Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-04
VIRGINIA.


The people Of Virginia are less subject to politi
cal mutations than those of any other portion of the
Union. Questions which distract and break up
parties in other States may occasion excitement and
discussion in Virginia, but they do not shake the
integrity Of parties within her borders. She has
indeed partaken OF the passion for organic changes
has, by successive constitutional reforms SO called
run her political system more and more into the
ground, but nothing has been able to move the Ste
reotyped fxedness Of the old Jfsrson-JacksonR Reso
lutionsct'9S party. mother States all parties have
in turn, suffered reverses and fluctuations, but here
the party of 98 has remained steadfast to the Catos
and Phocians and all the endless sages of Greece
and Rome who have for fifty years spoken through
the columns of the Richmond Enquirer. At last
however, mischief seems to be afoot in the Old Do
minion the Democratic sentinels announce the ap-
pearance Of clouds in the horizon, and send abroad
the warning cry that all is not WE'LL A question has
arisen which menaces division in the Democratic
phalanx! After looking with culpable Indifference
for twenty years the misapplcation and abuse of
the vast domain which Virginia bestowed on the
National Government in trust for the common bene-
tit OF all the States she has of sudden been walked
up to the importance of that great interest by the
scheme introduced in Congress by one of her Sena-
tors to graduate the price Of the public lands--a
scheme, by the way, proposed as substitute for a
much more Objectionable measure and the Senator
being of the Democratic ser~o1, 'ao parry nas pe'
oome y;ol.-.,, ,-stacd on the subject. We find
in the old oracle Of Shockoe hill, the ever-faithful
Enquirer, the following note Of alarm:
A MIsoHIEvoUs MovEMENr.-We believe the conviction
is universal that the Democratic party of this State has
not been in critical condition since the great
throw Of 1840 The ranks Of the enemy largely
crued from variety of sources, and what is worse
own strength is seriously impaired by smohered spirit
Of disaecon This state Of things has not escaped the
observation of Wing editors; and hence they manifest
confidence and turbulence which contrast strangely
with their habtua despair and pacific disposition. There
are Democrats too Of sagacity who look forward to the
next canvass with distrust and apprehension In these
circumstances would infer that Democrat honestly
soicitous for the of his party, would suggest
every expedent of Cancellation and harmony, and would
resoutey oppose any policy which might possibly breed
dissenson 1t seems, however, that certain individuals
of the Democratic party engaged in plot which, if
successful will result in rupture and possibly in hope
less defeat The scheme is to introduce in the approach
ing Convention resolution condemnatory of Mr. Hun
TERs land bill and of the conduct of such Of Repre-
senatves as are known to support it. Undoubtedly the
good of the Convention would quietly reject mis-
chievous proposition The Convention is not called
prescribe PLATFORM but to nominate candidates. and
attempt its part to pass resolution of this character
would be fraud upon the people, who do not contem-
plate any such action.