Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-17
THE DEMOCRATIC STATE TICKET AND THE
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT POLICY


INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT POLICY.
The best friends Of an enlightened State
policy have especial cause for consratulation
over the position occupied by the nominees oi
the great popular party in the State, with re-
gard to the prosecution of our public works.
The position of leading anti-improrement
men in favor Of Mr.. Letchcrs nomination filed
US with mistrust to which we were not back.
ward in giving expression. If our efforts to
prevent the possibility of an anti-mprovement
nomination availed anything to prompt the
timely avowals from Mr.. Letcher which now
place him safe and sound on the progressive
platform, we have additional reason for SELF
congratulaton over our Independent and out.
spoken views.
Mr.. Le;cher's name was placed before the
Petersburg Convention by the very man who
gained more reputation than any Of his asso.
ciates during the last session of the LegisIa-
turc, by an eloquent and effective yindication
Of the progressive policy. which secured the
passage of appropriations to public works in
spite 6f the most desperate efforts Of combi.
nation Of all the factions Of tho anti-improve-
mcnt party. When James Barbour proposed
the name of John Letchcr for the gubernatorial
nomination, he aid it too. with the outspoken
avowal that he would assist to secure tho no.
mination of no man who should fail to offer
full and satisfactory evidence Of desire to pro-
mote liberal policy Of State appropriations to
public works. Nor was Mr.. Letcher left to
speak by mere proxy on this all-important
question. His own written words were pro-
duccd before the Convention, pledsing him in
an unmistakeable form to tho earnest prosecu-
tion Of the same policy.
Under these circumstances, if the most So
lemn pledges are worth anything at all. Mr..
Letcher's position is rather improved than
otherwise, by the undeniablc fact that the
great body of the anti-improvement party were
among the earliest and most persistent advs-
Gates of his nomination The most trouble.
some and dangerous of these partisans of re-
action arc thus cstoppcd from that factious and
violent opposition to the internal improvement
administration of Mr.. Lctcher, which they have
so vindictively employed against the liberal ef.
forts Of the present Chief Magistrate Of the
State Mr.. Lctcher is their own chosen can.
ldatc. and they cannot abuse and villify his
policy, without subjecting themselves to pro-
cess Of qualification; and we trust that he will
fnally be enabled, by the ties Of personal OBJ
gation and partizanship, to convert some, at
least, Of these gentlemen from the error oftheir
obStructionist doctrines.
It is true, indeed, that some Of the foremost
Of these obStructioniStS were as eager for Gov.
Wiscs noninationin 1854, as they have shown
themselves to bo for Mr.. LctcherS nomination
in 1855 1t is also true, that Gov. Wise had
not taken the oath of office, before these men
were discovered to be his cmbittcrcd oppo.
ncnts. But thereby hangs tale. Not d few
supposed that by pushing him to the foremost
,ace in the contest with Sam, they were
placing him in the van only to he crushed in
The conflict Moreover, it was apprchcndcd
,y some Of these sage calculators, that even if
ic should provo successful in the conflict his
talents and prospects would bo ultimately "bu-
led" in the mass of useful. but labo7ious and
iuiet details incident to executive duties
When both Of these expectations failed, disap-
continent only adlcl venom TO prc-cxisting
hostility, which had its origin in Gov. Wisc's
advocacy of the suffrage basis and his well
;nown zeal in behalf Of the Internal Improve
nent interest.
We do not believe that Mr Letchcr is sub
cctel to similar jealousies and hostility on the
,art of this class Of his partisans. However
hey may dissent from his progressive avowals;
here can be no doubt that they earnestly de-
ire his election, and build some hopes Of their
,wn on the success Of his Administration. On
hese hopes Of theirs, we found the prediction
that the jealous support Of progressive po-
Icy to which Mr.. Lctcher is pledged, will
meet but qualified and temperate obstruction
rom the more embittered anti-progressionists.
There is another point which deserves cspe-
cial observation. Governor Wise has madc it
lis task to demonstrate to the improvement
policy the futility Of all efforts for appropria-
ions to public works, so long as they allow
heir opponents to control the finance commit
ees and thus prepare reports unfavorIb!e to
such appropriations and dictate schemes OF
axation coupled with other arrangements OBJ
;tructive 10 the public credit, by which to pre-
;ent the application Of appropriations already
:otcd. The branch of the subject is OF vital
Importance to internal improvements, and af-
ords suggestions which Mr.. Lctchcr's long
inancial training in Congress is we'll calculated
to enable him to follow up successfully for the
AXE Of State progress.
Like Mr.. Lctcher, Mr.. Montague is also
pledged to the encouragement Of public works,
1 task for which his future high position and
intimate association with the legislative
branch of the State Government will offer
most valuable opportunity. His votes on
these questions while a member Of the
Legislature, given, as they were, under
he pressure Of virtual instructions from
strong anti.imprevcment constituency. furnish
10 suf cicnt test of his opinions on the question
If internal improvements. Fortunately we
,ave more reliable and more satisfactory. rs
veil as more recent indications on this subject.
No man was more conspicuous or efficient at
the Petersburg Convention, in urging the nonl-
,ation of Mr. Montague. than was our dlstln'
,uished friend Col. R. A. Claybrook, OF Nor
cumberland. In the grand crisis oflast spring,
when the future policy Of the State with regard
to public works, hung in trembling balance
when the Executive was even obliged to cxer'
Use the utmost constitutional limit of discrc-
ionary power, to save US from impending re-