Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-31
&ifbmono Enquirer,
MD IrrcurR AND THE PENSION BILL


to make out an indictment against Mr. Letcher,
because Of his vote against the pension bill
lately passed by the lower house OF Congress.
If approval Of this vote is to he considered
an offence against public policy, it is one TO
which we are obliged to plead guilty.
While we are by no means willing 10 allow
an imputation Of unpatriolis motives against
the members Of the Virginia delegation who
voted for this bill, and while it is especially un-
pleasant to us 10 differ on an important measure
with so good friend and 4 veteran statesman
so worthy as George W. Hopkins, we must ap-
prove the Judgment which decided the course
Of the majority Of tho delegation.
At this moment, when the public debt Is
rapidly increasing, when the yearly eSpendi-
lures seem to augment in fearful ratio, and
when the revenue is avowcdly insufficient to
meet current expenses when we have scarcely
emerged from one commercial and financial
crisis, and another; ten fold more fearful, is
looming in the future before us We find il our
duty to rally the Democracy Of Virginia more
urgently than ever, with the same watch-word
which first placed Andrew Jackson at the heal
Of national atE,irs-the good old, loyS Demo
cratic battle-cry-' RETRrScrNESv ASr RI
FORM" Instead Of adding another annual bur
den, CAUTIOUSLY estimated at from three 10 iii:
teen mllions.) it is necessary TO reduce the
present ordinary rates Of approximation and
expenditure.
Moreover, this proposed increase Of eXpendi-
turc can result in no solid benefit to any body
Of citizens whatever, except to an army oil
pension agents. whose trade il is the duty ami
policy of the government TO discrcdit and dis
courage For the large class of persons now
living in comfort and atiluencc to whom the
great bulk of these pensions would fall due, an
annual increase Of so or 800 TO their respcc-
tive incomes is not necessary, and in many IN
stances would not be even appyecable. Among
the few who really need public bounty. the
pal,ry pittance would afford no adequate re-
lief especially after it should be lcssened. as it
would be, bya large proportional slice cat Oft
for the remuneration Of pension agents.
We feel that We express the sentiments of
the Democracy of Virginia, in applaudins a
vote by which their candidate for Governor has
lent his efforts to check the food Of threatened
extravaganza, which, If left unchecked. must
inevitably sweep us into the vortex OF tine
policy of our Lynchburg contemporary, building
up protective tariff on the accumulation Of
useless expenditures.
No, Mr. Lctchcr has stricken y good blow
All that we ask of him is TO strike another and
another, and yet another, more and more. with
out intermiSsion and in the same direction.
Let him examine every existing abuse and stop
every present leak in the public finances. Let
him with all his might assail Pacific railroads
and bankrupt bills, protective tariff bills.
land Office aud post office deficits, increas-
ed standing army bills, immense prospec-
tive appropriations for the use Of the
department of foreign affairs, and all sug-
gestions for expensive war preparations
in the midst Of peace Urgently, persis'
tently, battling against all these and similar
measures on the floor of Congrcss-he can raj
ly the Democracy of Virginia to his support
with force and influence hundred fold more
effective than he could employ by taking the
stump in every county in the State