprise. 1t is not probable that they.sPoke On a
matter of so much Importance without tall author-
nv from their chief, OF that he will ROW repudiate
their declarations.
The Southside Democrat waited to hear from
otber presses more influential, but having waited
in vain it speaks ITSELF 1t says the positions as
sumed by the Secretary OF War "dspays an IN
consistency which. ever since our perrssl ct them,
MA have endeavored in vain to reconcile" and
further, 'swe call upon the people of Virginia to
halt before they give their endorsement, without
dine consideration, to measure which at best pre-
sents many baries, over which it would be Pru-
dent for them not anwarily to leap" That's
aretty plain talk But can it be possible that 4
Democratic paper finds it necessary to warR the
people Of Virginia against endorsing measure al
ready endorsed by President PIERCE and his Cab
=, met!
The Winchester Yirginian, which By the way
is one ofthe most respectable we'll as consistent
" Democratic, papers in the State, publishes the
soeech of Gen. DAVIS, aud then argues from re-
mark of Mr.. GUTHRIE that the speech does not
pledpe the administration 'to the Immediate pros
acatoh of the work" This is about all the con-
ISOLATION the Yirgiaian can ud, and it is evident
Nv disposed to make the most of it but we should
regard it as rather cold comfort.
We wonder row what Col. BENTON thinks a
bout these recent developments. The Presideat
and Cabinet are in a fair way to take all the
wind out of his sails. They have uncerenSRious-
Nv mounted the hobby upon which he expected to
ride into the next Presidency. At any rate, the
current opinion in Washington is said to be that
the "great MiSsourau" will be q candidate, indie
pendent of all Conventions and parties, and there
~ no doubt that the Pacific Railroad will be a
prominent topic Of the CANVASS.
Since the above was Writtea, we find commu-
nfcation signed blue Ridge" in the Richmond
Esquirer, from source, the EDITORS sag, which
entities il to publication in their columns. The
writer says it is bad enough for the two Secreta-
ries to express opinions in favor Of the Pacific
Railroad, but quite ''insgterable to have such o.
pihons endorsed by the President and the official
organ at Washington" He ecacludes as follows:
eff such are to be the recommendations of the
administration. take this early occasion to say,
that it is not the entertainments to which we were
invited The country was promised regular,
old fashioaed, Jeffersoniah State Rights admins
tration under General Pierce, aud, at least, re-
lied confidently ppon the fulhiiment at that prom
Use. But if such is to be the policy of the admiels
tration upon questions of Internal improvements
am off Intend to adhere faithfully to Virginia
principles.-to stand by the old and safe doctrine
of State Rights and strict cOnstruchon--to resist
all attempts to enlarge the powers Of the Federal
Government. And if, in doing SO, 1t shall be-
come my duty to dehounce an administration,
which aided in bringing into power, shall not
hesitate to do even interchangeable as 1t may
be. My motto is, Principles not .uen'-afd
intend to act up to it."