Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-06

Monday Morning. ...... ....... -eepef Q, looe.
rneonsissenoy q Politaclana. :
H. New Orlsans Bee profsssss iesslf somewhat
pusslsi sy de- ssaartah,s iassasistsacy Of our
lsadisx psaieieians-Alludins. moro particularly,
b sAs late mildly drawn and pesceable speeches
Of Senators Davis and Hammond. Quoth the
Bee: lF III tif
I'VE don't know how tho Mississppians felt
while diees{ing this submission speech, but for
o.p.ravns ws sluncst deobted the evidence of our
seeeos Mt 10 Il understood that We are af ali
pr;evsd 10 ind senator Davis converted into
Onion man, any moro than to discover that Gov.
Haumoud drinks the Union may Be made cap-
theusslves are well enough, but how the deuce
cane thsy to Be uttered by Messrs. liammoad and
DavisS We should NOON have expected to see
G;dAiuu dsfeadiag slavery. or Horace Greeley en-
esrsd 4 stosking sugar plantation, - to hear
he Nississippi Senator denouncing disnnion, and
The Caroline statesman boastingOf what the South
might accomplish within the Union And yet We
viii venture the assertion that neither Of these en-
insnt Reatlensa fancies himself prone 70 the
slighssst Inconsistency"
OF course not Who ever heard Of q politician
that was onsistent-that is. in his own estima-
ton, There's our rockety Governor Of Virginia
for instance-who swears that he is the same now
that he has ever been. although he was once
flaming Wing, knowing Wings "by the instincts
of gentlemen" and abusing the leaders Of Democ-
rscy with all the rim and violence Of which his
youthful energy wascapable. Then there's Faux
ner-the redoubtablc Charles Jemes-the notn-
ble Charles James-the Honorable Charles James
the Right Honorable Charles James-who was
q rabid Abolitionist in 1892, and yet is now moro
Southern than the South Pole in his advocacy Of
the peculiar institution"-so much 40, indeed,
that his friends claim for him merit which hsto-
~ has long .ince awarded to Senator Mason-the
originstion Of tho Fugitive Slave Law. We ven-
ture to say that even Faulkner would never nd
NIT the charge Of inconsistency Then there's
Judge Lyons of Richmond-who talks - glibly OF
his Democracy As If he had been Democrat ever
since he 6rst opened hiseyes upon this breathing
world" In truth, we cannotbegin To enumernte.
% many arc they, the prominent public men. not
only Of this State hut Of the whole Union, who
have shifted their political positions. and now
warning upon the very men and measures to which
the innocent affections Of their ingenious youth
were plightsd We account il no crime ia any
man to change his political relations when con
WINGED that he is occupying . wrong position
When he changes from majority party To n mi
nority We rather applaud the Independence he
exhibits. But We regard it As very suspicious
that nons Of them willing to admit the change.
II 10 very satisfactory proof that, not having
changed on principle, but from, selishncss, they
are ssAamed to acknowledge That they Aare chang
cd. For the purpose Of quoting what little con-
science they may have, they will even have tho
hardihocd to affirm that the whole party has LEFT
t1em rather than they have left the party.
Now, for ourselves, we confess to no very ex-
travAeast opinion VI the honesty and sincerity of
professional politieiana We beliove, oo the con-
trary, that the ao.t If them are suPrcmeiy selfish.
Beside their inmate selfshscss, that quality in
chem is constantly fed and increased by their van
ity-and their vanity is fed by the unmcaning and
lisgustiag applause Of the multitude. politi-
clan whose fame is confined to a Congressional
District Or State, is very opt to mould his opin-
ions according b the limit of his reputation. If
living in the South. he becomes violent Southern
man. and if in the North, a persistent dcclaimcr
against the encroachu,ents of the slave power"
But, let him become an aspirant for Federal hon
ors-let him, no matter how ridiculous the idea
nay b 70 others become possessed of the opinion
that the higA road to the White House is open to
him-and prests, what change! Sectional men
Suddenly become the most national Of nationals.
No longer having any occasion to ride into power
by reciting the wrongs Of their particular "sec-
tien,' they are Immediately neAmorphosed into
mon Of -na&ouality" and may be found singing,
in the most dulect tones, the praises and virtues
Of "our glorious Union"
When politicians are inconsistent from personal
and selish considerations alone, no measure Of
condemnation can he too full for them. Aud such
We believe 10 be the controlling motive Of most Of
the smalkfry politicians Of the present day. But
there il slch thing rs Inconsistency, which is
lasdahle and praisc-worthy. Mr. Clay was an
inconsistent man, taking his poiitica! record from
beginaing to end-but yet. nobody but n fool ever
impuened the honesty Of his motives The times
change, and men will change with them. What
may be beneficial for the country this yoar, may
be highly prejndiciA twenty years hence-aud
this 10 more particularly the case in county like
oura governed by the popular will, and with 30
many diversified interests. Yet it will not be
considered criminal inconsistency for n statesman
to adapt himself to the exigencies Of the times
even when it brings him in opposition to previous
ly expressed declarations and opiniona- 1t is only
your scbemiug, selRsh politicians, who are con-
stantly studying from what quarter the breezes Of
popular favor are blowing. for tho purpose Of self
advancement, that deserve rs they should receive.
the ssReBest condemnation Of the people.