Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-09-06
More OF the Land Bill War.


correspondence, the Richmond Examiner is evidently
on the strong side, in its opposition to that Bill
Some time ago, the Examiner called upon the Faith
full to come out and express their opinions fully and
freely ON this subjcct-u other words to say whether
thew wero for or against Mr.. Trimmer Hunters
grand invention for disposing of the public domain
at "a nominal value" Numbers of the party have
responded to the call of the Examiner, and not one
of that number, 10 far as the correspondence has
been published appears the defender, even the
apologist for the Hunter Bill We take it for granted
that our contemporary, inasmuch he has asked for
the opinion of his brethren on this question: would
publish ALL both pro and con, and therefore infer
that out of the various responses he has received
none of them are for the Hunter Bill, as such
have been published.
A few days since We copied from the Examiner,
extracts from sundry letters Of Democratic cores
pondents, saying exceedingly hard things about
Senator Hunter and his Land Bill. Such documents
continue to be received by the Examiner. In its issue
OF yesterday, another letter appears from which
make the following extract in reference to this mat
ter Of controversy among the members Of the Demo-
cratic party.
To the Editor of the Examiner We'll done, thou
rood and faithful You right, then 60 ahead
Cry aloud and spare The Hunter substitute vic
Ation Of tho Democratic platform the subjec, Of the
public lands The Democracy Of Virginia, in the year OF
Lord, 1852 in convention assembled, unanimously
adopted the following resolution:
"That Congress has no power to appropriate directly
or indirectly proceeds Of the the public aud
or to grant, directly indirectly, the public lands pur-
poses of internal Improvement"
Will any man deny that the following provision OF the
Substitute tho Homestead Bill, does conflict with the
above resolution
.'wbeuever State (ne,nng the land State.,) shall
charter railroad or canal 10 run through the lands of the
United States, aud such State shall accept the bench,
hereinafter prescribed by act TO be passed at general
session OF its Legislature upon due notice being gwen OF
the fact the Secretary the Interior shall his du
ty to set apart Of the public lands thousand six
hundred and eighty acres per mile OF railroad canal
within twelve miles each side, aud the
such railroad canal possible, and the shall be
withdrawn from sale entry by public advertisement OF
the Secretary Of the Interior except in the
form herein after prescribed, &c.
SUCH denial would disgrace the lips Of idiot Upon
what ground ther the substitute and its author defend
eds The is-lt necessary in order
the party. What! abandon the principles Of party
TO preserve it? What is the Democratic any other
party worth without its principles? The reasoning
such men, whether wiu in their maguity sincere
their ignorance, is unworthy OF refutaton
Now, we have nodispGson to ntermeddle with the
domestic troubles Of our Democratic friends We
should certainly have enough to engage attention
pretty closely disposed-for between the
public land controversy, Know Nethingism, the ADJ
mnistration and the spoils they are most terribly
perplexed. But upon this land question-onc upon
which so much party ammunition has for years past
been expended in Virginia-we confess that we do
feel some curiosity to how the Virginia Democra
ey going to stand it hereafter If the old and
venerable principles of the party to be abandoned
If substitute which is, as the Examiners CORES.
pendent tells u.s. "a violation OF the Democrats plat
form the subject of the public lands" is to be
in a,rith ha 49,
Virginia Democratic member OF the United States
Senate and Of portion of the Democratic press Of
the State feel curious witness the operations by
which so grand political somerset is to be made
At all events, one wing of the party, and highly
respectable one, is committed out and out for this
"volaon Of the Democratic platform"-another wing
equally respectable is committed, dead set, against
that "vioation," and left in distressing guam
Diary to conjecture how scch antagonistic positions
are to he -econcied and the brethren move Oh smooth
ly and tremendously in the great of Dernocra-
cy. Which side is to suecomJ-that is the question,
for the Hunter Land Bill have either to buck out
fair and SQUIRE the opposition have to eat in their
words and come up to the support of papable "vio-
laton Of the Democratic platform on the subject of
the public lands" There is no alternative now that
we can see. The issue must be met, or there must
be some tall lodging somewhere and who is to do it
is for the different wings Of the Virginia Democracy
10 decide at an early day.
In the proposed Democratic State Convention for
the nomination Of Gubernatoral ticket, which will
assemble in the course Of the mex. six months we
presume, this important subject will be acted upon
In that Convention the OF multitude Of promi
nent candidates for office will be presented. A due
degree OF respect to the claims of our Democratic
friends TO consistency in matters Of their political
faith forbids the harborng OF suspicion on the part
Of any one that the opinions Of those candidates will
not be enquircd into and full and explicit exposi-
ton Of their position required by the respective wings
Of the party. How the opponents of the Hunter
Land Bill to endorse the nominees OF that Con-
vention provided they arc in favor Of this substitute
which they say 's violation Of the Democratic plat
form the subject Of the public lands" we do not
understand. II they are ready to swallow il as a
nauscous dose "n order 10 preserve the party" 'to
abandon the principles Of tho party to preserve it,
then they take n Gubernatoral ticket Of Hunter
Land Bill Democrats next spring. But they must
have stronger digestive organs, will do them the
credit to say, than we attribute to them If they
can digest so unpalatable and unwhoesome a dose
After the Democracy Of Virginia have violated
their platform, their conscientious scrupes
aud compromised their principles, far as TO resolve
that Hunters Bill is good sound Democratic doctrine
and elevate to the highest offices in the State men
who endorse that Bill, perhaps, they can 20 the n.
CURE Of violating their patform-overcoming their
conscientious scruples-compromsin their principles
and abandoning the resolutions Of $3.50. far
enough 10 let old Virginia come in for her dstribu
tive share of the public lands or tie proceeds there
Of They will certainly no. hesitate to let her have