Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-04-02
The Board Of Public WOri<s--"A Po-
Iifical Machine"

The Richmond Enquirer has an article up
on the organization Of The new Board of Pub
lie Works, in which il declares it idle to say
that it sought to be free from party bases Of
proclivities a-"Every one knows that which
ever party obtains the ascendancy in the Board
will make il a political machine" The En-
auirer intimates that the Wings would be moro
prone TO do this, than the jemocrats--but the
Enquirer feels very confident, no doubt, thai
the Wings vii not have the-.asce ndancy in the
Board and its declaration amounts to moth
ing less than a confession that the Democratic
Party.or It's leaders, design making "a polite !,
machine ofthe Board. The Enquirer has no
authority to speak FOR Whigs-it has for De
mocrats and il uses that authority with can
dor and holiness, not altogether as democratic
as the policy it avows
BY way, probably. OF reeonclng It's party
to this resolve Of lis leaders. the Enquirer says
very matcely-"the patronage vested in this
body will exceed-far exceed that of the fed
raj government within this State" Not much
will they, tho Masses profit by this. as the En-
quirer we'll knowsl Their interest lies in hav.
ing the public works managed on the most ju.
dicious and efficient system. II need not CON
cernthem, whethc the commissionersare Wings
or Democrats, SO that they bul thoroughly com
prehend their responsible duties and faithfully
perform them. 1t is the managers and trick.
sters of party who are 10 profit by THAI same
"patronage." VIII the people contribute to
this RESULT We'll may the Richmond Times
ask:
WAS It for any such purpose as that indi.
Gated by The Enquirer. that the new consttu-
ton ordained that a Board Of Public Works
should be established We had thought that
the sole object proposed TO be attained by the
organization of that body. was The protection
OF the interests Of the commonwealth in her
various works of internal Improvement. But
1t now appears that another Object is to he &c
complished through it's nstrnmentality; that
the board Is TO be used as political engine,
and all the patronage within It's gift is to be
employed for the exclusive benefit of tho Dem.
ocratic party. Thus the Wings of Virginia
are 10 he taxed 10 support "political ma.
chine, over which their political opponents
are TO exercise complete control, and which is
to be employed by them for party purposes
The Wings will have 10 pay their full share of
the salaries pockcted by the Commissioners of
the Board ofPubIc Works and their army of
employees, and yet they are now coolly in-
formed IN substance, that all this patronage
must be dispensed with the view Of keeping
down their own party and building up their
own opponents. The Enquirorit is true talks
vigorously about dealing magnanimously
with the adversary" but experience has
shown that the most relentless prescription is
entirely compatible with Democratic notions
OF magnanimity and forbearance TOW ards an
adversary. If the Board of Pubc Works is to
be made political machine at all, it is easy to
foresee that il must become complete and
thorough instrument of political Tyranny and
that It's managers will dispense its patronage
with an exclusive ego to party. THIS state oil
things must be the inevitable consequence oil
the course now pursued by the Enquirer and
ITS party with reference TO the subject Com
missioners nominated by Democratic oonven
tons and elected by Democratic votes will con
slider themselves bound to administer thei
trusts for the benefit of the Democratic party
and will no more dare to disregard the implies
instructions than would president or a gov
ernor.