Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-08-16
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Tn. Hunter Land BllI.

We continue our quotations from Democratic pa
pers opposed to the Hunter Homestead Bill. The
Senator's bill meets with decided and violent opposi
ton from majority, We. believe, of tho Democratic
press Of the State The Examiner Of yesterday says
'sThe Democracy Of Virginia with us on this ques
tom and even those journals which clumsily defend
the bill acknowledge it to be compromise and sur
render" Thus far, then, the Examiner has the en-
phatic advantage of the Enquirer The contest
nevertheless, is close and exciting one. Which will
come of victor in the end it is exceedingly difficult
ut the present moment to determine. We should say
that the Examiner undoubtedly would if we had not
observed disposition in same quarters to use extra
ordinary efforts to turn the scales in favor OF the
Enquirer. All the government organs at Washing-
ton big and little have lately come to the aid of the
Enquirer. This complexities the matter little and
confounds all our calculations In the Of justice
and fair play we protest against such indicate in
reference in tho domestic affairs Of the Virginia
Democracy. The Enquirer itself ought to protest
against It it has recently done in matter Of far in
feror Importance. We particularly surprised that
the Washington Sentinel should consider itself privi
legged to interfere in this family difficulty, and actual
" become the partzan Of one Of the combatants in
the fight That journal has all long deprecated and
denounced both the doctrines and the practice Of
foreign interventon-of government interference in
matters Of State concern The present is distinctly
and emphatically little Aare-up between the two
wings of the Virginia Democracy. And we respect
fully submit whittier it is proper for the Sentinel to
step in and take sides either way. Why don't the
Sentinel evince the impsrtialty and magnani-
nifty ourselves, and calamity throw up its cap for
both sides? That is the way for modest outsiders
like the Sentinel and us to do. We hope, therefore
our Washington contemporary will take the hint and
b, hereafter cautious and more generous too.
But let us return to the sheep who have straycd
from the Hunter fold. We have already given ferU-
cious extracts from the Examiner Staunton Findol.
tor and Abingdon Democrat We come now to the
South Side Democrat, which, in article some days
ago upon the Eunter substitute doubts much neither
utter defeat would have been better than for the
States Right Senators to have abandoned the pas,
policy of the Republican party" Again, in its issue
of yesterday, it says ave have not considered il
worth while to enter into any augmentation to show
that Mr. Hunters bill is sacrifice Of the Virginia
doctrine on the land question. 1t would have been
the labor of supererrogation to have done so. The
measure is totally apart from Virginia ideas OF
strict construction and constitutional power,
the coors Of black and white; and the attempt to get
rid of the constitution by mere bubble of nominal
value received for the lands is unmanly subcrfugc
unworthy Of Mr.. Hunter, and makes the measure, il
any thing, odious by nfusng into it artful eva
sion and cunning artifice in lieu of the audacous
qualities that characterized its prototype" This is
frank and manly language on the part of Peters
burg contemporary 1t says nothing about the neces-
sity of accommodating" ones self to .circumstan-
ces" 1t nothing Of right consistency in con-
sentng to except compromise OF principle" 1t has
taste for purchasing advantage by the surren-
der of scruple" But it opposes Mr.. Hunters bill
because it is sacrifice" of the doctrine of the Vr
snia democracy on the land question-becausc it in
wolves palpablc violation OF the constitution
cause it is contemplate and unmanly subteriuge
The Danyille RepubIican another decided Demo
cratic journal, has long article this subject from
which We extract the following:
The idea that IL is good policy n the government 10
give farms to the HARMLESS and homes the homeless e1
cept by means oil laws the subject OF pauperism which,
may be found upon the statute book Of every State in the
Union has been repudaed by all except temagogues and
fanatics Is the bill under consideration free from the
odium OF this principle No candid man can so view IL
IL Is useless to say that the policy of graduating the price
Of the public lands has been recognized by the wise
statesmen of the country wise aud discreet To Thu
we confess Bu: upon what principle should this grad
uaton be made! Ii must be regulated by the intrinsic
value in the market, and the greater or less demand for
land 10 particular localities shown by the length Of time
1t has been offered at public sale. Is not this the trur
the democratic principle upon which these saes should be-
effected whether States or individuals are the purchasers
Does this principle prevail in the Graduation Bin OF
Senator Hunter"
so our Danvlle cotemporary is opposed 10 the Hun
ter Homestead Bill, and for many good reasons. Tho
Winchester Virginian, another Democratic organ.
says "Mr. Hunters BILL We suppose, is dead beyond
resurrection. Nothing remains but that its biopra-
ply be written. Many of the distinguished Senator'S
friends at home would be gratiied to have an expla
nation Of gross alteration from the path he has
been claimed par excellence faithful and precise in
pursuing" And the Lynchburg Republican, though
warmly defending Mr. Hunter and his bill makes fine
following confession We are perfectly WILLING ,o
admit that the bill of Mr. Hunter is not in perfect oc
cordsnce with the doctrines held by State Rights po
tcians" The Alexandra Sentinel has also taken
bold ground against the Homestead bill of the Viz.
gina Senator.
10 sum up, then, we find the Richmond Examiner.
South Side Democrat, Alexandra Sentinel Staunton
Vindicator, Abingdon Democrat, Winchester Virgin.
an and Danville Republican, all opposing the Hunter
land bill upon the ground that il is sacrifice Of De-
mocratc principles and violation of the Cons,it.
ton There may still be other Democratic prints in
the State that have manifested opposition to the bill
but which possibly have escaped our observation
Indeed, there is not single Democratic journal in
Virginia that comes up to hearty defence of the
bill In the language Of the Examiner, even Chose
journals which clunsily defend the bill acknoyledpe
ITO be compromise and a surrender" The Enon.
I' se'' the most Jealous and determined of its de
lenders; "a forced to make this unpleasant acknowl-
edgment
Mr.. Hunter, we fear, is dead cock in the nit His
AnO'''on mas led him into quagmiro from which he
-" H''er eI'case himself In other words, he has
meant by this inelegant phrase we refer the reader 70
an snecdote in another column, which WINS roooauu
related by Gen. Houston and applied to Tho CT i,,;,
Giant"
The Prospect Bnghr,ns
The Washington Sentinel few davs 400 ...u
imprudently, VIC thought-took the Richmond y,
diner to task for its sedge-hammer assaults upon N,
Hunter Homestead bill IL assertel tbo, a.. r., i,